2 Peter 1:2-11, True Godliness!

By definition, the Greek term we translate “godliness” does not mean “God-like-ness.”  It is what we look like when we fear God or when we worship.  It is true, that godliness will ultimately agree with “conformity to the image of Christ.”  But it is not the same.  But do understand, godliness is a mark of followers of Christ.

Peter, in that amazing “stair-step” picture of the growth of a Christian, included a call to godliness.  Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love (2 Pt. 1:6,7).  There will be something about a person, as they mature, that will be evident, a “form of godliness.”  But we are not Greek idolators, and we need to avoid some who may look like mature Christians.  So what is the difference.

Well, the first thing we can say is that there is a doctrinal difference.  Paul told Timothy there is a “doctrine which accords with godliness” (1 Tim. 6:3), and Titus that the truth “accords with godliness” (Titus 1:1).  In his words to Titus he goes on to say that this “truth” involves the hope of eternal life which God promised before time began and has been manifested through his preaching.  To Timothy he said that the “doctrine” involves “the words of our Lord Jesus Christ,” meaning what He revealed in terms of the New Covenant.

You may have noticed that these “godliness” terms are found in Acts, and then in the Pastoral Epistles and 2 Peter.  They are in the later letters, and all of these had strong dealings with false teaching.  The issue of “wheat and tares” was becoming more and more of an issue as the first century wore on, and the need arose to deal with the “form of godliness” and the doctrine that is in sync with that form.

And this leads us then to two major references to “godliness.”  First, 1 Tim. 3:16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.  This is specifically called “the mystery of godliness.”  The “mystery” term should be a clear pointer to the truths that Christ gave especially to Paul for the establishment and edification of the Church (cf. Eph. 3:1-13).  The secret to godliness for Christians is CHRIST!  He came to earth, ran the race as our “forerunner” (Hb. 6:19-20; 12:1-2).  Christ “in the believer” is the hope of glory (Col. 1:27) and the believer “in Christ” is the fountain of every blessing (Eph. 1:3).

And this takes us perfectly to 2 Peter 1:3-4: According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature … Certainly these “promises” are those Peter heard from Christ in the Upper Room when Jesus declared the “doctrine that accords with godliness.”