You ought to live holy and godly lives …
Summary: Where have you been and where are you going? This is the question posed by today’s passage. Peter encourages us to live apart from the world’s values and honor God with our lives.
A man lived in a small town surrounded by wooded hills. The hills were not the kind you could easily walk through. They were full of briars, rocks, ledges, holes, and brambles. There was a road that led into town and passed through going the opposite direction. Few people passed through, and even fewer stopped to spend time in the town. It was not a friendly place.
One day, the man set out and see the world. He knew where he was coming from. He knew the people of the town, how they thought, and what they were like. There was a bitterness there that galled the man every day. He hoped to find a better place and better people.
Putting his few belongings into a backpack, he set out along the road. It was not long before the little town was hidden behind a bend in the road. By the time the sun was warming the air, many miles separated the man from the people of the town.
He did not realize it, but by physically separating himself from the darkness that permeated the townspeople, he had set himself apart for something better.
After two days of walking, the man came to another town. There were smiles on the faces of the people he met. He noticed that these people did not seem angry or afraid. He had not been there long when one of the townspeople greeted him and inquired about where he had come from and where he was going.
“I come from the small town two days’ walk away. I am looking for a better place to live and a better people to live with,” he said. “I see that the people here are happy and unafraid. Can you tell me why?”
“Because we serve the God of peace,” said the man with the smile.
“Who is this God?” the man asked.
“Come, I will introduce you,” was the response.
The man was invited into the home of the person who had greeted him. He was shown a book known as the Bible. In the pages of that book was a record of God’s messages to mankind. The book also explained that God had sent his Son, Jesus, to earth many years ago to bring a message of healing and reconciliation from God to his creation.
“I want to serve this God, too,” said the man.
“It is simple,” said his new friend. “This book tells you everything you need to know. In short, God wants us to care about others as God cares about us.” (Matthew 22: 37-40, John 15: 12)
“Where can a get a book like that?” asked the man…
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It would be wonderful if life were that simple. We could walk from one town to another and change our entire life. The world used to be that way. Towns were different, and people reflected the beliefs of the town they were in.
Now we live in a world where people are connected, not by the town they live in, but by the social group they connect with electronically.
In our short story, the man wanted to separate himself from an unhappy situation. To live a holy life means to do just that; to separate ourselves mentally from the world’s way of thinking and dedicate ourselves to serving our God. We become “set apart” for God.
Peter’s letter has led us into many discussions about what it means to live a godly life. It is not legalistic righteousness that defines the word “godly.” Instead, it is a respect for God that makes us want to be more like him. A godly life is pleasing to God.
We may not be able to leave our problems behind by going from one town to another. The evil that infects people’s minds is rampant these days. Yet we can still choose a path that sets us apart from the evil (being holy) and honors God (godly).
Application: Think about the path you are on. Does it follow the world’s ways or is it holy?
Food for Thought: How do you define “godly” in this day and age?
How do you define “godly” in this day and age? First I take “this day and age” to mean (as you said) modern times with expanded social and media connections, no longer isolated to my local community. I think one major difference to “then” and “now” is that everything is now captured on record, and can be misconstrued or unforgiving. When you post something, people can be offended, sometimes twisting what you have written or said, and it is passed along until it can be unrecognizable from the original posting. Being “godly” hasn’t changed for a believer: it is devotion in action, an attitude toward God of love, fear, and desire to serve. I would add for “this day and age” that being godly means being discerning and prayerful about what is said/written. One could argue that those two have always been a part of a godly life, but I think it is amplified in today’s environment. At the end of the day, as you wrote in your illustration, we want to share God’s message, and let God’s light shine through us.
Matthew 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Thank you, Chris.
I like your description of ‘godly’ —
“devotion in action, an attitude toward God of love, fear, and desire to serve.”
Well said!
Thank you for the devotion. And Chris, I like the Matthew 5 passage you used that reveals godly characters in action.
I looked up the Greek word for godly in the passage. Strong’s shows that the root word can also mean devotion or veneration. A heart response to God. Being devoted to the Lord in a day when most people in the world do not give Him a second thought makes us different – or holy, set apart to the Lord. As in your story, it reveals that we are citizens of another kingdom (or town). Being godly or devoted means we long for our true home because we love the true king. And it makes us ambassadors of the true king as we live away from home. Philippians 3: 20; Hebrews 11: 9 – 10; Hebrews 13: 11 – 14; 2 Corinthians 5: 17 – 20.
Rich –
Exactly! “A heart response to God” that reflects devotion and veneration. This is a very personal connection to God.
Good words from both Cris and R.
As for you Mr. Jeff, I believe your parents made it through raising you with a double portion of patience.
LOL!
Okay Ron. What prompted that??! 🙂
Your questions are always great but they often make my head explode. Good explosion, but still.
Oh. Sorry about that! Yeah, Dad never really knew what to do with me. Mom just smiled a lot. 🙂
01-05-2022, 2 Peter 3:11b, How do you define “godly” in this day and age?
My short answer would be. The act of submitting to the conviction of the Holy Spirit and in repentance, through His power, dieing to our own desires as we live and grow in Christ every day given to us by God.
Jesus came knowing He would sacrifice Himself for the sins of all mankind, but before doing this, He spent 3 years among us in ministry. He lived and taught the truths of God. He was a living example to all, and taught us as believers we were to become a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.
Romans 12:1
We are eternal, spiritual beings, confined to these temporary physical bodies, living on a world of two kingdoms that are in opposition to one another. One is God’s kingdom, also known as the kingdom of light. The other is Satan’s kingdom, also known as the kingdom of darkness. The Kingdom of God is the spiritual power to overcome our flesh, and Satan which seek to take us back to our old ways. The power to turn from, and run from our old ways as we pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness and gentleness.
Matthew 12:25-28, 1 Corinthians 4:20, 15:50, 1 Timothy 6:11
As believers we walk, talk, eat and interact with many people in Satan’s kingdom. But our citizenship is in Heaven rather than this world. Jesus teaches us the Kingdom of God is in believers and when we seek the Kingdom of God, and His Righteousness FIRST, everything else will be given to us as we experience peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Philippians 3:20, Luke 4:43,17:21, Matthew 6:33, Romans 14:17
Becoming Godly.
Hmmm….
That is your short answer?! 🙂
Excellent words, Ron, and excellent references. Thank you!