“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.”
1 Timothy 3:16
The word, “Godliness,” comes from the Greek word, “Eusebeia.” Eusebeia refers to our concept of piety, which is the outward actions related to what one believes.
In this culture, we shun the words “holiness,” and “godliness,” which are often used to imply Christians judging others. Thus we tend to turn away from them as if one is trying to become, “holier than thou.”
I wonder if we looked at godliness as another form of our individual worship of GOD?
The word comes from two roots: “eu” which means well, good, true, genuine, and “sebas” which means sacred awe and reverence.
Eusebeia was a term used regularly in ancient Greek culture and it related to one’s behavior relative to how they worshiped their gods. The Apostle Paul uses this word in several of his New Testament letters, and this teaching is really the unifying principle of the Bible. The Bible teaches us WHO our God is, WHO our God is to each of God’s people, and HOW we should walk before Him.
If you KNOW who your God is, the ONE who was Manifested in the Flesh, Justified in the Spirit, Seen of Angels, Preached on to Gentiles, Believed on in the world, and Received up into Glory, You can’t help but Worship Him with your life!
And, your way of life, the way you live in the world becomes a beautiful reflection of your knowledge of and relationship with Him.
We all demonstrate by the way we live our lives, the GOD or god(s) we worship. This is an encouragement not for us to look at others but to look at ourselves. We must ask ourselves, Who am I serving and does my life reflect the G(g)od I serve with reverence and awe?
Am I filling my heart and soul with GOD’S Word? Am I spending time in His Presence? In times of quiet? In times of prayer and reflection? And in times of worship and praise?
Dare to ask yourself, does my life speak volumes about my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?
It is said that St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and if you must, use words.”
