9/1/2011.
Godliness & Contentment
1 Tim 6: 6,7 “Now that godliness with contentment is great gain, For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain nothing out. “
As we look at this verse, we realise that these following two things 1) Godliness and 2) Contentment seem to be such a rarity. But what is godliness and what is contentment?
Godliness:
How can man become godly or holy? The Bible says man is naturally ungodly and unholy (Gen 6:5, Matt 15:19). And it is impossible for man to become Godly unless God changes him and it is the work of the Holy Spirit (John 3:8). It is therefore, impossible for man to change his heart & mind & his ways. When an ungodly person became godly, how does it happen?!! It is the gift of God by His Grace (Eph 2:8, Rom 3:24).
There are sequence of things that have to take place if one has to become Godly. It doesn’t happen as we wish or think but it only happens when God does. But what is Godliness? Godliness is the process of getting our lives moulded according to the image and likeness of our Lord Jesus Christ, getting our lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit as we seek to follow in the footsteps of our Lord day by day. As we look at Godliness, we also look at the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ (Gal 5:22 ) and ‘love’ that stems out ( 1 Cor 13) of having fellowship with God. All the changes in a Godly man’s life are the result of God’s power manifesting in his life. Those changes are automatic results of having a constant fellowship with God. But if anyone wants only ‘changes’, they cannot become godly but if they are godly the changes are obvious (Matt 7:16). Godliness is a gift of God (2 Pet 1:3,4). Are you godly?
Contentment:
In this day and age of consumerism, contentment is such a rarity!! As somebody says desire is a never ending circle. Man is encouraged to feed on discontentment through advertisement, through media etc. People are in such mad rush of having things!! But the Bible promises that God gives ‘contentment’. But ‘contentment’ will not be given in separation but it has to be coupled with ‘Godliness’. There is no contentment without Godliness. So when can we be content? When we are Godly.
We have brought nothing into this world.
Have we? And we will take nothing out of this world. So what remains with us? Nothing but Godliness and contentment which are gifts of God.
