Godliness
This is a study of the Greek word eusebeia,
used in the New Testament to express the idea of inner piety,
spiritual maturity, or godliness. In TITUS 1:1, the Apostle Paul
states that he is an apostle of Jesus Christ according to the
criterion of the faith of the chosen people of God who have a
full and applied knowledge of the truth which is the standard
for godliness.
The word eusebeia has an interesting history. It was first
used by the Greek poet, Homer, in about 1000 BC. From Homer the
word came into use in the classical Greek of Athens (Attic Greek)
where it referred to personal piety in the fulfillment of human
relationships. It was also used to describe a person who was faithful
in fulfilling his duties to whatever Greek gods dominated the
city in which he lived. The Attic Greek word always referred to
the outward expression of piety, such as the giving of gifts to
the god, participation in sacrifices and worship, or making a
show of religion in public.
As the word eusebeia began to be used in the koine
Greek, it came to mean "inner piety", or spirituality,
a duty which the believer owes to God in the inner man. The principle
in the Titus context is that of the control or filling of the
Holy Spirit which produces qualities of conformity to Christ.
The following scripture passages contain the word eusebeia,
invariably translated "godliness" (in the KJV). Read
these verses along with their contexts before continuing in the
next section.
ACTS 3:12
1 TIM. 2:2; 3:16; 4:7,8; 6:3,5,6,11
2 TIM. 3:5
2 PET. 1:3,6,7; 3:11
Principles of eusebeia
A true man of God has qualities of inner piety - the characteristics
of a spiritually mature person. This is not a phony façade
put on to please or impress people. The source of this godliness
is the Word of God. The godly person has not only learned doctrine
academically, but he has also seen that word applied to his life
in edification over a period of years.
Spirituality is an absolute quality, depending on a believer's
walk with the Lord, and particularly on his maintaining his fellowship
with the Lord through confession. But none of this is visible.
So - how can you tell when true spirituality and maturity are
present? Or, how do you know the difference between a godly man
and one who is merely well educated and in control of himself?
A carnal believer, the novice Christian, can be moral, can use
the right vocabulary, can wear a suit and carry a Bible. He can
fool some of the people some of the time.
But the godly believer is known by "his fruits" - the
fruit of the Holy Spirit - things that an unbeliever, or the carnal
believer, cannot produce. Godliness is produced in the life of
a Christian who is both learning doctrine and growing thereby
through edification.
Read GAL 5:19-21, the works of the flesh.
The works of the flesh are obvious enough. They are the product
of an inner life controlled by the sin nature, by the trends and
lusts of the soul. And as a Christian grows in Christ, he gains
victory over areas of weakness. The Christian Way of Life is characterized
by the putting away of negatives, the sin that so easily besets,
and by putting on the new man.
GAL. 5:22-26
EPH. 4:17-25.
The new man not only lives in the Spirit (not visible),
but he also walks in the Spirit (visible). One of the great
themes of the Epistle to Titus is that of the outward walk, which
is a demonstration to the world that the inner life which is claimed
is genuine. Three illustrations are given in Titus 2.
- In TITUS 2:4,5, young women are to be taught how to lead
godly lives so that "the Word of God be not blasphemed."
We have a responsibility for public opinion about the Word of
God.
- In 2:7,8, Titus himself is told to show himself a "pattern
of good works" and to have "sound speech that cannot
be condemned" in order not to supply detractors with ammunition
for their criticisms.
- And in 2:9,10, servants are to maintain godly lives in their
relations to their masters in order that they might "adorn
the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things." We are to
live as "decorations" to the doctrine of God.
The whole letter to Titus is an inspired document which, among
other things, provides many illustrations (in chapters 1 and 2)
of how godliness (eusebeia) is supposed to be observed
in the outward characteristics of believers of all ranks: overseers
and elders, older men, older women, younger women, younger men,
servants, and Titus himself.
Godliness is the concept of the inward life and the outward appearance
of the fruit of the Spirit.
For example, in the spiritual fruit of love we see genuine
care and regard for people, an impersonal love for people who
are different, even though they are enemies. This love results
in the philozenos of TITUS 1:8. [See the notes on Characteristics
of Impersonal Love]. Love is the absence of mental attitude sins
and sins of the tongue. The negatives have been eliminated from
the believer's life so that (1) he no longer hates, despises,
disdains, or envies other people, (2) he no longer maligns or
ridicules them, and therefore (3) he is free to have a ministry
with others that is not hindered by offensiveness or bitterness.
Joy is the spiritual fruit which enables a Christian to
have happiness that does not depend on the details of life. He
has a stable mental attitude from looking to Jesus and trusting
the Father for everything. He does not fall into moody depression
when things go wrong or he is criticized of maligned. He does
not fall into wide emotional swings. He does not depend on others
to prop up his happiness. I TIM. 6:6, "Godliness (eusebeia)
with contentment is great gain..."
A believer who has peace is a master of the Faith-Rest
technique. He is nearly unflappable, because he has a lot of practice
in placing every distress, every disaster, in the hands of the
Lord. He is the most relaxed person in the neighborhood. He does
not have chronic worry about the present or future. He knows that
the Lord can handle everything. So he is not paranoid. Even if
someone is really out to get him, he is relaxed and praying, even
for the enemy who is plotting against him. He places great confidence
in the Lord, especially regarding death, knowing and resting in
the fact that "absent from the body" means "present
with the Lord." So he is not one of those who "through
fear of death are all their lifetime subject to bondage"
(HEB. 2:15).
Well, for homework, you can make up your own descriptions for
the remaining parts of the fruit of the Spirit: Longsuffering,
Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance. Just remember
that God's plan for you is that you continue to be a godly Christian.