The Godliness in Christ Jesus!

“Godliness with contentment is great gain. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” – 1 Timothy 6:6,4:8 NIV

First of all, we have to know that all of us are sinners (Romans 3:23) because of this world. (Romans 5:12) For this reason, we ought to abide in the Holy Spirit to produce godly desires and passions, as “…godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:6) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) In other words, Jesus has provided us the way of the truth and the life (John 14:6) by crucifying Himself on the cross as an atonement of our sins (Colossians 2:13-15) and giving us His Spirit to follow and to do the will of God (John 14:15-17,26-27)  until the end of age. Thus, we can enter the kingdom of heaven at the end of age. (Matthew 7:21)

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. (Titus 3:4-8)

His [Jesus Christ’s] divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:3-11)

The eternal kingdom of heaven is actually where all of us belong. This is because God, our heavenly Father (Ephesians 4:6) had created us in the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 1-2:22) Nevertheless, Satan, the devil came and he had separated us from our original home and put us in this world, which is His kingdom. This is because he wants to put us into death. This is why Jesus Christ was crucified and resurrected so that He would be able to bring us back to the Garden of Eden. (1 Peter 3:18-22)

Hence, if we believe Jesus as our Lord and Savior, then we have received our citizenship to the kingdom of heaven.

For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (Philippians 3:18-21, 2 Corinthians 5:1)

In this case, we ought to stand firm in Christ Jesus through faith, as we wait for the eternal kingdom of God that has been provided for us at the end of age. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.

In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power to him forever! Amen. (1 Peter 5:8-11)

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:11-14)