Knowledge Doesn't Guarantee Godliness

Well, it sure has been awhile since I wrote anything in this blog.  A lot has happened.  Most of you know that I’ve transitioned from active duty Navy after 6 years and am now attending Trinity Evangelical Divinity School pursuing a master’s degree in pastoral ministry.  One month has already flown by, I’ve finished one class, read 3 full books and many parts of many more, written a few papers, lost a few hours of sleep, memorized several dozen Greek words, and a few other random things.  I love seminary.  I love learning about all of the facets of the Christian faith.  I love laboring towards the goal of having a knowledge base that is adequate to sustain a ministry for a few decades. 

But while I could entertain you with tons of seminary trivia and explain how to parse a Greek verb, I’d rather spend some time sharing with you the most important things that I am learning through seminary, priceless things that are my real treasures so far.  The title pretty much tells you what I want to talk about. 

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says that he could have all of the knowledge in the whole world, and if he lacked love, he would be nothing.  I would like to argue that if I gain all the knowledge in the whole world about being a pastor and I lack godliness, I lack the very basis for ministry: a transformed, exemplary life.  Time and time again, Paul tells people to imitate him as he imitates Christ.  He tells the Philippians to make sure that they live their lives in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ, not setting some ridiculous expectations for themselves to live up to, but living a life of obedience from the heart for what Christ has done.  That’s where God has me headed, and I’m so excited about it!  What would I consider “success”?  To live a life fully pleasing to God.  That’s success for all of us. 

Now for a couple of things under this umbrella of godliness that God is teaching me right now.

1.     I, like Paul, need to buffet my body rather than obeying its passions.

It’s not like this is some new concept, but I am gaining a much more robust understanding of it.  What type of appetites am I allowing to dictate my behavior?  Maybe the appetite of my eyes desiring to look lustfully at a woman or how about the appetite of my ears straining to hear compliments and praises from men.  What about that of my stomach crying for me to eat another hamburger or piece of pizza or bag of potato chips?  Maybe it is the appetite of my body to give up and rest before the day is done. 

Who is leading who around by a leash?  Sadly, far too often my body is the one leading me around.  That just has to change.  Paul goes as far as to say that if he doesn’t control and reign in his appetites he could be disqualified after preaching to other people!  That’s a sobering thought. 

What needs to drive me to control my body as it wars against my soul?  The imperishable wreath that God promises to those who run well is what needs to drive me.  I want the reward.  I want the “pearly gates” to open and welcome me into the presence of God.  Now, to be clear, controlling my appetites isn’t what will gain my admittance to heaven.  By grace I am saved through faith…this is not a result of works.  Salvation is from the Lord, beginning to end.  But Christ has set me free to present my members to God as instruments of righteousness.  I have been purchased by the blood of Jesus and have the privilege of honoring him with every area of my life.  So…I discipline myself, I buffet my body so that I might not run around like a chicken with its head cut off.  I purpose to lead my body around by that leash and not be drug around by my body and its appetites. 

This is getting closer to the robustness that Paul had in mind.  This is how I want to live going forward. 

2.     Godliness is a cooperative effort.

There has never been a person on the planet that labored towards godliness in Christ who failed to attain maturity because God didn’t hold up his end of the bargain.  So often I can be so numb and bored with pursuing godliness as if I didn’t expect God to come through and change my heart.  The longer and harder a struggle is, the more tempted I become to just throw in the towel.  It is God’s will that I be sanctified.  I feel strongly that it is God’s will that I become a pastor.  So why am I afraid that I won’t be sanctified enough to attain the office of church leadership?  By God’s grace, my labor towards godliness is never in vain.  This is good news!  I need this news.  I need to have faith in this truth.  And then with that faith, I need to run the race and cast off all of the weights and the sin that clings so closely so that I might run efficiently and have the endurance needed to finish well.  The casting off of these things doesn’t sanctify me, but it sure positions me well to be affected upon by God’s grace!  That’s what I desire. 

There are a few other things I could share, but I will stop with this.  Ultimately, character and godliness are indications that I really know something.  To gain knowledge of God’s amazing grace without maturing in Christ is to gain nothing.  I want to learn the truth which accords with godliness.  I want the doctrine that makes me zealous for good works.  I want the information that will move from my brain into my heart and be rerouted as marching orders for my hands and feet. 

Friend, are you striving for godliness? 

Let the Gospel, the power of salvation for all who believe, change everything about you and live out your faith with a resolve to let God make you look and think and act like your Lord, Jesus.  That’s my hope and prayer for all of us.