18/10/2024
DAILY WORD TONIC
Gospel Flame Worship Assembly
Topic: Practicing Godliness
Text: 1Tim.4:7-8
"But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."
What you do not practice, you cannot perfect. It requires practicing godliness to be godly. That is why the Bible says: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2Cor. 7:1). It takes your personal exercise of self cleansing to perfect holiness.
This speaks of the practicality of holiness or godliness, as against the belief that once saved always saved. Once you are saved by grace, in order to remain saved you work out your salvation. We move from being saved to being holy. And holiness of life requires practice; it is about what you do and not what Christ has done.
By what Christ has done, you are justified, saved, but by your works, you are holy. The thing is that, without first of all being saved, holiness will be impossible.
The starting point for holiness is salvation. The more you practice the acts of holiness or godliness, the more you perfect holiness or godliness.
There is imputed righteousness by the righteousness of Jesus when we receive Him at salvation or for our salvation, but holiness is your responsibility, by obeying the Word of God. When you read 1Thess. 4:1-7, you will see that it is how you conduct yourself to please God that determines your attaining to holiness for which you are called.
It takes a personal resolve to please God to be godly. This was the testimony of Jesus, about how He ensured doing what pleased God to have God always present with Him (Jn. 8:29).
Men may not be able to tell if you are saved because salvation cannot be seen, but they can see your holiness and be able to say you are a child of God. Hence Jesus charged us: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).
Prayer:
Lord, help me to practice holiness (godliness) in order to stay saved, in the name of Jesus Christ.
