In the Scriptures, “godliness” means to honor God and to fear Him with a sincere and reverent heart. To truly honor God, first of all, we should know with certainty that we have been born again as children of God through water, blood, and the Holy Spirit. Just as a child comes to respect their parents only when they deeply understand and feel the love and grace they have received, so it is with our relationship with God. When we come to truly know the grace and love that God the Father has poured upon us, a deep desire to honor Him springs forth from within our hearts and is shown through our actions.
Therefore, true reverence for God is always accompanied by gratitude and the deeds that follow it. When gratitude reaches its highest point, it is expressed in a life of godliness. Conversely, a person who has no gratitude toward God is one who has not truly received His grace and remains under sin. To remain under sin is to be unclean and an unclean heart cannot be godly.
Those who have been redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ would revere God naturally, for He has become their Father. They give thanks with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength, because they understand the immeasurable grace of the Father — who gave His only begotten Son to die on the cross in our place and to deliver us from the eternal fires of hell.
God never demand our reverence out of no reason. He first gave us grace worthy of all reverence and praise. He gave us the heavens and the earth, life and breath, health, parents, and children. Above all, He gave His only Son to shed His blood and die for us, to save our souls from eternal hell. And when He created mankind, He even gave us the personality to express gratefulness of His grace and give thanks.
Therefore, we should live with hearts overflowing with thankfulness, gratitude, and reverent awe toward God. Those who honor and revere the Lord are the ones who live in true godliness.
Pastor Seok-Jeon Yoon
Extracted from Yonsei Newspaper #905
