GodlinessThis 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.
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. |
|
|