What is Godliness?

1/07/2007 Estreitta 1 Comments

Recently I have been thinking about this question, "What is Godliness?"

So many times we Christians come up with these ideas of what Godliness is and then try to force those ideas on others...what does that produce...most of the time nothing more than legalism...

now don't get me wrong I totally agree that we sould do our best to live our lives holy and acceptable to God... But Christ also came so we could have life and have it more abundantly!!!

I think that there are obvious things we should stay away from like sex out side of marriage, adultery, witchcraft... you get my point...

I went to a college that had a set of rules of things we weren't "allowed" to do... the one that got me totally perplexed was that we weren't allowed to dance not even at a wedding.. the only time we were allowed to dance was it if was choregraphed...

i do have to admit i broke that no dancing rule all the time on sundays at church... but i never got Caught  I also was a Wedding DJ and I would promote dancing with my job.. but the college never had a problem with me doing my job.. just as long as i didn't dance...So it was strickly the chicken dance and the electric slide (as they are choreagraphed) for me...

Now those rules didn't make me more Godly by following them...But if i follwed them I wouldn't kicked out of my school...

i have some friends that are Seventh Day Adventist.. They Truly love the Lord and I am blessed to have them as friends.. but some times their beliefs seem to be a little constricting.. like they don't cheese burgers or catfish or sushi ... Thier reasons are because of the doctrine they follow, the levitical law, believe those of us cheese burger eating people are actually sinning against God...

I know eating cheese burgers is not good to eat lots of for my arteries and colesteral levels... but is it ungodly to eat...

I truly think that things like this is what turns the unbeliever away from wanting to become a Christians... they see it as a bunch of rules and regulations...

However if we seek God and read his word each individual will be convicted of the things and the areas of their lives that need restoration and healing and what to repent.... I think this will produce Godliness...

even if we have a glass of wine with our meal or if we go to church on  Sunday...or listening to a great Norah Jones tune

So what is Godliness...

Loving the Lord enough to Share his Love to Others without shaming them

I'd love to hear what you think!

 

 

1 comment :

  1. Estreitta1/30/09, 4:09 AM

    MySpace Comments:

    You know, of course, that I'm going to give MY opinion. I do believe the key to abundant living IS obedience to God, NOT to man. The Adventist don't do the levitical law - they do a woman's version of what SHE, Ellen White, believes God told her to do - God never said not to eat cheeseburgers - He said not to boil a kid in it's mother's milk and it has been translated as don't put meat and dairy together. Man, in order to get it technically right, will always try to make things harder and harder on themselves thinking that they can gain righteousness through obedience. And, although obedience is VERY important to God because with it comes many blessings, we are made righteous through Him alone!!. Job36:11 says that when we are obedient to God and when we serve Him we will spend our days in prosperity and our years in pleasures. God gave us the key to living the abundant life - His Son, the Word of God. If you read Acts 15, it will tell you a good place to start with obedience, but then we move on and study the Word for ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit to convict us - NOT MAN! The bible says that John didn't drink wine but Jesus did. Just because Jesus was from Nazareth doesn't mean He was a nazarite like his cousin John. Being a Nazarite is a vow that you take, one that Jesus never took. Paul took it one time - it can be short term or long term. Jesus drank true wine. New wine, is actually the first wine made - meaning it was stronger than the rest. Ok, enough for now, I have to get to work!! But, thanks for stirring us up, Estreitta!! To sum it up - seek God's ways, not man's ways!! Legalism is trying to get technical with God to obtain righteousness - we can't do it. This doesn't mean give up on obedience. This means, quit relying on yourself to be right with God - it's impossible - rely on Jesus, your righteousness!!

    Posted by M♥NDY on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 7:58 AM



    good thoughts! wow. i liked how you ended this. i think (not positive and i remember this being a "debate" in Christian Thought) that above all attributes of God, he is LOVE.

    Also, I agree with your thoughts around each individual reading God's word and becoming convicted of what the Holy Spirit puts on their heart. I don't know about Levitical law and all that, but it something I certainaly admire people for keeping.

    Personally (and I fully know this does not have to be an issue), I am often convicted about animals and eating meat. I KNOW that I'm allowed to eat meat, but I struggle with the pains animals go through so that we can eat them. Sometimes, I come down to just believing that I need to be VERY thankful for the lives that were given so that my body can continue to function well. Other times, I honestly feel like I should not eat meat for a while.

    Anyway, we're all different, and I always love to hear your thoughts, Estrietta.


    Posted by Ranny on Monday, January 08, 2007 - 5:29 PM



    Hey this was good to read. I do not know what to think either way on whether you have godliness. Although, I was talking to a friend about how Christians judge each other harder than we do the real world people...but either way, we should not be judging others. This is so hard. There is right and wrong but people also make choices and we need to let them make their choices. I guess it is good to let that person know that if they are doing something wrong that we love them as a brother or sister and we didn't want to watch them get hurt. Did that make sense or did I just go off there?

    Posted by Ray-Chill on Thursday, January 11, 2007 - 2:34 PM


    Agreed. How are we to reach unbelievers if they are afraid to show their true sides to us for fear of getting a lecture? Even fellow Christians shouldn't do that to others that have struggles.

    PS I'm afraid I also broke some NWC rules. Nothing big, but some of them were just crazy even though I do see why they had all of them. haha


    Posted by on Friday, January 12, 2007 - 4:34 PM

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