What Is Godliness?

Been pondering some things lately. I believe people use the term "Godly" far too loosely in the world today. Have you ever had someone say to you that "she or he is a godly person" or "she or he exudes godliness"? I'm afraid that far too often we have contact with a person who is extremely nice or kind and speaks in a soft manner and they dress in a modest, conservative way and we automatically assume that the person is a godly person. After all, they just SEEM godly. Yet, even though the person appears in all outward appearance and character to be godly, they are truly far from God. 

Can a person be godly if they never pray, read AND study their Bible or spend time with God and trying to live out what His Word says? Remember that Jesus told a story about people who will someday say "Lord, Lord did we not cast out devils in your name?" Jesus said that the Father would tell them "Depart from me for I never knew you". 

When we worked up close and personal with teens in years past, it was easy to jump on the bandwagon with others who thought they were looking at certain "Godly" teens because they outwardly were obedient and nice to others and never missed Sunday school. Yet, when you dug a little deeper into their personal life, you found out that they never spent time in prayer, or reading their Bible outside the Sunday school classroom, or trying to live a separated, sanctified life that showed others they belonged to Christ. So, were they godly? Were they examples of godliness? I'm not sure you can rightly live for God if you never spend time in His Word learning about who He is and what He commands. 

I think the above phrase says it all. You may be able to fake your Christianity before others but true godliness cannot be faked. If you are spending time with God and in His Word, studying and hungering for it, then it will just come forth to others. 

Just something to consider. Profess godliness! Don't be a faker...live your life so others know whose side you stand on and in whom you trust. God's Word should fall from your lips freely and unapologetically!