The fifth virtue that Peter enjoins us to supply in our faith is “godliness.” This naturally flows from patient endurance because when a Christian bears affliction patiently, he gains an experimental knowledge of God's lovingkindness, and thus he is brought into a child-like fear and reverential love of God – which is the essence of “godliness.” We must refuse to yield both to pressures from within – our sinful passions – and pressures from without – afflictions, trials, wrongs of others, worldliness, etc. Otherwise we will not be able to concentrate on this priority of godliness.
To be truly great and successful in God's eyes, we don't have to master a lot of things. But we need to be mastered by a few great things. The need of the hour is for personal piety that will stand against sin, worldliness, and nominal Christianity. If we are committed, temperate, and persevering in our pursuit of Christ-likeness, God will not disappoint us. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
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Bob Vradenburgh is the senior pastor of Friendship Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has spent 40 years in full-time Christian service: the first 20 years as a missionary and the past 20 years in the pastorate. Bob’s passion is the expository preaching of God’s Word,...
