The Bible dictionary says that godliness is “the quality or practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God; devoutness and moral uprightness; to be wise is to live in godliness, reflecting the nature of the kingdom of God in the course of everyday life.” This might be a good definition, but what does that mean? What does godliness look like? A working definition of godliness might be “a lifestyle that consistently reflects the character of God.”

The word “godliness” is found about sixteen times in the New Testament, mostly in the so-called Pastoral Epistles, First and Second Timothy and Titus. In 2 Timothy 3:5, Paul speaks of those who have a form of godliness, but deny the power of it. We can have an outward form of godliness, which means doing all the right things on the outside, but on the inside there is no substance, no reality. A life of true godliness has power connected to it, not simply a religious life going through certain outward routines, such as going to church or other religious activities. These things are good, but they do not have power to transform us. While it is important not to forsake the assembling together with other believers, that routine in itself does not have power to make me like Christ.

Let us go back to our working definition of godliness and ask a question: How can I make my lifestyle consistently reflect the character of God? The answer can only be by following after God, walking with Him daily, and allowing the Holy Spirit to transform me into the image of Christ.