One word Christians don’t seem to use as much as they once did is the word “godliness.” It’s a biblical word, one used frequently in the pastoral epistles. When Paul wrote to Titus he identified himself as a servant and an apostle, and the reason for those roles was “the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness.”

The Greek word for godliness is eusebia and it means “a life devoted to revering God.” This piety is the goal of faith and knowledge. The object of faith is Jesus, the end of faith is godliness. The knowledge we seek is “of the truth,” and that truth has a form. True-truth fits with, it agrees with godliness.

Paul told Timothy that godliness is proper for women and goes along with their “good works” (1 Timothy 2:10). Godliness is the opposite of believing silly myths, which are easy to swallow, but godliness is something to “train” for (1 Timothy 4:7). Training for godliness is comparable to bodily training which is of some value, but “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

Peter also told his readers that God’s power has given His people “all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Christ” (2 Peter 1:3), and that we are to intentionally “make every effort to supplement” our faith with, among other things, godliness (2 Peter 1:7).

As wings to a bird so is godliness to a believer. Are you spreading your wings or are you in a nose dive because sin has pinned your wings to your back? People of faith, people of he truth, ought to be easily identified as those devoted to revering God.