Articles
Godliness and Worldliness
Godliness is frequently defined as God-like-ness. Similarly, worldliness is defined as being like the world. While these phrases certainly describe the godly or worldly person, they are not really accurate as definitions.
Terms
Vine says the word godliness ‘‘denotes that piety which, characterized by a Godward attitude, does that which is well-pleasing to Him.” A Godward attitude. The English suffix ward means “that moves, tends, faces, or is directed towards.” Hence, we are talking about a disposition inclined toward God; or conversely, a disposition inclined toward the world.
Of course, there is a kind of conduct that is appropriate to godliness. “Likewise, I want women to adorn them-selves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments; but rather by means of good works, as befits women making a claim to godliness” (1 Timothy 2:9-10). Some kinds of appearance “befit godliness”; others do not. Godliness will result in our behaving and being “God-like,” just as worldliness will surely result in our misbehaving like the world. But the point is, godliness and worldliness are more than conduct or actions: they are dispositions of heart. One might even have a God-like quality (e.g., he is charitable) without being at all Godward in his attitude.
Godliness
David described himself as a godly man (Psalm 86:2). In addition to righteous conduct, three things in his life demonstrated that Godward disposition:
1) Confidence in God. When the boast of the mighty Goliath melted the hearts of the defenders of Israel, godly David said, “The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). David rejected conventional weapons and won the battle by faith.
2) Concern for the things of God (2 Samuel 7:1-2). When David became king it bothered him that he lived in a splendid house while the ark of God dwelt in tent curtains. He was concerned that the things of God be given the proper regard.
3) Concession to the will of God. David had a great deal of family trouble as the result of and in punishment for his sin with Bathsheba. When his son Absalom rebelled and forced him to flee Jerusalem, some Levites brought the ark to remain with David. He responded, “Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back again and show me both it and His habitation. But if He should say thus, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am, let Him do to me as seems good to Him” (2 Samuel 15:25-26). What an excellent display of the Godward disposition!
Worldliness
Worldliness is the opposite of godliness. We are using the term world in the sense of men’s alienation from and opposition to God, the world as “the sum of all influences emanating from men and things around us, which draw us away from God” (G. G. Findlay). Satan is at the helm (1 John 5:19). Worldliness, like godliness, is not mere conduct but a disposition of heart; a leaning toward the world. Most of our preaching on worldliness deals with its symptoms. That is needed. But we must be careful not to treat the symptoms and leave the disease.
Worldliness is demonstrated in the same areas in which David exhibited godliness. I am worldly when I put my trust in its wisdom above God’s; for example, in how to rear children. I am worldly when my concern is mostly about what it offers: its stuff, its fun, etc. I am worldly when I allow its will, its opinion, to dictate what I do. Why do I want that, wear that, drink that, say that, watch that, do that, etc.? Is it because I am directed toward the world or toward God?
The Bible gives us several reasons for rejecting worldliness. Loving and serving the world, and loving and serving the Lord, are mutually exclusive. No man can serve two masters (1 John 2:15; Matthew 6:24). The world and its lusts are passing away (1 John 2:17).
Challenge
The ongoing challenge for the Christian is to be in the world but not of the world (John 17:14-16); to maintain, and even add to, the Godward disposition (2 Peter 1:6).
