Light Brings Salt
Volume 3, Issue 24 June 12, 2005
Dedicated to the Systematic Exposition of the Word of God
DISCIPLINED BY GRACE – TEACHING
by J. F. Strombeck
Godliness is defined as, "careful observance of, or
conformity to the laws of God." This definition might, however, be
misleading because a punctilious observance of God’s law in self-effort and for
personal honor becomes self-righteousness. The Pharisees were sticklers for the
laws of God, but Jesus said that they were of their father, the Devil.
If, as already seen, ungodly means not to have regard for
God; then godly means to have regard for Him, including voluntary dependence
upon Him. A godly life is free from doubt as to His wisdom, His love, His goodness,
and His provision. Dependence upon God excludes all dependence upon self.
A believer is dependent upon God in a twofold sense. When
a person is born again, God does much more than reinstate him into Adam’s
original condition; he becomes a new creation, with a divine nature (2 Cor.
It is of the greatest importance to recognize that godly
living includes this unfailing dependence upon the grace of God, as controlling
in every aspect of life. The believer in Christ cannot be said to be living a
truly godly life until he is brought to bow his head and heart to sovereign
grace.
The humble attitude of complete dependence upon God is
certain to express itself in a voluntary submission to do His will; and the
injunction "whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" will
become the rule of life. The little word "all" excludes for
godly living even the least thing done to satisfy a desire for personal honor
and glory. As God’s purpose in saving man is to the praise of the glory of His
grace, so the object of all godly living must also be to the praise of the
glory of His grace. The Creator should be glorified by His works. Much more,
when the Creator left His place in glory and died to save the creature from
everlasting condemnation, should He be glorified by those who are saved.
That which measures up to high moral standards is not
always godly living, although godly living will so express itself. The world
religions have moral codes, but conformity thereto is not godly living.
Conformity to the Golden Rule or to the Mosaic law,
would be godly living only if it could be in full dependence upon God, and done
to His glory. Pious and puritanical living, however self-sacrificing, is not
necessarily godliness. A life in dependence upon God will be marked by the
absence of much of the pleasure of the world and by many
self-denials, but the absence of these is not in itself a test of
godliness. It may be self-righteousness and spiritual pride.
Godly living is not mere service for others. The present
day social service program of neighborliness and good will of many churches, if
not in dependence upon God and if not for His glory, while of temporal value,
is not godliness.
That the believer’s life should be in complete dependence
upon God is taught in many different ways.
The most simple statements
thereof are: "The just shall live by faith" (Heb.
But faith is more than trusting God to do things asked of
Him; it is trusting Him to do whatever He in His
infinite wisdom knows to be best, even if it is a denial of the thing asked.
Some teach that all illness will be healed if only the sick person has enough
faith in God. One who so teaches presumes to dictate to God what is best. This
entirely ignores the fact that dependence upon God’s wisdom is as important as
dependence upon His power.
Faith is not a mysterious energy, emanating from within
oneself, by which things are brought to pass. It is in no sense work; it is
rather a cessation of work, or self-effort.
To live by faith is not to live by sight. To live by sight
is to depend upon circumstances, such as a fine position, health, a bank
account, friends, family ties and many other things. These are of great value
to the believer, but to depend upon them and trust in them is not to walk by
faith. To live by faith is also not to live according to reason. The essence of
reason is dependence upon one’s own intellect to plan and provide. To
substitute reason for faith in God is to trust one’s own intellectual capacity
more than God’s wisdom and power.
"The just shall live by faith" means, the just shall live by
dependence upon God.
Emphasis upon the faithfulness of God should be a great
stimulus to depend upon Him. "Faithful is he that calleth
you, who also will do it" (1 Thess.
Practical sanctification also teaches complete dependence
upon God. To sanctify is to set aside for a purpose. One
who sanctifies himself unto God, sets his life aside for God’s purpose. This
act recognizes God’s will as governing in that life, and this signifies dependence
upon God. In his great treatise on sanctification, Paul used words which
beautifully convey the idea of dependence, "yield yourselves unto God,
as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness unto God" (Rom.
Multiplied admonitions to pray are
repeated reminders of the believer’s dependence upon God. "Pray without
ceasing" (1Thess.
Paul admonished, "Giving thanks always for all
things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
(Eph.
Prayer acknowledges one’s dependence upon God in time of
need; thanksgiving acknowledges dependence when the need has been satisfied.
The lepers prayed, "Master, have mercy upon us;" only
one returned to give thanks. Nine forgot their dependence upon Jesus the moment
they were healed.
And finally, the very nature of grace demands dependence
upon God. "Therefore it is of faith, that it
might be by grace" (Rom.
To be completely dependent upon God and to desire to do
His will and glorify Him are the basic principles of godly living. It is only
by the discipline of grace that these characteristics are developed in a human
life.