Godliness Today, Godlessness Tomorrow: Any Nexus With Salvation (1)?

(9)Letlovebewithoutdissimulation.abhorthatwhichisevil;cleave tothatwhichisgood.(10)bekindlyaffectionedonetoanotherwith brotherlylove,inhonourpreferringoneanother.(11)notslothfulin business,ferventinspirit,servingthelord.(12)rejoicinginhope,patientintribulation,continuinginstantinprayer.

ACCORDING to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2009), godliness entails being obedient to God and leading an exemplary life. This definition brings about what God stands for and what He expects from the man that He created in His own likeness. Therefore, the living of one’s life, within the context of godliness, will guarantee God’s love for man till eternity.

Having said this, it is necessary to emphasise that, anything short of godliness, will only result into godlessness, for the two work at variance with each other. The things that godliness and godlessness embrace could immediately be seen from the Bible passage. While godliness embraces love, cleaves to that which is good, encourages brotherly love, rejoices in hope, patient in tribulation and the likes; godlessness embraces wickedness, rejoices in evil acts, encourages revenge, and follow every other thing, which gladdens the heart of Satan.

This then means that when we live a godly life, we will be in good relationship with God, but when we live contrary to what godliness stands for, then we are having undeniable relationship with Satan. But if we are to look at the Bible passages, which talk about righteousness and obeying God’s commandments on one hand, and those which are empathic about man’s frailties in attaining righteousness, it is then a necessity to take very seriously, the compulsory step in meeting up with God’s expectation. Relevant Bible Passages 1 Corinthians 6: 9-10:

(9)Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind. (10)Nor thieves, or covetous, nor drunkards, nor revellers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. Psalm 130:3-4: (3)If thou, Lord shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? (4)But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.