True Godliness

IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

True Godliness

Date: Aug. 22, 2023

Passage

1 Timothy 3:14-4:5 (ESV)

14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. 16 Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness:

  He was manifested in the flesh,
    vindicated by the Spirit,
      seen by angels,
  proclaimed among the nations,
    believed on in the world,
      taken up in glory.

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

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Daily Bread

Key Verse: 3:3:16

not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.

Paul hoped to come to the Ephesians soon. But even if he could not, he still wanted to let them know how to act in the church, for it is the foundation of the truth. The church community is so precious, and we must value it highly. The church is God’s household. For the church, Jesus became one of us, died and ascended, and sent down the Holy Spirit from heaven. The church built on the gospel extends to all the nations and reveals his glory. True godliness guides our lives according to the gospel truth and builds up the church.

Then Paul rebuked those who taught false teachings, which forbid people from eating certain foods and taught that marriage is sinful. These false teachers acted as if they practiced some extra way to godliness, but their ideas were against God’s truth and were influenced by demonic forces.

Paul taught them Genesis to plant the faith that all that God made was good. God also blessed man and woman with marriage as his chief blessing in the Garden. We must receive God’s blessings with thanksgiving. True godliness is not rejecting God’s blessings but accepting them with faith and gratitude.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus who truly makes us godly through his death and resurrection. Please help me to build up the church on the truth.

One Word: One Word: True godliness comes from believing in the gospel of Jesus and living for his glory

God Judges Those Who Break His Covenant

Ezekiel 17:1-24

Key Verse: 17:24

And all the trees of the field shall know that I am the LORD; I bring low the high tree, and make high the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it.”

Today's Question

For what do we pray in the fourth request?

See answer and references