To enhance my summer reading, I've joined Tim Challies' group, Reading Classics Together. We'll be going through The Godly Man's Picture by Thomas Watson. As Challies points out, this book is not just for men. "It is, in reality, The Godly Person's Picture and simply looks to Scripture to describe the marks of a Christian."
(Note: If you'd like to join the reading group, click here.)
I just began reading the book myself. Today I leafed through chapter two, which asks, What is godliness?
Watson provides the following answer: "Godliness is the sacred impression and workmanship of God in a man...." That's a simple definition, but Watson enlarges our understanding of godliness by laying down seven maxims, which I'll comment on briefly, mixing my own remarks with Watson's:
- Godliness is a real thing, it is not shadow, but substance. It's not the figment of a deluded person's imagination. Rather, it has truth as its foundation (Psalm 86:11). If God be true, then godliness is true.
- Godliness is an intrinsical thing; it lies chiefly in the heart (Psalm 51:6). "The dew lies on the leaf, the sap is hid in the root. The moralist's religion is all in the leaf, it consists only in externals: but godliness is a holy sap which is eradicated in the soul."
- Godliness is a supernatural thing, whereas by nature, we inherit nothing but evil. We naturally crave sin, sucking it in like a baby does her mother's milk. But godliness is "breathed in from heaven. God must light up the lamp of grace in the heart; weeds grow of themselves, flowers are planted." Isaiah refers to godly people as "oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified" (Isa. 61:3).
- Godliness is an extensive thing; it is a sacred leaven that spreads itself throughout the whole person (1 Thess. 5:23). Says Watson, "Grace is called the new man (Col. 3:10), not a new eye or tongue, but a new man; he who is godly is good all over; tho' he be regenerate but in part, yet it is in every part."
- Godliness is an intense thing; it does not lie in a dead formality or indifference, but is "fervent in spirit" (Rom. 12:11). A godly heart boils over in holy affections.
- Godliness is a glorious thing; as the jewel is to the ring, so is piety to the soul. "Godliness is near a kin to glory (2 Pet. 1:3)... Godliness is glory in the seed, and glory is godliness in the flower."
- Godliness is a permanent thing. "Godliness is a fixed thing: there is a great deal of difference between a stake in the hedge and a tree in the garden; a stake rots ... but a tree, having life in it, abides and flourisheth." Scripture declares, "No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him..." (1 John 3:9) - and it abides to eternity.
In thinking on these qualities, we may be inclined to cry out with David, "Help, O Lord, for the godly are fast disappearing! The faithful have vanished from the earth!" (Psalm 12:1 NLT). Yet the Holy Spirit responds, "what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives" (2 Pet. 3:11). Yes, we should. Indeed, we can! "For God is working in [us] giving [us] the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Phil. 2:13).
So, join us in this quest for godliness!
