Expressing Christ 6/8
What is Right and Godly
So, how do we know what is the right and godly thing to do?
The answer is simple. Whatever is consistent with the character of God is always right and good. That’s kind of what “godly” means.
If it’s from Father, it will not produce fear, doubt, guilt, or shame. Every good and perfect gift is from Him. (James 1:17) What He says will always be consistent with scripture and it will always be consistent with His character.
God’s character is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1:3 tells us that the Lord Jesus is the exact representation of God’s being. To know the Lord Jesus is to know God, and everyone in whom the Lord Jesus lives knows Him and is known by Him.
Jeremiah 31:33–34 records Father’s promise about this. It says, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”
God’s character is seen in scriptures like Galatians 5:22–23 which gives a representative list of aspects of the fruit of the Spirit. Things like Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
God’s character is found in Love. And this is not just any sort of love. This is Godly Love, agape’ Love. It is self-giving Love. (John 4:8 & 16)
According to 1 Corinthians 13, which expounds on Love, God is patient, kind. does not envy, does not boast, is not proud, does not dishonor others, is not self-seeking, is not easily angered, keeps no record of wrongs, does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres and never fails.
That’s quite a comprehensive list of godly characteristics, but God’s character is also on display in the good and lovely things on which we are urged to think in Philippians 4:8. We are instructed to think on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy. Why? Because such things are characteristic of Him.
This is what it means for our focus to be on the Lord Jesus. This is what we mean when we say that the good news is “Jesus plus nothing” (hat tip to Dr. Andrew Farley). This is what the name of Jesus represents. All of this is encapsulated in Christ Jesus. You are also encapsulated in Him and He is in you.
So, if you want to know what Father wants you to do day by day and moment by moment, simply look at your options and choose anything you want that aligns with these aspects of His character.
What’s really amazing is that these describe the character you inherited from your Father when you were born of His Spirit through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. These character traits describe the deepest truth about who you are at the core. Your heart desires and is bent toward these things. That’s what it means to say that Holy Spirit is the dynamo energizing you in godly Life.
2 Timothy 1:9 points out that “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time” (NIV). The grace of God teaches us, and we have it because it was given to us in Christ Jesus.
