Faith-Rest Drill: Doctrine of Godliness: Illustrations, 1 Timothy 4:7-8; Eph 6:12-13; Titus 1:1; 2 Peter 3:3-6

	4)	Next we need to remember the definitions of “godliness” or  eÙsšbeia / eusebeia /: the duty and responsibility of the royal priesthood to God; an attitude that is well-pleasing to God; reverence manifested in one’s actions.”
5)	Well, what’s that?  The mandate to keep his commandments.  And this is accomplished by the development and execution of the four spiritual mechanics of the Christian way of life.
6)	Thus, the “mystery of godliness” is Paul’s message which contained the revelation of the spiritual life designed for the Church Age believer.
A.	Illustrations:
1)	Godliness is compared to physical exercise in:
1 Timothy 4:7 -	Have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.  On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness;
v 8 -	for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.
2)	In order to acquire the level of thinking necessary for the application of truth to life, one must be very self-disciplined.
3)	This self-discipline is characterized by placing one’s spiritual growth as the top priority in life.
4)	Spiritual growth is compared to physical exercise.  One who performs a regular exercise regimen profits from that for a little while.
5)	Physical exercise to be even profitable for a little while requires consistent repetitions whether you feel like them or not.
6)	It’s the repetitions that build up the body and give it stamina and staying power.
7)	Likewise “godliness is profitable for all things” refers to the repetition of doctrinal principles in Bible class followed by consistency of application in everyday life.
8)	It is interesting to note that certain doctrines are repeated throughout the Scripture, so the Holy Spirit uses review as a means of inculcation of divine thought.
9)	As physical exercise develops muscles of the body so “godliness” develops muscles on the soul.
10)	In the battles of the angelic conflict the believer needs soul power far more then he needs physical power.
Ephesians 6:12 -  Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
v 13 -	Therefore, take up the full armor of God that you might be able to resist in the evil day and having done everything, to stand firm.
11)	Godliness is a collection of behavior patterns and character traits that are developed by the inculcation of divine thought through Bible study.
Titus 1:1 -	Paul, a bond-servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those elected of God and the ™p…gnwsij / epignosis / knowledge of the truth which is godliness.
12)	The enemy of godliness is life in the cosmic system.
2 Peter 3:3 -	Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts,
v 4 -	and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?  For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.”
a.	“Last days”: The dispensations following the ascension and session of Jesus Christ.  They include the Church Age and the Tribulation.
b.	“His coming”: The Second Advent.
c.	“… all continues just as it was”: This is the false principle of uniformitarianism.
d.	“Uniformitarianism”: “The present is the key to the past.”  Sir Charles Lyell /LIE-el/, an eighteenth-century Scot geologist, wrote in his book, Principles of Geology, that “the ancient changes of the animate and inanimate world … are similar to those now in progress”, first developed this principle.
e.	What Lyell claimed is that since the beginning of the universe there has been an evolutionary process under way and that process has never altered its inevitable unrelenting course and has progressed without interruption or alteration.
f.	 Lyell claimed that changes that occurred have done so over long periods of geologic time.  Those who disagree with Lyell are called “catastrophists.”
g.	“Catastrophism”: This is a principle developed by French scientist George Cuvier /kuev-yea/.  He contended that world history is accented with recurrent catastrophic events that have caused sudden changes in the level of land and sea, upheaval and dislocation of strata to form ranges of mountains, the flooding of continents, and abrupt changes in climate.  Following each convulsion, the normal order of nature was restored and the Earth was repopulated by organisms that had somehow survived the ordeal.
h.	Cuvier estimated that the last catastrophe took place 5 to 6,000 years ago when a deluge covered all areas previously inhabited by man.  The few surviving men and other animals then propagated and spread over the lands left dry after this flood subsided.
i.	Peter affirms the validity of catastrophism with his next two verses.
2 Peter 3:5 -	For they are willfully ignorant of this fact, that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water,
v 6-	through which the world at that time was destroyed being flooded with water.