Live Godly In Christ

The phrase from 2 Timothy 3:12, "live godly in Christ," has become a motivating vision statement for me. For me, those words sum up all of my other goals. When I think of living godly I think of always striving to live the kind of life that God lives. Etymologically, the ending "-ly" changes a noun into an adjective, meaning "like (the noun)". So godly means "like God". Living godly is living like God. We are to live like God in Christ. We can ask ourselves "Am I living godly right now?" "Am I striving to live as God lives and become like Him?" If our eternal goal is to live the kind of life that God lives and enjoy the blessings that He enjoys, we need to start now. Without the Savior, this goal would be utterly unattainable. I love the phrase "in Christ" because it shows how completely dependent we are on our Redeemer Jesus Christ. We can only become "perfect in Christ" (Moroni 10:32).

For me, 2 Timothy 3:12 gives a complete doctrinal answer to the questions "What kind of life should I live?" and "How should I live my life?" We need to live godly and we need to live in Christ. The two are inseparably connected. You can't live godly without living in Christ and you can't live in Christ without living godly.

Other scripture chain verses connected to 2 Timothy 3:12 include Titus 2:12, "Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world," and D&C 20:69 which defines a "godly walk" as "walking in holiness to the Lord."

Godliness refers to a state or condition of being godly. Etymologically, the ending "-ness" changes an adjective into a noun meaning "the state or condition of being (adjective)". Happiness is the state or condition of being happy. Faithfulness is the state or condition of being faithful. Godliness is the state or condition of being godly.

Paul's eternal perspective on living godly is to "Exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come" (1 Timothy 4:7). We are to spiritually exercise ourselves unto godliness. Unto a state of being godly. Unto a state of being like God. Living godly is the spiritually stretching exercise that will prepare us for eternal life and that will enable us to be godly, to become like God in Christ. Paul understood that this spiritual exercise is the most worthy of pursuits, much more profitable than physical exercise (though I would advocate the importance of physical exercise as well)! As we exercise ourselves unto godliness, our spiritual stamina increases. Trials become easier to bear because our spiritual strength has increased and our spiritual capacity enlarged.

This spiritual progression can only take place in Christ through His grace. As we rely completely upon the Lord and receive His grace, we can "endure all things" (2 Timothy 2:10). We can "be strong in the grace that is in Christ" (2 Timothy 2:1). When we are yoked with Christ, we can bear any burdens placed upon us (Mathew 11:28-30). He has declared "My people must be ​​​tried​ in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the ​​​glory​ that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not ​​​bear​ chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom" (D&C 136:31). Living godly in Christ prepares us to receive eternal glory. This spiritual exercise is crucial and we must never be found spiritually out of shape. We must patiently and diligently strive to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him (Moroni 10:32). "These things remain to overcome through patience, that such may receive a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (D&C 63:66). We could never earn this eternal weight of glory, but we can patiently prepare ourselves to receive such a spiritual weight through living godly in Christ.

It is only in Jesus Christ that we are able to bear such an eternal weight of glory. Eternal life is not, and cannot be, earned. Eternal life is a gift from God. And that gift includes an infinite weight of glory and eternal responsibility. We must prepare ourselves to receive this gift. "If you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God" (D&C 14:7). Living godly in Christ is what prepares us to receive the gift of eternal life. It includes giving ear to this counsel: "Seek to bring forth and establish my Zion. Keep my commandments in all things. And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God" D&C 14:6-7. The aforementioned scripture describes the spiritual practice of living godly and it affirms that this practice prepares us to receive eternal life. It is only in Jesus Christ through His Atonement by His grace that we can ever receive this ultimate gift.

But what does "eternal life" really mean?

"For, behold, the mystery of godliness, how great is it! For, behold, I am endless, and the punishment which is given from my hand is endless punishment, for Endless is my name. Wherefore—Eternal punishment is God’s punishment" (D&C 19:10-11). Following the same logical pattern provided by the Lord, we conclude that eternal life is God's life. Eternal life is the life of God. It's the life of a god. The life that God lives. A life of living godly. This is our ultimate goal.

Our Heavenly Father is the "God​ of gods" (Deuteronomy 10:17), the "Eternal ​​​God​ of all other gods" (D&C 121:32), and He offers the gift of living as He lives and enjoying the blessings that He enjoys. We must prepare to receive the "greatest of all the gifts of God" (D&C 14:7) by "living godly in Christ" (2 Timothy 3:12).