Choose a Godly man if you are of God?

Being godly is not equal to living a perfect life but, it is striving to live as Christ-like as humanly possible. We see all of these qualities and more demonstrated in Christ. He is the one we are to model our lives after.

The Bible gives instructions on how we should behave as Christians. The idea that God desires for men to be godly, is not a far-fetched reality.

In its simplest form, being a godly man is simple in theory but challenging in practice. However, it is something that all men should strive to work towards every day.

God created man in his own image. If we are created in his image then, we should also share in his likeness of character. Being a godly man is as simple as being a man after God’s own heart reflecting the goodness of his character through our lives.

Let’s explore what it means to be a godly man according to biblical principles. A godly man is someone who desires and strives to follow the will of God. Here are some key characteristics of a godly man:

Surrenders to Jesus: The first step in becoming a godly man is to surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ. This means acknowledging Jesus as Savior and accepting His sacrifice on the cross for our sins .

Seeks God’s Heart: A godly man continually seeks after God’s heart. He spends time in prayer, Bible study, and worship, desiring to align his thoughts, words, and actions with God’s Word .

Relies on the Holy Spirit: Godliness goes beyond external behaviors; it requires the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. A godly man relies on the Spirit’s strength to overcome temptation and live a life pleasing to God .

Strives for Holiness: A godly man aims to be holy as the Lord is holy. He understands that his fleshly attempts at holiness lead to pride and failure, so he surrenders to the Spirit’s guidance

Repents When He Sins: A godly man acknowledges his mistakes and repents when he falls short. He seeks forgiveness and restoration .

What Is the Significance of Being a Godly Man?

Being a godly man is not a science. We tend to over complicate the standards we are to meet in order to be considered “godly.”

Being godly does not equate to being “perfect.” As we see in the Bible, there was not a single perfect person (aside from Jesus) who was perfect then, and not a single person who is perfect now. Take Romans 3:10 for example: “None is righteous, no, not one;” (Romans 3:10).

What we do see in the Bible, are many people who followed Christ and continued to lead by His example. From the apostles to the early church, we see an example of godliness in them when they were transformed by the renewing of their minds to the likeness of Jesus Christ.

Honesty: A godly man is truthful and honest in all his dealings. He values integrity and trustworthiness .

Humility: Rather than exalting himself, a godly man remains humble. He recognizes his dependence on God .

Seeks God First: A godly man prioritizes God in his life. He seeks God’s will above all else .

Obeys God’s Word: A godly man aligns his decisions and actions with God’s standards, as revealed in Scripture .

Desires to Glorify God: A godly man’s ultimate goal is to glorify God through his life .

Remember that no one is perfect, and even godly men stumble. However, their hearts are set toward obedience, and they continually seek to grow in godliness.

The Bible is a handbook for anyone who desires to be a godly man or woman. God created man and woman after His own image (Genesis 1:27), and part of being in His image is that we are to reflect His character. However, sin marred that image in us and distorted that character (Romans 5:12). God’s choice of Abraham to be the father of a new nation (Genesis 17:5–8) was made, in part, to establish a people group through which He could once again see His character reflected (Leviticus 26:11–12).

Reflecting the heart, wisdom, and nature of God is the goal of everyone who seeks to be a godly man or woman.

The first step in becoming a godly man is to surrender to the lordship of Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Anyone can learn rules, follow laws, and judge themselves harshly. Many false religions require that of their subjects. But we cannot become godly without the Holy Spirit empowering us to do so (Acts 1:8). Godliness is more than external behaviors; it is the continual seeking after God’s heart (Isaiah 55:6–7).

The term godly refers to having an inward devotion for God that is outwardly displayed. So a godly man is one who has received Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross as payment for His own sin and has accepted the righteousness purchased for him there (2 Corinthians 5:21). By faith in Christ’s death and resurrection, the godly man has declared Jesus the Lord of his life, and his heart is set toward obedience (Romans 10:9–10).

With God’s Spirit inside him (1 Corinthians 6:19–20), the godly man is able to understand the deep things of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:9–10). He begins to see life differently. Life is no longer about pleasing himself but about pleasing his Lord (Romans 13:12–14; Hebrews 12:28). The godly man knows he will still stumble as he strives toward holiness (James 3:2), but his goal is to be holy as His Lord is holy (1 Peter 1:16).

He learns early that his fleshly attempts at holiness only result in pride and failure. The godly man learns that, as he surrenders his will to the Holy Spirit and relies upon Him for strength to overcome temptation, he can withstand more temptation and accomplish greater eternal goals than he ever thought possible (Philippians 4:13).

A godly man is one who has died to his flesh (Galatians 5:24). This does not mean he no longer faces temptation. It means that, when he is tempted, the decision about whether to give in has already been made.

He relies on the power of the Holy Spirit to help him say “no” to his flesh and “yes” to the Spirit (1 Corinthians 10:13; Galatians 5:16). As he regularly opposes sin, he finds that his spirit grows stronger and temptation becomes easier to resist (Hebrews 10:23).

The godly man:

• repents when he sins (1 John 1:9).

• considers himself dead to sin but alive to God (Romans 6:1–4, 11).

• seeks to remain humble rather than exalt himself (Proverbs 27:2).

• is a servant rather than demanding that he be served (Mark 10:45).

• leads by example (1 Timothy 4:12).

• (if married) loves his wife as Christ loves the church (Ephesians 5:25).

• lives in sexual purity, honoring God with his body (1 Corinthians 6:18; Romans 12:1–2).

• seeks to be continually filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18; Act 13:52; Galatians 5:25).

• desires to please the Lord more than himself (2 Corinthians 5:9).

• bears fruit for the kingdom of God (John 15:5–8).

A godly man is not a perfect man. We will never reach perfection until we are in the physical presence of Jesus (1 Corinthians 13:12; 1 John 3:2). But the godly man embraces his manhood and knows that Jesus, not the world, has set the standard for what it means to be a real man. So he strives daily to model his life after Jesus.

He does not excuse the sins and weaknesses he finds in himself but continually surrenders those areas to God and asks for His help in overcoming them (Romans 6:11–14). Regardless of physical appearance, social status, or economic standing, any man can be a godly man if he loves God with all his heart and seeks to obey Him in every area of his life (Luke 10:27; Galatians 2:20).

Being godly is simply living a life that is consistent with the integrity of the Word of God. To be a godly man is to live according to what the Bible constitutes.

Godliness Is Striving to Imitate Christ.

As we clarified, being godly is not equal to living a perfect life but, it is striving to live as Christ-like as humanly possible.

We all make mistakes, but we must get up, repent, and continue to grow spiritually. This is an example of godly living.

The more we read the Bible, the clearer it becomes that we must imitate Christ in our lifestyle. This does not mean that we need to strive to prove ourselves with works instead, our good relationship with God will cause our character to conform to the character of Jesus.

Through this good relationship, we will instead produce good works as a result of knowing and loving Jesus instead of performing.

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did (1 John 2:6).

Being a godly man all begins with having the mind of Christ. But, in order for us to achieve that, we have to let God renew our carnal minds.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2).

In this verse, Paul gives us two keys that will allow us to live godly lives. First, he tells us that we must not be conformed to the pattern of this world.

This means that, as Christians, we need to actively work towards disconnecting more and more from the ways of this world and building a solid relationship with God.

Second, he lets us in on a secret. If we turn from the world and take on the mind of Christ, we will be able to discern God's will for us.

This is not to say that we will know all of God’s secrets, no. Instead, what God desires for our character will become more obvious. We would have a stronger conviction that will lead us away from things that displease God and gravitate more towards what does please Him.