• Pursue Godly Devotion as Baptized Christians
    The Watchtower—1990 | March 1

    • Strenuous Effort Needed

      7. What did Paul mean when he urged Timothy, though he was baptized, to “pursue” godly devotion?

      7 What, though, is involved in developing and manifesting godly devotion? Is it simply a matter of getting baptized? Recall that Timothy, though baptized, was urged to “pursue [literally, ‘be you pursuing’]” it.a (1 Timothy 6:11, Kingdom Interlinear) Obviously, Paul was not suggesting that the disciple Timothy lacked godly devotion. Instead, he was impressing upon him the need to continue pursuing it with earnestness and zeal. (Compare Philippians 3:14.) Clearly, this was to be a lifelong pursuit. Timothy, like all baptized Christians, could continue to make progress in manifesting godly devotion.

      8. How did Peter show that strenuous effort is needed for a dedicated, baptized Christian to pursue godly devotion?

      8 Strenuous effort is needed for a dedicated, baptized Christian to pursue godly devotion. Writing to baptized Christians who had the prospect of ‘becoming sharers in divine nature,’ the apostle Peter said: “Yes, for this very reason, by your contributing in response all earnest effort, supply to your faith virtue, to your virtue knowledge, to your knowledge self-control, to your self-control endurance, to your endurance godly devotion.” (2 Peter 1:4-6) Obviously, a measure of faith is needed in order to present ourselves for baptism. However, following baptism we cannot coast, contenting ourselves with mere token Christianity. Rather, as we make progress in Christian living, we need to continue developing other fine qualities, including godly devotion, that can be supplied to our faith. This, Peter says, takes earnest effort on our part.

      9. (a) How does the Greek word for “supply” illustrate the degree of effort needed to develop godly devotion? (b) What is Peter urging us to do?

      9 The Greek word Peter uses for “supply” (e·pi·kho·re·geʹo) has an interesting background and illustrates the degree of effort necessary. It comes from a noun (kho·re·gosʹ) that literally means “the leader of a chorus.” It referred to someone who paid all the expenses of training and maintaining a chorus in staging a play. Such men undertook this responsibility voluntarily out of love for their city and paid the expenses out of their own pockets. It was the pride of such men to spend lavishly to provide all that was needed for a noble performance. The word grew to mean “to supply, furnish abundantly.” (Compare 2 Peter 1:11.) So Peter urges us to supply ourselves with, not just a measure of godly devotion, but the fullest possible expression of this precious quality.

      10, 11. (a) Why is effort needed to cultivate and manifest godly devotion? (b) How can we win the struggle?

      10 Why, though, is such effort needed to cultivate and manifest godly devotion? For one thing, there is the struggle against the fallen flesh. Since “the inclination of the heart of man is bad from his youth up,” it is not easy to pursue a life of active obedience to God. (Genesis 8:21; Romans 7:21-23) “All those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted,” says the apostle Paul. (2 Timothy 3:12) Yes, the Christian who endeavors to live in a way that pleases God must be different from the world. He has a different set of standards and different aims. As Jesus warned, this arouses the hatred of the wicked world.​—John 15:19; 1 Peter 4:4.

      11 Nevertheless, we can win the struggle, for “Jehovah knows how to deliver people of godly devotion out of trial.” (2 Peter 2:9) We, though, must do our part by continuing to pursue godly devotion.