2 Tim 3:12 – Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
The Apostle Paul warns in this passage that anyone who wishes to live *Godly* in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. The specific word used for Godly is also translated as “piously” and refers to someone who has great reverence for and devotion to God with an earnest desire and determination to walk in a manner pleasing in His sight. It is used just one other place in scripture and helps to expand its meaning and application: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and *Godly*, in this present world (Titus 2:11-12).
What is immediately striking about this passage is that he makes a distinction between being “in Christ Jesus” and being one who wishes to live *Godly* in Christ Jesus. You would think it standard that ALL Christians would earnestly desire and be determined to live a Godly and holy life, but apparently the Apostle Paul recognized that there would be many who would not. That many would be satisfied to carry the label of Christian, but not have a sufficient interest in and pursuit of Godliness that would change them and mark them.
It takes an earnest and continual commitment to a daily walk with God in order to live and maintain a Godly life and walk pleasing before Him. When a believer commits themselves to this path, God marks them and the Holy Spirit will work in them in a new way to empower them, enlighten them and guide them. Their eyes will be opened to who they really are in Christ and what He has made them. Rather than seeing themselves as weak, fleshly beings subject to stumbling, sin and failure, they will see the mighty provision of God given to them to strengthen them and make them an overcomer in this life. Passages like: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Cor 5:17) and: Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us (Rom 8:37) take on new meaning as they begin to see that God has truly transformed them and made them new. No longer will they resign themselves to a life of stumbling and sin as they “wait for their glorified body” for any hope of successfully subduing the flesh and growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus, they are on that path here and now and the Holy Spirit gives them the strength to succeed. When temptation comes, rather than professing how weak and fleshly they are and then giving in to it, they remember that with *every* temptation God has provided the way of escape, and they take it. They experience an actual overcoming and a real, tangible walk of righteousness which is the fruit of the Spirit working in them.
Only those who develop a real and steadfast daily relationship with God, who diligently seek Him, forsake their old manner of life and become determined to live Godly in Christ Jesus, will enjoy this blessing and experience the power of God working in them to overcome. It doesn’t come to the casual comer and goer, but takes a real commitment to put our hand to the plow and not look back and be fit for the kingdom of God as it states in Luke 9:62.
And what about the persecution that the Apostle Paul spoke of? He doesn’t really go into how that comes about, just that he experienced it in great measure. There is always great pressure upon pastors and preachers to water down the truth of the Gospel and what it means to be a believer to make it easier and more palatable to men. It takes great courage to NOT go down a more acceptable, easy-believism path. This is why Paul followed up a few verses later and told Timothy to: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Tim 4:2-4). You can be sure that the preaching of Godliness and the narrow road that leads to life will bring opposition, scorn and persecution from those who no longer endure sound doctrine and would rather have and promote a light, counterfeit form of Christianity that widens the road and fits itching ears.