Trent Griffith, as posted on FamilyLife.com
My family just moved into a new home. Within a few days of moving in, several families came to welcome us to the neighborhood. Surprisingly, we were asked if we would be hosting “worship nights” on our patio … like the previous owners.
The home we purchased had been occupied by a family who had distinguished themselves in the neighborhood as having a godly home. It led us to ask, “What are we going to do to keep the reputation of our home alive as a godly home?” Should we host worship nights? Do we have to keep the landscaping manicured? What does godly landscaping even look like?
In Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis put it this way, “We might think that God wanted simply obedience to a set of rules: whereas He really wants people of a particular sort.”
The sort of homes God wants are godly homes.
Godliness can be understood most simply as “God-likeness.” Theologians help us distinguish between the communicable and the incommunicable attributes of God. No matter how hard we try, there are some ways we will never be like God. Only God is all-knowing and all-powerful. Good luck with that. Those are incommunicable attributes we will never achieve. But God’s communicable attributes—like His love, forgiveness, and kindness—are attributes we should pursue daily in an effort to be “God-like,” or “godly.” Homes where God’s attributes are on display can be accurately described as godly homes. Although our homes will never be perfect, our homes can and should become increasingly godly. Let’s put it this way…Godly homes are places where imperfect families rely on God’s grace to be faithful reflections of Him in the way they relate to others both inside and outside their homes. But godliness is not so much a destination as it is a direction moving toward God and His likeness. Here are a few things to remember.
Pursuing godliness in your home
A quick survey of godliness in the Bible teaches us that it’s something to be pursued. We are commanded to “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1Timothy 6:11). Godliness is a daily pursuit by people of God to be like Him. Godly homes are not built by passive people. It takes initiative, intentionality, and endurance. No matter how much progress I make toward the goal of building a godly home, there is always more to be pursued. Godliness is not so much a destination as it is a direction moving toward God and His likeness.
Here are a few things to remember as you aim to move your family and home in that direction.
Godliness requires training
In Titus 2:11-12, we are told, “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.” Training in godliness is not easy, especially in this present age where so many influences seem committed to training us in ungodliness. But the greatest threat to my home is not the ungodliness on the outside. The greatest threats to my home are the ungodly passions still living inside my heart. Because those passions remain in me, they often spill out onto others in my home. That is a reality for every family. That is why every family needs training in godliness.
1. A godly home is a home where God is needed. “God, I need you. My family needs you. My home needs you.” That prayer of desperation is the starting place of a godly home.
2. A godly home is a home where God is heeded.
We can’t just acknowledge our need for God. We must obey Him in our words, attitudes, and actions.
3. A godly home helps others build godly homes.
We should not view our homes as fortresses the world can’t penetrate. Rather, we should view our homes as sending bases that penetrate other homes in our corner of the world.
An embassy of heaven
Several years ago, I visited Liberia on a mission trip. Liberia is an impoverished country with few modern conveniences—namely, electricity. Even though the national language is English, I struggled to understand the dialect of my Liberian friends. After a few days, I felt very far from home. Our team took some time to visit the U.S. Embassy while we were there. The contrast between what we experienced inside the walls of the embassy versus the outside was stark. Stepping inside was like stepping back into America. There was abundant electrical power. I was offered an ice-cold Diet Coke. ESPN was visible on the flat-screen TV. Residents were speaking American English. We even heard American music. It made me homesick. A godly home is like an embassy of heaven. Whoever steps into a godly home should sense the influence of Christ. They should see evidence of other-worldly power. They should hear words and music that reflect words and music currently filling heaven. A godly home should make those who live and visit there homesick for heaven.
Until we get to our eternal home in heaven, let’s work together to make every home a godly home.