I’m posting about the pattern of life handed down to us in the Scripture. Living for Christ is not all about following a set of rules. That’s the way the world tries to function.

“As long as I’m not breaking the rules, I can do what I want.”

A number of years ago I was leading a high school boy’s Bible Study at a Christian school. A frequent question that I got asked on a regular basis was, “Can I ___________ and still be a Christian?”

The blank was different every time, but the attitude was the same. It might have been about alcohol, dancing, R-rated movies, or rock music. The focus was the same each time it was asked. They were basically asking me, “How close to the world can I go and still make it to Heaven?”

Unfortunately, that’s the way a lot of Christians live out their lives. They look at the “religious” side of their life. They read the Bible, pray regularly, and go to church. So they’re okay. The rest of the time they do what they want. In our society they’re considered good Christians.

I’m about to say something that will probably make you mad. Please continue reading with an open heart. My goal is to see the church become who we were meant to be.

Right now there are a large percentage of “good Christians” who are godless. That’s a word that we usually associate with the unsaved. But a study of the Word of God will show that it sometimes applies to Christians as well.

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.
2 Timothy 2:16

Here Paul is warning a young pastor not to get involved in godless talk because it leads you further into ungodliness. That makes it clear that a Christian can be ungodly to a point. But what does that mean?

Simply put, ungodliness means that you live each day with no thought of God being involved in your life. You can be saved, on your way to Heaven, and love Jesus. But in your daily life you don’t look for God to have a big role.

You make your plans for the day or the week ahead. Then you go before God in prayer and ask Him to bless it. You may not want to hear this, but that is an ungodly lifestyle. You’re not unsaved, you’re not an evil person; you’re just living a godless lifestyle.

The Scripture gives us the pattern of life that will bring God, Himself into our daily lives. He should affect all that we do.

For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…
Titus 2:11-13

In my next posts I will talk about what the godly pattern of living is all about. If we will strive for that, it will bring us to a whole new level in Christ.

Question: What does it mean to get God involved in our daily lives?

© Nick Zaccardi 2016