Lois: A Portrait of Godliness

“For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you [Timothy], which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well” (2 Timothy 1:5) (NASB).

Although much has been said about godliness through the years, in my opinion, you’d hardly know it. Maybe we have ignored it over time and lost sight of its worth, scriptural purpose, and meaning. Could it be that even the church has lost touch with the discipline? Some might ask, “Does it even matter in 2024?”  As I pondered its worth, I realized that many once-held standards had been erased. By whom? An enemy-driven godless society: a people who are not only far from God, but wholly ungodly, and doing, approving, and celebrating every evil that scripture condemns. Collectively, the God-haters are no longer closet offenders. Now, they are in our faces! What was once wrong is right, and vice versa. They celebrate immoral, agitated living without fear or acknowledgment of God. Instead, they hate God and would like us to hate Him, too. Of course, they also loathe us, but that’s not surprising. After all, Jesus promised they would hate us, too! (See John 15:20.)

So who is godly? And in this day, can we have it - I mean truly have it? The answer is yes, we can, but we must pursue it, as Paul and countless disciples did. So that’s where this lesson’s headed: understanding the benefits of pursuing godliness. What is godliness? Simply stated, it’s the quality of being devoutly religious or pious. It’s defined as “the quality or practice of conforming to the laws and wishes of God….” Most theologians agree that godliness is rooted in personal loyalty to God, which depicts reverence and devotion. My personal favorite definition is, as an elderly scholar opined: “Godliness is defined by a worshipful lifestyle that honors God and reflects what we believe about Him.”  Ladies, at its core - godliness is born and matures through a relationship with Jesus.

So then, godliness requires dependence on God and embodies devotion, duty, respect, and obedience. It also yields benefit. Here’s a partial list, in no particular order: kindness, generosity, faithfulness, forgiveness, humility, patience, prayerfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Look familiar? Yes! They’re akin to the fruit of God’s Spirit, and as we already know, since Christ is in us, fruit must be present! A transformed life should display all of these benefits, often simultaneously. Watch closely because that’s the norm, our goal. Their presence is not an unexpected manifestation.

But it’s even more than that! According to Paul, believers should desire godliness and pursue it, and that’s not optional but a command. (See 1 Timothy 6:11.) Ladies, there should be no distinction between our natural and spiritual lives. It’s been said, “To be effective, we can’t be Sunday Christians!” How true! Our daily lives must reflect our confession, relationship to God, and position as His redeemed. After all, we’re His imagers - sinners turned saints, the righteousness of God, His heaven-bound daughters, and coheirs with Christ. We need never say, “I’m a believer!” Instead, your life is your witness and affirms your confession. So then, godliness is a lifestyle that looks like God and points others to Him. From the language, eusebeia embodies godliness based on love and devotion to God. Indeed, the old man is dead! Dr. Warren Wiersbe said: “You are right, so be right!” In short, godliness exposes our hearts. Believers love God and obey Him. Jesus didn’t belabor the command. He merely called it out and set the standard, saying, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Pure and simple!

Watch this, though. Godliness is more than mere obedience, because the desire exposes our hearts. If godliness is not your heart’s desire, you will never attain it. You won’t fall into godliness like an unexpected mud puddle - it’s not accidental. So, we’ll sum it up by saying people of great faith obey God, depend on God, and pursue righteousness! Following a pattern set by Jesus, they imitate His godly character and trust Him for the results. Ladies, it sounds radical, but it’s doable. How do I know? I know many godly women on multiple continents! Even though the world would say otherwise, women who love God are everywhere! And we find an excellent example in Lois. Who is Lois? An incredible believer, a grandmother who God saved by grace through faith, just like us.

Grandmothers have been part of God’s creation story since the beginning, but only one is identified by the endearing term “grandmother” in scripture: Lois. So even though there were obviously others, none are noted for their maternal lineage. Nonetheless, let’s give some their due. You may recognize Rahab, who, through Ruth and Boaz, became the grandmother of Obed, Jesse’s father, through whom King David was born. Rebekah also was a grandmother, but there is no evidence that she ever saw Jacob or any of his sons after his departure to Haran. In fact, The Jewish Midrash (the ancient commentary on the Hebrew scriptures) reveals Rebekah’s death during Jacob’s twentieth year with Laban in Haran, before his return to Canaan. There is also no evidence that Rebekah knew Esau’s offspring, particularly since they became the Edomites and aligned with the enemies of God. Finally, we know that Hannah, the mother of Samuel, had at least two named grandsons, Joel (aka Vashni) and Abijah. Unlike their godly father, Samuel, both judged in Israel but succumbed to bribery and injustice. (See 1 Samuel 8:1-3.)

So why is the commemorative “grandmother” distinction pertinent only to Lois? There is only one possible answer: Because of her amazing contribution and godly oversight which helped shape a man who would become a great leader in the New Testament Church. Who was he? Paul’s protégé, Timothy. He was Paul’s companion on several of his missionary journeys. Take notice! Timothy didn’t fall into that either - it was a deep longing in his heart, prefaced by years of scriptural training. How did he get to that place? Scholars agree that the intentional godly parentage prevailed from his youth. Lois practiced what she believed, and her intentionality is evidenced in Timothy’s life. From the time he was a Jewish lad, he heard and learned the scriptures.

Consequently, when the gospel was shared, Timothy believed. (See Romans 10:17.) History records him as a youth of fifteen when he joined Paul. And a mere thirty when he led the church. Was the training of his youth essential? Absolutely! How do we know? Paul said so! At the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul called attention to the benefits of faithfulness - particularly when it’s birthed in prayer and passes from generation to generation. Although faith has no offspring, we can set the table! A rich legacy is possible, even if we are late considering the benefits. With divine help, we can love our children and grandchildren with God’s Word and train them how they should go. I once heard this exhortation from a Methodist pulpit: “We must love men’s souls enough to love them with God’s Word!”  That “men” includes everyone!

What can we know about Lois? She was a true Jew who lived by God’s Word. Who is a true Jew? One who confesses allegiance to God and lives her pledge from her circumcised heart. What heart? One whose praise is not from men or to please them but from God and to His great glory. What does that tell us? Primarily this: Lois lived close to her confession and displayed God-honoring faith. Although it didn’t happen instantly, over time Timothy imitated Lois. Lest we forget, before her conversion, Lois had the faith of an Old Testament Jew - and worshiped Yahweh! And like all devout Jews, she longed and waited for the promised Messiah. At God’s appointed time, Lois heard the gospel and believed in Jesus - the One in whom she had hoped. From a satisfied heart, Lois worshiped, honored, and glorified God. So naturally, she tutored Timothy in all things God. Indeed, Timothy was in the school of Christ! Even Paul commemorated the rich spiritual heritage that Timothy had received. (Read 2 Timothy 1:5.) 

Concerning Lois’ faith and its effectiveness, we read the words of author and theologian Dr. William Barclay, who said it best: “Eusebia [godliness] expresses a feeling of awe and reverence and implies a worship which befits that awe, and a life of active obedience which befits that reverence.” Here Dr. Barclay highlights Lois’ faith at work. As seen in our referenced verse, Paul mentions Lois’ (and Eunice’s) spiritual oversight in raising Timothy with intentionality and hope in God linked to fervent faith. Note the source of their hope and its anchor - God. In their minds, nothing could be more urgent than passing a legacy of faith to Timothy. May that encourage us!

What’s the takeaway? Like Lois, you can strive to live by your confession and insist that your children and grandchildren know Jesus - the One who loves and died for them. There is no greater inheritance than a legacy of faith - after all, hope in Jesus saves us! So ladies, live heavenward, praying that your children and grandchildren will imitate you as you imitate Jesus. And then, do it! Be faithful to live a life that glorifies Jesus! The truth is this: “They will do what you do - good or bad - long before they do as you say!”

Prayer: Mighty and gracious Lord, give us the right words at the right time. Embolden us to live for you and train our children and grandchildren toward godliness. Thank you, Jesus. Amen and amen.