PIETY
(Heb. “ghãhseed”, “pious”, Ps. 4:3; “holy”, Ps. 32:6; “rahghãmeem”, “pieties”, Ps. 25:6; Gr. “thesebeia”, “worship” or “reverence” to God, “reverential fear of God”, 1 Tim. 2:10; “eusebeia”, etym. “to worship well”, and hence “piety towards God”; lat. “pietas”).
It is an affection and respect towards God and parents. In crying out, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings” (Hos. 6:6; “mercy” is the term translated elsewhere as mercy), the Lord demands a heartfelt response, a gift of the whole being, instead of a formalist religion that mechanically fulfills the sacrifices ordered by the Law.
Paul, who uses this term on several occasions, writes to Timothy: “Train yourself for godliness… godliness is profitable for all things, for it has promise of this present life and of the life to come” (1 Tim. 4:7-8 ).
The incarnation and glorification of Christ constitute the great mystery of godliness (1 Tim. 3:16). Sound doctrine is “according to godliness,” since the two are inseparable (1 Tim. 6:3). Godliness is our main source of gain here below (1 Tim. 6:6), and we must seek it intensely (1 Tim. 6:11), to truly live “in all godliness” (1 Tim. 2:2; Tit. 2:12; cf. 2 Pet. 1:6).
The mark of apostasy is to have “a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:5). Thus, we must give God a worship that is pleasing to Him “with fear and reverence” (Heb. 12:28).
The godly man of the Psalms is the object of the Lord’s blessing and protection (Ps. 4:3; 32:6; 86:2). The Jews and pious proselytes happily welcomed the preaching of the Gospel (Luke 2:25; Acts 2:5; 8:2; 10:2; 13:43). Now as then, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12).
God himself gives believers everything that pertains to life and godliness, and he will not fail to deliver all godly men from trials (2 Pet. 1:3; 2:9).
Piety is also exercised within the family and towards parents: it becomes filial piety, particularly pleasing to God. For if a man does not take care of his own, and especially of those of his family, he has renounced the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5: 4, 8).