In the face of such difficulties, some may question whether it is worth
the effort to live a godly life. But the Bible assures us that “godliness
is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and
of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, emphasis added throughout).
Some people recognize that living God’s way holds great promise “of
the life . . . which is to come.” Far fewer understand that living a godly
life also has benefits in “the life that now is”—that is, our present physical
lives. They misperceive God’s way as restrictive and detrimental
to a happy, fulfilled life.
God’s way of life, however, is not a burden; it is most assuredly a
blessing.
After all, God’s purpose for sending Jesus Christ to earth was to give
us the opportunity for eternal life. “For God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not
perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
God is concerned about our eternal well-being. But Jesus revealed
another reason for His coming when He said, “I have come that they
may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John l0:
l0). Jesus came so we can have eternal life, but He came also to help us
understand how we can enjoy fulfilled, productive lives right now.
The apostle John expressed God’s desire for us when he wrote,
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just
as your soul prospers” (3 John 2).
Even though living by God’s instruction can bring trials and suffering
(John 16:33; Acts 14:22), Jesus promised tangible blessings in the here
and now for following God’s way of life and then, in the age to come,
eternal life (Mark 10:29-30). We can experience definite blessings in this
life for following the instructions found in God’s Word.
Since following God’s way is worth the effort, what must we do to
please Him? This booklet addresses some of the common issues we
face—marriage, child rearing, health, employment, finances—and
explains how we can structure our lives according to many principles
brought out in the Bible. Continue reading to begin learning how you can live by the rules that make life work.
