Ungodly

<<sinful, wicked>>

The ungodly because they are separated from God act in ways that are contrary to His nature of God, live in disobedience, or to have an irreverent disregard for God. Bring ungodly ranges from those who are generally 'good' living people to evil despots, yet what they have in common is they are not children of God but remain under the influence of Satan; they have not come to salvation and so are disconnected from the source of eternal life (Jn 10:10). Ungodliness is the condition of being polluted with sin and controlled by the sinful "flesh" nature and the desires of the world.

The pathway of those who do not honour God is the opposite of those who follow in His ways, and as the destiny of the ungodly is horrendous we should be intentionally trying to turn sinners from their ways (Ps 1:1-6; Jas 5:20; 2 Pet 2:4-6, 3:7).

The ungodly reflect the nature of their master – Satan. They have no reverence for God

Thank God, as recipients of His grace, we have passed from death to life because “Christ died for [us] the ungodly” (Jn 5:24; Rom 5:6,8; Eph 2:3). At salvation we became "new creations", no longer hell bound sinners but blood washed saints (1 Cor 6:11; 2 Cor 5:17; 1 Pet 1:3). The old carnal nature still resides within and it is our ongoing responsibility to put it to death (Rom 8:13). The Bible instructs us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions and live godly lives by putting off the old sinful way of life in every aspect (including “endless chatter, because those who engage in it will become more and more ungodly”) and replacing what is not of God with what reflects the nature of Christ (Gal 5:16,19-25; Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:5-14; 2 Tim 2:16; Tit 2:12).

As believers although we are declared righteous before God we are still in the sanctification process of being made holy by being transformed into His image and still fight our fleshly urges with sometimes acting in ungodly ways (Rom 7:21-23, 8:29,30; 2 Cor 3:18; Phil 1:6). When we are aware we have sinned we need to confess it to God (1 Jn 1:9).

While we should interact with non-believers seeking to influence them for good, we are warned to be on our guard against being contaminated by or embracing the practices of evil people (Jud 1:3-19). Intimidation and peer pressure are powerful tactics that Satan uses in his attacks against Christians.

God sometimes works through those who do not acknowledge Him to bring about His divine purposes and glory. There are several biblical examples: when Joseph’s brothers intended to harm him God used their evil plans for good; Pharaoh opposed the Israelites leaving Egypt; the foreign king who arranged for materials for the walls of Jerusalem to be rebuilt; and God allowed the brutality of the evil Assyrian conquest to discipline godless Israel, but ultimately it rebounded and brought about their own destruction (Gen 50:20; Ex 14:17,18; Neh 2:5-9; Isa 10:6,12-27). The ultimate example is Jesus, as Peter explained to the crowd – He was “handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge, and you with the help of wicked men put Him to death” (Act 2:23). The death and resurrection of Christ were necessary for us to have the opportunity of salvation “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was [literally] put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit” (1 Pet 3:18). As we symbolically put to death the evil practices of our hearts, minds and bodies we will become increasingly alive in the Spirit (Rom 6:6,7,11,12).