You would think that living according to God’s ways would give you an advantage. You would think that speaking and living honestly, trying to do what is right would allow you to move ahead in this life.
But while it might give you a good reputation, living in a godly manner may not actually help you advance in any particular way that the world might consider to be good in this life.
Paul admonished Timothy to continue to live a godly life, but he also warned him that, even as Timothy lived in this way, he would likely not be the beneficiary of wealth, fame, power, or anything valued by the world. Instead, he would be persecuted. Instead, those who are of the world and are set on doing evil would both show themselves for who they are, and what is more, would get away with the evil that they were doing for their own gain.
In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:12-15
It doesn’t seem fair, but this is the reality. If you live a godly life, or even just wanting to live a godly life, you will be persecuted.
But Paul tells Timothy to continue on just the same. The point to which we should be aiming is not one in this world. It is not even one that this world would appreciate. The point to which we should be aiming is to salvation in Christ. We are looking to eternity. This is a short time, but that will be forever. This time is only for now, but that time will last for eternity.
And to live into eternity, we must live a godly life. We must throw off the old life. As Paul said elsewhere, we are dead to that old life. We must get rid of it. Instead, we must live according to the Spirit, living a godly life.
And yes, we can expect that persecution will come. Yes, it is correct that it will not seem fair. But it is also correct that we will be living for eternity. Not for today, but for the greatest prize that we can possibly imagine. Life forever, living with Christ and enjoying the one who created us. That is what we must live for, enduring even the evil that we see today so that we can see tomorrow. Even if it doesn’t seem fair today, we have so much more that we are living for tomorrow and forever.