I have always thought of myself as a reasonably tidy person, someone who likes to keep things around me neat, clean, and organized. I have heard the adage “cleanliness is next to godliness” and generally agree with it. Cleanliness is a good habit to form. Messy and unkempt surroundings are depressing and do not glorify God.
While the Bible speaks about the importance of good outward behavior and conduct, it gives much more importance to our inner life, our spirit and the attitudes of our hearts, from which our behavior proceeds (Luke 16:15, Hebrews 4:12). Once some Pharisees and Scribes asked Jesus why His disciples did not wash their hands before they ate (Matthew 15:1–2). It was not just a simple question. They referred to more than personal hygiene; they implied that Jesus’ disciples were not spiritual enough because they were not clean enough in the physical. Jesus responded by saying that what truly defiles a person does not come from outside, but from within, from the heart (Matthew 15:18–20).
It is possible to lead a reasonably good life outwardly, while neglecting the inner life. In His rebuke to the Pharisees, Jesus talked about them giving priority to the parts of the Law pertaining to external duties, such as tithing to God, while neglecting the more important parts pertaining to the inner life, such as justice, mercy, and faithfulness (Matthew 23:23). He said that they cleansed the outside of the cup, but inside were full of all kinds of evil. He exhorted them to first cleanse their inner life so that the outer would be clean also (Matthew 23:25–26).
In the parable of the Prodigal Son we see the classic example of someone who led an exemplary outer life, but who was consumed with envy and self-righteousness. The elder brother could claim to never have disobeyed his father’s commands, yet he was jealous and angry over his father’s joy at the return of his prodigal brother. He would one day inherit all his father’s possessions, yet he became jealous over a banquet to celebrate his younger brother returning home. (See Luke 15:11–32.)
Scripture tells us to train ourselves for godliness because it holds promise both for the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:7–8). Such godliness springs from a foundation of true devotion to God, which leads to progress in our spiritual lives as we train our hearts according to God’s Word and live lives pleasing to Him.