Train Yourself for Godliness – 1 Timothy 4:6-10

Growth in the Christian life has a paradoxical aspect to it.  All spiritual growth, as also our salvation, comes from God.  He causes us to grow, even as He draws us to Christ.  But just as we have to believe in order to be saved, we have to “strive” to be holy.

When I worked out in the weight room, I established a certain amount of repetitions I would do with the weights in various exercises, doing those repetitions until it became too easy.  Then I would increase the weight.  My body responded and improved.  Training oneself for godliness is much like this.  We take on new challenges as we go.  All of these challenges, in prayer, service, study, etc., however, must be done in intimate relationship with God, in whose presence we are given the power to grow.  There’s the paradox.

If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.  (1 Timothy 4:6-10 ESV)

Leaders need to have clear vision about what is most important.  Paul helps Timothy set his priorities.  Maintaining the truth before the believers is of high importance.  There will be countless false perspectives being thrown at us by the world and spurred on by demons, all with the result of leading us away from Jesus Christ.  The world cannot tolerate submission to Christ.

Living a godly life is also of highest importance as it gives benefit in this life and in the life to come.  But godliness doesn’t just happen.  It, like all important “skills” comes through training ourselves.  It can be likened to physical training, which produces a value of physical health and stamina.  Paul is likely here seeing our exercises as prayer, study of God’s Word, and devotion to intimate relationship with other believers for the purpose of growing.

This is the end for which Paul toils as a leader and for which all Christian leaders must toil if we understand that the living God is Savior of all people (in the sense that He is the only hope for the world) but only the effectual Savior of those who believe.  We will never reach the world without sound doctrine and sound behavior.