TRAINING FOR GODLINESS

September 28

Bible Reading: 1 Timothy 4

1 Timothy 4:6-8, “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in words of the faith and of the good doctrine which 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.”

As most everyone knows, maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise are both essential to one’s well-being.  Too much junk food and candy will not serve us well.  Likewise, a lack of physical exercise is detrimental to one’s health. And while it is good practice to discipline oneself with respect to our bodies, spiritual discipline is of even greater importance!

The immediate context of our passage has to do with Paul’s counsel to Timothy regarding false teachers (1 Timothy 4:1-5).  Amongst other falsehoods, these false teachers were forbidding marriage and advocating the abstinence of certain foods.  They had erroneously supposed such activities to be of some spiritual benefit.  But, as Paul instructed Timothy, “everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer” (1 Timothy 4:5).

Essential to a person’s spiritual health is “being trained in words of the faith and of the good doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:6).  The NASB translates the phrase “being trained” as “constantly nourished.”  The term means to “train up, nurture” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary).  In this context, it relates to the “good doctrine” which is essential to one’s spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2).  The term translated “good” means “to be healthy, sound in health” (Vine’s).  There are other kinds of unhealthy doctrines, like the spiritually poisonous junk food that the false teachers were peddling (i.e., “teaching of demons,” 1 Timothy 4:1; “irreverent silly myths”; 1 Timothy 4:7).  Those kinds of doctrines need to be rejected.  In the spiritual sense, we need to be careful what we “eat.”  Our bodies depend on the nutritional benefit garnered by partaking of good, healthy foods.  We are likewise spiritually healthy to the extent we are ongoingly nourished through the good doctrine assimilated through the Word. 

There is also the need to “train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7).  The KJV translated “train” as “exercise.”  The term is related to the English word “gymnasium” and speaks of the spiritual exercise that contributes to godliness.  Paul compares this kind of training with “bodily training” because there is a correspondence between the two.  Both require regular discipline.  Both involve sacrifice.  An Olympic or professional athlete might devote years of regular practice to enhancing his or her skills and abilities.  No one would expect to attain success apart from devotion to such disciplines.  But that kind of devotion is only “of some value” because it is limited in scope to this life only (1 Timothy 4:8).

The training which is for godliness is “of value in every way” (1 Timothy 4:8).  Godliness is “that piety which, characterized by a Godward attitude, does that which is well-pleasing to Him” (Vine’s Expository Dictionary).  Godliness is “godlikeness.”  We see godliness exemplified and unveiled in Christ (1 Timothy 3:16). It is desirable because it holds promise “for the life to come,” having to do with heaven and the glorious destiny God has set before us.  We are therefore to train ourselves to this end, devoting ourselves to the exercise of the spiritual disciplines which contribute to godliness (Philippians 3:14; Hebrews 5:14).  Spiritual discipline relates to all aspects of life, but there are some particular Spirit-led disciplines that are essential if we are to grow and be strong in Christ.  The Spirit of God is our “spiritual trainer.”  He exhorts and instructs us through the Word in matters related to growing in Christ. 

Three such disciplines are of utmost importance.  The first is here in the context — “being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:6) and speaks to the need for us to be “in the Word.”  Likewise, there is the need to “continue steadfastly in prayer” (Colossians 4:2).  The maintenance of fellowship is also essential aspect of one’s training unto godliness (Hebrews 10:24-25).  How’s your spiritual diet?  Are you getting enough spiritual exercise?  The neglect of such disciplines will inevitably result in a kind of spiritual anemia that will leave us weak and vulnerable as believers. 

“Many Christians are so stuffed with spiritual junk food that they’ve lost their appetite for sound biblical teaching.”–John MacArthur

Teach me thy way, O Lord; teach me thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford; teach me thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
lead me with heav’nly light; teach me thy way!