TRAINING FOR GODLINESS
1 TIMOTHY 4:6-16
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 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."
In this letter, the Apostle Paul speaks to Timothy, instructing and advising him on his life and role in bringing truth to the church of Ephesus. For more background on 1 Timothy, you can read it here.
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Paul personally taught and discipled Timothy, ensuring he had a solid foundation of truth to share with the Ephesians, who faced various issues and problems, including the spread of false teachings in the church. Paul instructs Timothy on how to be a good servant of Christ: "train yourself for godliness."
What are you training for? Health, career, hobbies? These can be valuable pursuits to strive and train for, but training for godliness should be the top priority of all Christians.
Are you training for eternity? What does this look like in your life?
I want to first offer a little sidenote or clarifcation. We do not have to work to be Saved. Salvation is God's free gift of grace that we can't for. It’s unearned and undeserved. All we have to do is accept Jesus as our Savior and surrender our lives to Him.
The training Paul refers to is about growing more into the image of Christ and being His disciple. To train for godliness, we must first understand what it means to be godly. It doesn't mean achieving perfection or being free from struggles. Instead, it means striving towards Christlikeness with the hope of eternity as our end goal. So how do we train for Godliness? Below you will find a few ideas of training methods.
Methods of Training for Godliness:
The Bible: Spend time daily in God’s Word. The Bible is a primary way God reveals Himself to us. Knowing Him is vital to walking in His image.
Praise/Worship: Knowing God should move our hearts to worship. Worship fills our hearts with gratitude for who He is and what He has done.
Prayer: Pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Seek God’s guidance and clarity in every part of your life.
Evangelism: Share the Gospel with others as Jesus commanded in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). Be the light of Christ to those who haven't heard the Good News.
These practices should not be seen as boxes to check but as expressions that flow from a heart that desires to walk in obedience to Christ. When we are training for bodily health we stay away from certain foods because they hinder our progress. We spend less time lying around watching tv and more time enjoying exercise and activities. And often our success comes from the inner circle of people who we choose to suround ourselves with on a daily basis. This doesn't mean that we only spend time or enjoy relationships with those who are exercising or eating the same way we are, but being surrounded by those who will encourage and support us in the day to day is key.
The same is true for our lives as Christians and our training for godliness. We are called to love God and love others. Not just the people who are just like us but everyone. But having an inner circle of people who are living lives surrendered to the mission of Jesus is a necessary and wonderful asset to our training.
Because when the hard times happen we need friends to pick us up and offer sound advice that points us towards our eternal purpose and not advice that only seeks to temporaily comfort us.
When temptation is knocking at the door our friends with the same heart and mind are the deadbolt that makes sure the door is securely locked.
When confusion and uncertainty seems to be around every corner, these people are the glasses that help us to see the truth through the fog and haze.
These are the ones living for the mission and purpose of training for godliness so that we "Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers."( 1 Timothy 4:16)
I pray today that whatever you are facing, you persist and perservere with an eternal trust and mindset. Surround yourself with people who can offer encourage, truth, clarity and support as you train for godliness.
Joyfully HIS,
Jennifer N. Pearson