1 Timothy: Train For Godliness
“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.” - 1 Timothy 4:7-8
In the book of 1 Timothy, Paul advises Timothy on how to lead the church, discussing many aspects of church structure, and overall exhorting Timothy and the church to be godly. In 1 Timothy 4:7-8, Paul uses interesting language in this pursuit of godliness - he tells Timothy to train for godliness. Paul says, “...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.” Not only should we learn what it means to be godly, Paul says, we can and should train for it.
This concept of training stuck out to me, as I knew it well for much of my life. As a former athlete, I spent countless hours training my body physically. Training happened daily, and even often multiple times per day. Training was hard work, and it required attentiveness and consistency. I had to pay close attention to both my strengths and the areas where I was weakest. When I identified those areas, I had to consistently train in ways that targeted my areas of weakness in order to grow and improve them. I also worked to more deeply cultivate my strengths and gifts, knowing that I could draw on them for my benefit and the benefit of my team. In many ways, my training also had to become increasingly difficult as I gained strength and ability in order to continue to grow.
This is much the same for training in godliness. It is a daily practice, and is to shape all aspects of our lives. It takes effort, attentiveness, and consistency. We must be aware of ourselves and our sin, and understand our areas of weakness. We then repent, ask the Holy Spirit to remove sin in our lives, and train ourselves in being godly.
The difference, however, between bodily training and training in godliness is in it’s value. Paul says that while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way. Not only that, but godliness has great value both in this life and in the life to come. There are similarities in this to Jesus’ words in Matthew 6, when He says:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Matthew 6:19-21
Paul also tells us in Colossians 3:1-2 to, “...Seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
As Christ followers, we are to live our lives in light of the eternal reality that is ours in Jesus. Treasures on earth fade away, as does the body, no matter how physically trained, along with all other earthly circumstances. However, the promises of God will endure forever, as will our joy in heaven. We have the opportunity to not only pursue godliness in this life, but also to store up value for ourselves in our promised life to come. God has provided the means for us to train ourselves in godliness, through the power of His Holy Spirit living in us and His sanctifying work in our lives. Whatever stage you may be at in your work of building your spiritual muscles, I encourage us as women of God to press on in training ourselves in godliness. Training is a practice, and our training for godliness will be worth it in every way.