1 Timothy 4:6–10 “Training in Godliness”

1 Timothy 4:6-10 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Matt Maher – Lord, I Need You
• MATT REDMAN – The Heart Of Worship
• Set A Fire with lyrics- Will Regan & United Pursuit Band

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Kids Bible Devotional – 1 Timothy 4:8 | The Value of Godliness – Lesson for Kids
• Read Your Bible, Pray Every Day 📖🙏🎶 The Good News Guys! – Song for Kids
• I’ve got the Joy Joy Joy | Kids Songs | Hi Heaven – Song for Kids
• O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus | Cross Culture Norway VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth are located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

After refuting the teachings of false teachers, the Apostle encourages Timothy to be a “good servant” (v. 6), teaching the “words of faith” and “good doctrine.” To do this, Timothy himself must first practice those words and teachings. That is why the Apostle adds the phrase, “which you have followed.”

First, he must not pay attention to “irreverent and silly myths” (v. 7). As mentioned earlier (1:4), such things only stir up useless debates. Instead, he must “train yourself for godliness.” The word “train” is the translation of the Greek word gymnazō, from which the modern English word gymnastics is derived. A more accurate translation of “train the body” would be “train yourself.”

“Bodily training” (v. 8) refers to physical exercise that improves strength and skills. The Apostle acknowledges its value by saying it has “some value.” But “training in godliness” refers to the training that leads to godliness, which “holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Physical training benefits only life on earth, while godliness benefits both this life and the next.

“The saying” (v. 9) refers to the teaching about training in godliness. It is best translated as “trustworthy saying.” The reason for placing hope in the training of godliness is because “we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe” (v. 10). The phrase “we labor and strive” is better translated as “we continue to labor and strive,” because in Greek the present tense expresses ongoing action. The word “strive” refers to the effort of struggling in an athletic contest to defeat an opponent.

Meditation:

Among those who have strong spiritual zeal, some tend to view concern and effort for physical health negatively. Such tendencies often drift toward asceticism. They believe that the body is the source of all sin and, therefore, must be strictly disciplined. To remove all desires of the flesh, they pursue fasting and severe self-denial.

There are two problems with this. First, the body itself is not sinful. What causes us to sin is not the body, but the heart tainted by sin. It is the sin-stained heart that uses the body as an instrument of sin. When Jesus said, “If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell” (Matt. 5:29), He was not glorifying or encouraging self-harm. Rather, He was using a rhetorical expression for emphasis. Jesus also said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles them” (Mark 7:20). This means that the root of sin lies within.

Second, our body is a precious gift from God. The same God who created the heavens and the earth and declared them “good” also created our bodies. A sinful world evaluates human bodies according to its own standards—calling some “attractive” or “unattractive,” “beautiful” or “ugly.” But just as it would be meaningless to argue whether a rose is better than an angelica flower, so our bodies, as given to us, are precious and valuable in themselves. Therefore, while we live on this earth, we must honor and take care of the body that has been given to us for use. The Apostle Paul called this “training the body.”

However, this must not become our highest value. There is a life greater than mere existence, and this perishable body will be clothed with the imperishable. That is why, although physical training for health is important, training for godliness to enjoy eternal life is far more important.

Prayer:

Lord of life, help us to gratefully receive and love the bodies You have given us. Teach us to listen to the voice of our bodies and respond with care. Lead us to look toward a life greater than mere existence and give us hope for the day when this perishable body will be clothed with the imperishable. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: God gave us our bodies as a good gift, and we should take care of them. But more important than physical health is training in godliness—living with faith, hope, and love that prepares us for eternal life with God.

• For Preschool-Elementary
  • Who made your body, and why is it special?
  • What are some ways you can take care of your body every day (like eating, sleeping, or playing safely)?
  • If exercising helps our body stay strong, what do you think helps our faith stay strong?
    
• Youth
  • The world often judges bodies as “beautiful” or “not beautiful.” How does God view our bodies differently?
  • Paul says physical training has some value, but training in godliness is valuable for both this life and the next. What might “training in godliness” look like for you in your daily life (school, home, friends)?
  • Which is harder for you right now, taking care of your body or training in your faith? Why?