Read: 1 Timothy 4:7-16
The New Testament provides us with several images and pictures of the church. Each of these pictures gives us a different perspective on spiritual health. The church as household” (or family, see 1 Tim. 3:15) shows us that spiritual health can only be found in committed familial connection to other people. The church as a “hospital for sinners” (the implied picture from Paul’s self-description as the “worst of sinners” in 1:15) shows us that we are all infected and afflicted with the disease of sin far more than we’ll ever know. None of us will be fully healthy or holy in this life. The church as temple shows us that spiritual health is a by-product of a life of worship lived in the presence of God. In 1 Timothy 4:7, Paul gives us an image that doesn’t get as much attention: church as gym. He says, “train (in Greek – “gymnase”) yourself in godliness, for the training (in Greek – “gymnasia”) of the body has limited benefit but godliness is beneficial in every way as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” This text leads theologian Kevin Vanhoozer to say, “The church is to be a gym for training in godliness”. The point Paul is making is clear – spiritual and physical health work in the same way – training is required.
1) The Requirement of Training
Though Paul is speaking directly to Timothy in this passage, Timothy’s life-in-training was to be an “example” for everyone (v12). The training required here is not just for pastors or “serious” Christians. Training is required for anyone to grow in godliness, which is the pastoral epistles’ way of saying “becoming more like Jesus”. Absence of training is a sure sign of spiritual unhealth and a possible sign of a missing spiritual life altogether. This is why Paul underscores the requirement of training by saying, “This saying (referring back to verses 7-8) is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance”. This is basic and core Christian teaching – training is required to become like Jesus. This is another way of saying that to be a Christian is to be a disciple of Jesus, and training is required for all disciples. As Jesus said, “a disciple when fully trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40).
How does the comparison of physical exercise/training and spiritual exercise/training help us understand what training in godliness is like? How does it help us understand the crucial difference between training and trying harder? (i.e. trying to run a marathon, play a sport or even master a musical instrument)
Have you ever tried “really hard” to be more patient, joyful, less anxious? What was the result? What would be different about committing to train in patience, joy and being less anxious?
Do you agree that our choice is not between training and not training but rather, what we are already training to do and/or become? As you look at your own habits and patterns, what would you say you are in training for?.
2) The Reason for Training
The first way we can miss what is being taught here is to mistake training for trying harder. The second way we can go wrong is if we train for the wrong reason. Both of these mistakes will leave us exhausted and less healthy; less alive, not more. So many Christians are exhausted and discouraged because they are training for the wrong reason. In v10 Paul reminds Timothy of the reason we train for godliness as Christians. He does not say “For this is the reason we labor and strive, because our hope is that if we train hard enough and become godly enough, and reach a certain level of training, then we can have hope that we will be saved and earn God’s favor on our lives.” No. He says, “Our hope is that we ARE saved by the living God by believing.” This is the reason why we labor and strive - because we have already received God’s grace and favor on our lives by faith in Jesus Christ.
From the outside, this training may look the same, but there is a world of difference at the motivational level. One is training for the hope of earning something from God (self-salvation), the other for the hope of enjoying more of the gift God has already given (salvation by grace).
We have the wrong view of grace if we think grace gives us a way out of training; if we think being saved by grace means effort, labor and striving are optional. If that’s what we believe, we don’t really know what grace actually is. This misunderstanding lies behind so much of the spiritual unhealth in the church today. What is the free and undeserved gift God gives us by faith? He gives us the life of Jesus Christ for the present and the life to come. The gift is the status of Jesus (righteous and beloved) and the life that comes from living in this status – in short, the gift is a Christ-like life. We really “get” grace when we realize the greatest gift we could ever be given is to be told that every disciple of Jesus “when fully trained will become like Jesus”. What could be better than this?
What are some signs that we might be training for the wrong reason? In your own words, describe the difference between the two reasons/motivations for training as described above.
How does the hope of salvation by grace give us motivation/reason to train, labor and strive for godliness?
How do the following quotes help establish the connection between grace and effort, laboring and striving for Christ-likeness?
Dallas Willard - “The path of spiritual growth in the riches of Christ is not a passive one. Grace is not opposed to effort. It is opposed to earning. Effort is action. Earning is attitude. You have never seen people more active than those who have been set on fire by the grace of God. Paul, who perhaps understood grace better than any other mere human being, looked back at what had happened to him and said: "By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." (I Cor. 15:10) …The disciplines of the spiritual life are simply practices that prove to be effectual in enabling us to increase the grace of God in our lives…”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer – “We must attempt to recover a true understanding of the mutual relation between grace and discipleship… Happy are they who know that discipleship simply means the life that springs from grace, and that grace simply means discipleship. Happy are they who have become Christians in this sense of the word.”
3) A Regimen for Training
All this means that every disciple of Jesus needs a regimen for training in godliness. Training is not haphazard or accidental. It is intentional and focused. Historically, a regimen for training in godliness has been called a “rule of life”. It includes spiritual disciples like reading Scripture, meditation, prayer, silence, serving, celebration, fasting, sabbath and many more. Just as in physical training, no two regimens are exactly alike. Training changes according to our needs and season of life. In 4:11-16, Paul “coaches” Timothy by reminding him of three things that are a part of any effective regimen for training in godliness:
Practice (verse 15) – Instead of feeling easy and relaxed, spiritual growth and change will feel like practice. It’s important we see this as normal. We don’t change instantly. We will fail (often!). Growth comes from practice and immersion in the disciplines of grace.
Perseverance (verse 16) will be a part of every Christian’s training regimen. This means adversity, difficulty and hardship will be a part of our training in Christ-likeness. Hebrews 12:11-13 says, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated but healed instead”.
Pay Attention (verses 13, 16) – Any training for godliness must include training in paying attention to two things: 1) ourselves and 2) the gospel. We must develop an honest and accurate self-awareness (which builds humility) alongside a laser-focused attention to the gospel (which builds confidence). In an age of distraction, training to pay attention is never more necessary.
Which of the three pieces of Paul’s “coaching” for training most encourages you? challenges you?
DIAGNOSE - How would you describe your current training regimen for following Jesus? What rhythms or exercises are training you in godliness and grace (Christ-likeness)? What do you think is most important for you right now: 1) getting clear on the difference between training and trying harder? 2) having the right reason for training? 3) developing a regimen for training?
Further Reading
1. Dietrich Bonhoeffer | The Cost of Discipleship, Especially Chapter 1, “Grace and Discipleship”
2. Dallas Willard, “Life to the Full”
3. James KA Smith, You are What You Love
4. Justin Whitmel Early, The Common Rule