If I were preaching to ministers, I should have a good deal to say about the necessity of this precept for them, and to remind them that it was first spoken, not to a private member of the Church, as an injunction for the Christian life in general, but as having a special bearing on the temptations and necessities of those who stand in official positions in the Church. As Annie Dillard has pointed out, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives” (Reader’s Digest, [7/92], p. 137). (Phillips: Touchstone), TLB: "Spend your time and energy in the exercise of keeping spiritually fit. Whatever may be the form of our daily occupation, it is the gymnasium where God has put us to exercise our muscles in, and so to gain ‘the wrestling thews that throw the world.’ ‘Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.’ The concentration for which I plead does not shut us out from any place but the devil’s wrestling-ground. If we desire to ‘run with perseverance the race that is set before us’ we must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, and see in Him, not only the Rewarder, but the Reward, of the ‘exercise unto godliness.’. But keep away from. In the absence of any more distinct evidence, it is reasonable to assume that the fables were of the same kind generally as those mentioned in 1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 1:9. It conveys the picture of the rigorous, persevering, painstaking, diligent, strenuous, self-sacrificing training an athlete undergoes for a perishable prize, and which the Christian "athlete" should be willing to undergo for an imperishable prize (1Cor 9:24, 25, 26, 27 see note), which in the present context is "godliness" a "prize" that is profitable for this life and the life to come! Certainly we can discuss differences of opinions; but our discussions must not degenerate into heated debates over irrelevant issues. (Bolding added), John MacArthur (1Timothy: Moody Press) writes that "There is no effective spiritual ministry apart from personal godliness, since ministry is the overflow of a godly life. Paul now gathers into this personal charge the errors also repudiated in 1 Timothy 1:3-4. To let down one's guard, is to make one's self vulnerable to attack. I, sitting by the side of him, breathing the same air, and enjoying what in many respects is only the selfsame life, yet live in a totally different sense. Is not this a rich part of the promise of the life that now is? KJV translates it "profiteth little," which is probably a bit too negative. (John Lawrence - Life’s Choices, Multnomah Press) On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; (NASB: Lockman). It is quite certain, O ungodly man, that the promise of the life that now is belongs only to those who are godly. Paul does not say ‘be godly’; but ‘exercise thyself unto’--with a view towards--’godliness.’ In other words, to him godliness is the great aim which every Christian man should set before him as the one supreme purpose of his life. Alf. (C. H. It can improve our attitude and performance as a Christian. All rights reserved. Many people resist discipline by saying, “That’s legalistic!” It can become legalistic if your motive is wrong. But godliness doesn’t just happen. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. From this verse again (as alluded to earlier) it becomes quite clear that godliness is not achieved automatically but involves fleeing from evil and toward good. BibliographyEdwards, Justin. It boils down to the question, “Are you willing to pay the price?” If athletes put themselves through years of hard work and training to get a silly gold medal, shouldn’t we be willing to pay the price to be godly? In the last NT mention of godliness in the NT Peter teaches that this attribute is the heart and soul of Christian character writing that, Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way (heavens passing away, earth burned up), what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness looking for (in other words "godliness" fosters a Godward mindset and outlook or "uplook") and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! Are our choices made for us by outside forces? One comes to mind. Can be faked (2Ti 3:5- note) John Angell James writes…there is a second passage well worthy the attention of all young converts, I mean where Paul exhorts Timothy thus, "Exercise yourself unto godliness." 5. ‘Exercise thyself.’ Now, I have no doubt that the bulk of my hearers know that the word here rendered ‘exercise’ is drawn from the athlete’s training-ground, and is, in fact, akin to the word which is transported into English under the form ‘gymnasium.’ The Apostle’s notion is that, just as the athlete, racer, or boxer goes through a course of training, so there is a training as severe, necessary for the godliness which Paul regards as the one true aim of life. This may be in reference with what Paul spoke of in 1 Timothy 1:4. how much I want the promise of the life to come, for if I have not that I have a curse for the life to come. "), In a parallel use in his second letter to Timothy Paul commanded his protégé to. The tenure is very different between the uncertainty of the ungodly who has no rights and no legal titles, and the blessed certainty of the child of God who lives by promise. And is that all? Holds - Is in the present tense indicating the promise continues to be good, year in and year out. That's Biblical godliness!
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