The Apostle Paul urges young Timothy to train himself in godliness (1 Tim. 4:7). Interestingly, Paul uses the word ”train” from the original Greek word ”gymnazo,” which means intense training, like professional athletes do. Through Paul, God urges us to train ourselves in godliness. So, we are training in God’s gym. It is not physical or mental exertion, as the Apostle says in 1 Tim. 4:8: ”For bodily exercise profits little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” KJV. What is godliness that the Apostle Paul urges Timothy to practice?
The term comes from the Greek words ”eu” = good, well done and ”sebomai” = to hold something in great respect. Synonyms for the word include righteousness and holiness, especially in the Old Testament. The foundation of godliness is the gospel of Jesus Christ, as we can read in the Apostle Paul’s letters to Timothy in 1 Tim. 3:16: ”Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.” NIV. The Apostle Paul continues in 1 Tim. 6:3: ”If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and godly teaching.” NIV.
Our teaching must always point to the Lord Jesus Christ and His great work of atonement for each one of us. Jesus Christ is the centre of our lives and actions. According to the Bible, we are the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:19-21). It is important that we also confess that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, because it reminds the enemy of Christ’s power and our position in Jesus Christ.
Similarly, the Apostle Peter says in 2 Peter 1:2-4: ”Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these, He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” NIV. In short, we can say that godliness means that we are in Jesus Christ and we live this life through Him.
We can read an encouraging words in Colossians 1:9-10: ”For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God”. KJV
You are blessed in Jesus Christ!
Sari Leskinen