Godliness • 1 Timothy 4:6-16
By Becky Brown
Our lessons on developing spiritual character continue in Paul’s letter to the young pastor named Timothy. He was being trained as minister to the church Paul had worked with in Ephesus. These people were dearly beloved ones to Paul. As proof of this, their tender, tearful goodbye to Paul as he began his journey to Rome is recorded in Acts 20.
Paul wanted the best for the church and for Timothy, his young son in the faith. He knew that the effectiveness of Timothy’s ministry at Ephesus would be directly related to daily evidence of Timothy’s relationship with God through Jesus Christ. These people he was leading needed to see a depth in Timothy that showed spiritual wisdom which was way beyond his years.
The pursuit of Christlikeness and godliness are two sides of the exact same coin. To seek to pursue one is to seek to grow toward the other. To grow in godliness puts aside those things that don’t look like Jesus in our lives. The Holy Spirit draws us to God through the death of Jesus and the power of His resurrection. A Cajun pastor friend of mine expressed it this way, “Dah closah you git tah God, dah less ahv your-seff you can take wit you.”
In verse 6, Paul declared that as Timothy continued to follow the Lord as a pastor, he would prove himself to be a true servant. The key was being constantly nourished in the words of scripture and faith and sound doctrine. Fables and “old wives tales” were worthless counsel.
Timothy was to continue to discipline himself for the purpose of godliness. The word there for discipline is our word for workouts in the gymnasium. He was to “exercise” and “train” himself to lead others by following the Lord. Bodily exercise and attention to personal health are important but spiritual exercise toward Christlikeness held eternal benefits while providing daily strength for the work at hand.
The work of pastor was to pursue godliness so that others can follow that example. Hope is found in relationship to the living, loving God who is the Savior of all who believe. Paul admonished Timothy to continually prescribe and teach these things to believers.
Timothy was young in years, lacking in experience. In verse 12, we read Paul’s personal challenge to him to stand firm in the face of opposition. Counseling Timothy to stand against challenges to his youthfulness, Paul gave Timothy some “admonition ammunition.”
In speech, he was to be clear and free of discouraging words that would tear down listeners. In conduct, he was to be above board and act without reproach. In love, he was to reach to others with tenderness as family members. He was to treat the older men as fathers, the younger men as brothers, the older women as mothers and the younger women as sisters. Faith in God and purity in person would be stand-out qualities.
Public reading of scripture would provide examples of biblical characters who walked with God through the ages. Scripture was to be Timothy’s textbook for teaching and exhortation toward righteous living. Pursuing godliness personally led to encouraging others to join Timothy in the pursuit.
Paul had helped Timothy identify and put into practice the spiritual giftings the Lord had placed in his life. Paul reminded Timothy that he had received a calling from God which had been confirmed by mentors in his ministry. Others had noticed God had set Timothy apart for service. In Second Timothy chapter one, Paul would remind Timothy of the blessing of a godly grandmother named Lois and a godly mother named Eunice. He was a third generation believer with a “genuinely sincere faith.” His home had been filled with love, joy and peace. He was to make it his purpose to model this for families in his care at Ephesus.
Paul challenged Timothy to meditate on this pursuit of godliness. He was to absorb himself in this purpose. Observable progress would be the result. It is one thing to “see” these things in the life of a person. It is another thing entirely to desire to have them. Paul basically promised Timothy that such a life would definitely be attractive to this church family and draw people to the Father and the Son by the work of the Holy Spirit. Perseverance in these matters would result in salvation for fellow pursuers of the Lord.
Brown leads LittleBrownLight Ministries.
