1 Timothy 4:7-8 - Gymnázō

The key to truly and fully experiencing peace is counterintuitive.

Wouldn't it be great if the grandest buildings in our cities and campuses were dedicated to "training ourselves to be godly?"

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1 Timothy 4:7–10 (NIV)

⁷ Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. ⁸ For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. ⁹ This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. ¹⁰ That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

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Canons of Dordt

Point 1 - God's Unconditional Election

Point 2 - Limited Atonement

Point 3 - Total Depravity

Point 4 - Irresistible Grace

Point 5 - Perseverance of the Saints

Article 2: The Believer’s Reaction to Sins of Weakness

1. Hence daily 

   1. sins of weakness arise, 

   2. and blemishes cling to even the best works of saints, 

      1. giving them continual cause 

         1. to humble themselves before God, 

         2. to flee for refuge to Christ crucified, 

         3. to put the flesh to death more and more 

            1. by a spirit of supplication [prayer]

            2. and by holy exercises of godliness [piety / Spiritual Disciplines], 

         4. and to strain toward the goal of perfection, 

      2. until they are freed from this body of death and reign with the Lamb of God in heaven.

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Summary

Paul's expression of it here certainly isn't politically correct, but the world we live in now is as filled with godless myths and old wives' tales as it was two millennia ago. You're continually bombarded with biased news (from both the left and the right). 'Influencers' dominate social media with their myths and tales. So much downright godless entertainment gets streamed directly into your living room.

But your more discerning than the average Joe, right? You know to take what you hear and see with a massive grain of salt and filter out the filth as you consume your media. But that's not at all what the Bible commands here.

Paul doesn't just encourage you to be a bit more discriminating or even critical with what you surround yourself with, he implores you to have nothing to do with it. Other translations better capture his aggressive insistence: reject (NET) / refuse (LSB) it.

  Dig Deeper  

It's the same on nearly every educational campus anymore - from elementary schools to major universities. The biggest and most impressive buildings are the athletic complexes and gymnasiums. Obviously their massive sizes are necessary to facilitate the space required to throw and kick balls hundreds of feet through the air with enough space for tens of thousands to watch it happen.

But the size and scope of these buildings says something about what our society values as well. It's been a bit since theology departments commanded the grandest buildings on campuses (although they used to! Theology is what put the uni in university!). But this phenomenon is nothing new. In Paul & Timothy's day, the gymnásion was also the biggest building in the city and drew the most attention.

Paul draws on the universally popular appeal of athletics to make his point: Reject the world's drivel and instead, train (gymnázō) yourself to be godly. In other words, take the habits and methods gained from the physical training we impress upon ourselves and our children, which is of some value, and apply them, as the Canons put it, to holy exercises of godliness [piety / Spiritual Disciplines], and to strain toward the goal of perfection.

We often market the gospel as the key to peace and fulfilment, which it absolutely provides (this is what we promote on the front page of our church's website!). But the key to truly and fully experiencing this peace is counterintuitive: you're not just to peacefully and passively wait until you are freed from this body of death and reign with the Lamb of God in heaven.

Rather, you must labor and strive, because you have put your hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.

AAA Prayer (About)

• ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who gives us a righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith in Christ;

• ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the burning desire to press on and strive toward the goal of perfection by coming to know & participate in Christ;

• ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

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Read the New Testament in a year! Today: 1 Peter