Train Yourself for Godliness

1 Timothy 4:6–10 (NKJV)

Opening Prayer

Father,

We thank You for this time and for the truth of Your Word. As we open the Scriptures, we ask that You would quiet our hearts and give us understanding. Help us to see clearly what You are teaching us about godliness and the discipline it requires.

Lord, convict us where we need to grow, strengthen us where we are weak, and shape us into the image of Christ. Give us a hunger for Your Word and a desire to live it out in our daily lives.

We commit this time to You and ask that You would work in us for Your glory.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

INTRODUCTION — Are You Drifting or Training?

There are only two ways to live the Christian life:

You are either drifting… or you are disciplining.

Nobody drifts into godliness.

You don’t accidentally become spiritually strong. You don’t wake up one day and say, “I don’t know how it happened—but I just became mature in Christ.”

No—if you drift, you drift away from God.

Paul writes to Timothy in a culture filled with confusion, false teaching, and spiritual noise—and he gives him a command that cuts through it all:

1 Timothy 4:7–8 “…exercise yourself toward godliness.”

Big Idea: Godliness does not come by chance—it comes by training.

Illustration: If a man tells you he’s training for a marathon, but he never runs… never stretches… never disciplines his diet…

You’d say, “You’re not training—you’re talking.”

And the same is true spiritually.

Many believers are talking about growth… but not training for godliness.

I. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SERVANT (v. 6)

You Must Be Fed to Feed Others

1 Timothy 4:6 NKJV

6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.

Paul begins with responsibility.

A. A Faithful Servant Feeds the Flock

The word “instruct” means to set before.

A faithful servant:

Sets truth before the people

Confronts error with Scripture

Leads with clarity, not confusion

Because what you feed people determines what they become.

B. A Faithful Servant Feeds Himself

“nourished in the words of faith…”

Before you can feed others… you must be fed yourself.

Illustration: You can’t serve a meal you haven’t prepared. And you cannot nourish souls if your own soul is starving.

Some believers are trying to live off:

Sunday leftovers

Occasional devotionals

Spiritual snacks

But God calls us to be nourished—steady, daily, consistent intake of truth.

Jeremiah 15:16 “Your words were found, and I ate them…”

Transition

But here’s the problem— you cannot be nourished by truth… if you are constantly consuming what is false.

II. THE REJECTION OF THE SENSELESS (v. 7a)

You Must Refuse What Pollutes Your Soul

1 Timothy 4:7 “But reject profane and old wives’ fables…”

1 Timothy 4:7 NKJV

7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.

Paul doesn’t say “consider them”… He says reject them.

Push them away. Refuse them.

A. Not Everything Deserves Your Attention

These were:

Godless ideas

Empty teachings

Spiritual distractions

And here’s the truth:

Just because something is spiritual… doesn’t mean it is biblical.

B. What You Entertain Will Eventually Shape You

Philippians 4:8 “Whatever things are true… meditate on these things.”

Illustration: If you pour clean water into a cup—but there’s poison at the bottom— it doesn’t matter how much good you add…

The whole thing becomes contaminated.

Some believers say: “I’m in the Word… but I’m also constantly feeding on worldly thinking.”

You cannot train for godliness while feeding on what poisons your soul.

Transition

So Paul says—remove what is false…

But don’t stop there.

Because Christianity is not just about what you avoid— it is about what you pursue.

III. THE DISCIPLINE OF THE SAINT (v. 7b–8)

You Must Train Intentionally for Godliness

1 Timothy 4:7–8 NKJV

7 and exercise yourself toward godliness.

“…exercise yourself toward godliness.”

This word exercise—it’s intense.

It means:

Train

Strain

Discipline

Commit

This is not casual Christianity.

This is intentional pursuit.

A. Godliness Requires Effort (But Not Earning)

Let’s be clear:

We are not saved by discipline— but we are shaped by it.

Titus 2:11–12 “the grace of God… teaching us…”

Grace doesn’t just save you— grace trains you.

B. The Comparison — Temporary vs. Eternal

1 Timothy 4:8 NKJV

8 For bodily exercise profits a little,...

Paul says physical training has value.

But only for a while.

Paul has just said that “godliness is profitable for all things…”

It impacts:

Your thoughts

Your decisions

Your relationships

Your eternity

Illustration: You can spend hours in the gym building a body… that one day will weaken, age, and return to dust.

But when you invest in godliness, you are building something that will last forever.

C. What Does Training Look Like?

Let’s make this practical:

Training for godliness includes:

Daily time in the Word

Consistent prayer

Obedience when it’s hard

Fellowship with believers

Saying no to sin

Illustration: A musician doesn’t master an instrument overnight.

It’s repetition. Scales. Practice. Discipline.

And over time—what was difficult becomes natural.

That’s how godliness is formed.

Christ Connection

Jesus Himself lived a life of perfect discipline:

He withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16)

He obeyed the Father completely (John 6:38)

He endured the cross (Hebrews 12:2)

He is not only your Savior— He is your example.

Transition

Now Paul pauses and says— “Don’t miss this… this is absolutely true.”

IV. THE RELIABILITY OF THE SAYING (v. 9)

This Truth Is Worth Building Your Life On

1 Timothy 4:9 NKJV

9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.

In other words:

“This is not optional.”

This is not:

A suggestion

A preference

A personality type

This is the Christian life.

You don’t drift into godliness— you discipline toward it.

Transition

And now Paul tells us why this matters so much…

V. THE MOTIVATION OF THE SERVANT (v. 10)

We Train Because We Trust the Living God

1 Timothy 4:10 NKJV

10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.

A. The Reality — It Will Cost You

Paul says:

We labor (to exhaustion)

We suffer reproach (criticism, opposition)

Godliness is not easy.

It will cost you:

Comfort

Convenience

Approval of others

B. The Reason — We Trust the Living God

“because we trust in the living God…”

Not dead religion. Not empty routine.

A living God who:

Sees

Knows

Rewards

Sustains

C. The Assurance — Christ Our Savior

“who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.”

Jesus Christ:

Came for all

Saves those who believe

This is not legalism.

We don’t train to be accepted—

We train because we are already His.

CONCLUSION — What Are You Becoming?

Let me ask you plainly:

Are you drifting… or are you training?

Because you are becoming something.

Illustration — The Garden

If you leave a garden alone…

You don’t get fruit.

You get weeds.

And the same is true in your spiritual life.

If you do nothing— sin will grow naturally.

Godliness must be cultivated.

FINAL CHALLENGE

What are you feeding your soul daily? Examine Your Intake

What needs to be rejected? Eliminate the Poison

What are you doing intentionally to grow? Engage in Training

Now before one can train in Godliness one must first be made new.

GOSPEL CALL — You Must Be Made New

You cannot train your way into salvation.

You must be transformed.

Jesus Christ:

Lived the life you could not live

Died for your sin

Rose again

Calls you to repent and believe

FINAL APPEAL

One day:

The race will end

The training will be over

And eternity will begin

And in that moment—

Nothing will matter more than whether you pursued godliness in Christ.

Train yourself… for godliness.

Closing Prayer

Father,

Thank You for the truth we have heard today. Help us to take it beyond this moment and live it out faithfully. Teach us to pursue godliness with discipline, to trust in You as the living God, and to stand firm even when it is difficult.

Lord, continue to work in our hearts this week. Strengthen our walk, deepen our faith, and keep our focus on what matters eternally.

And if there are any who have not trusted in Christ, we pray that You would draw them to salvation even now.

We give You all the glory.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.