Untitled Sermon

��Bryan Hughes <[e-mail]>To:Bryan HughesBcc:[e-mail], Sep 27 at 8:16 AM Discipline Yourself for Godliness 1st Timothy 4:7-11

One of our natural tendencies in life is to be pendulum people. What I mean is, we have a tendency to go back and forth from one extreme to another.

For example, some new Christians begin to listen to Christian music and as they grow they realize that a lot of music in the Christian community is shallow or inaccurate. As a result, they determine that they aren’t going to listen to any music, Christian or otherwise. That’s swinging the pendulum unnecessarily too far.

In a similar way, some new Christians begin the Christian life by reading devotional books and as they grow they realize that a lot of the books in the Christian community are shallow or not really very substantive. As a result, they determine that they aren’t going to read any books whatsoever. That’s swinging the pendulum unnecessarily too far.

Along these same lines, some Christians listen to the sermons of their pastor or some other Christian speaker but when they hear one thing that may not be exactly accurate, they determine that they aren’t going to listen to that speaker any longer. That’s swinging the pendulum unnecessarily too far.

And this tendency to be a pendulum person isn’t restricted to the Christian life.

There are some people who run into some kind of error in modern medicine or encounter some kind of mistake made by a doctor and they conclude that all modern medicine is bogus or misguided.

There are some Christians who have seen or been part of wrong actions by the government and have concluded that there is never, ever a government official or person in public service who genuinely wants to serve his or her constituents.

Back when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its zenith, there were Christians telling me that it was a conspiracy by our government for evil purposes and every single member of the senate and the house were in on it. I remember asking the question, “You mean to tell me that all 100 senators in the United States senate and all 435 members in the House of Representatives are in on this conspiracy?” And I could continue to give examples of our tendency to be pendulum people.

We need to be very careful not to be reactionary and swing the pendulum to an unhealthy extreme in any area of life and especially in the Christian life. Jesus cautioned us about this when He said that we are to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”

The NASB and NIV translate that statement by Jesus as, “shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

That’s a very difficult balance to maintain. Only the Lord’s grace can give us that perfect combination. It’s so much easier to be one or the other. It’s so much easier to swing the pendulum to one side or the other but maintaining the balance that Jesus talked about isn’t easy. Jesus taught it and he modeled it. ----------- The same thing was true of the Apostle Paul.

He was a man who was very careful not to swing the pendulum to an unbiblical extreme. We see an example of his balance in 1 Timothy 4:1-10 .

vv. 1-10

This chapter gives a good illustration of what I was talking about in the introduction. Paul never pushed the pendulum to an unbiblical extreme. Let me explain what I mean. In the early verses of the chapter, Paul gives a scathing denunciation of asceticism. We saw that and talked about that in the last message.

Asceticism is the view that the path to salvation or the path to true spirituality is a denial of things God has declared to be good, such as marriage and meat as food.

Paul calls these kinds of teaching “doctrines of demons.” However, we shouldn’t assume that Paul was denouncing the importance of discipline and self-denial in the Christian life.

We know Paul wasn’t criticizing those things because he immediately follows his denunciation of asceticism with a commendation of the importance of discipline and self-denial in the Christian life.

In verse 7 he says, “exercise yourself toward godliness” or “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” or “train yourself for godliness.”

These are the ways our English translations render that exhortation.

So, discipline or self-denial is essential.

In fact, you can’t even become a Christian without a willingness to deny yourself.

In all 3 of the synoptic gospels we have the record of Jesus saying, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny Himself, and take up His cross, and follow Me.”

Back up with me to Matthew 16 before we look at this text here in 1st Timothy 4.

v. 24

Notice the word “anyone.” That’s a very important word in this text. What that tells us is that these words of Jesus are relevant for anyone and everyone who wants to belong to Him. I need to stress this point because there are many Bible teachers who say that these words here in these verses have nothing to do with salvation and only apply to discipleship. Those who hold to that kind of view regularly divide up passages in the gospels to say that any text that uses any wording other than the term “faith” or “believe” has nothing to do with salvation. If any other than the term “faith” or “believe” is used, according to this view, then it only applies to discipleship and not salvation. Thus, they would say that this text is not about salvation at all. They would say that these words of Jesus were only intended for His disciples to teach them about the next level beyond salvation, namely discipleship, but Jesus makes it clear that such a view is untenable. He didn’t speak these words to His disciples and only for His disciples to teach them about discipleship. He spoke these words to His disciples to tell them what was required for anyone who wants to come after Him.

Mark 8:34 tells us that the disciples were joined by a multitude at this point, so these words are addressed to the entire multitude.

Anyone who wants to come after Jesus, anyone who wants to belong to Jesus needs to understand what is required.

This is for all who desire to belong to Him.

This is not just for the spiritual elite.

This is for anyone and everyone.

So, what is required?

Three specifics are given.

#1) We have to deny ourselves.

#2) We have to die to self.

#3) We have to surrender to follow.

There’s a sense in which they are all part of the same thing, like repentance and faith, but we can consider them individually.

#1) We have to deny ourselves.

Self is our problem.

Self has its own will and its own desires.

Self wants what it wants.

Self is preoccupied with a love of self.

That’s our problem and that’s why Jesus begins by saying, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself...” That’s the way we come to Christ. We come by denying ourselves. But it doesn’t stop there. That’s the way we come to Christ but it’s also the way we continue to live life to be pleasing to Christ.

The Christian life involves the regular practice of denying ourselves. Self still gets in the way. That’s why Paul said, in 1st Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection...” Paul knew that the desires of self, often expressed through the body, have to be denied.

Beloved, we can’t just do whatever we want to do or whatever we feel like doing. We have to learn to deny self. If not, then you will greatly displease the Lord by simply doing whatever you feel like doing. If someone does something to you that you think is wrong, you will swear at him or glare at him or yell at him or whatever you feel like. That’s not the way to live life! Jesus said that we come to Him by denying self and we live for Him by denying self. The desires of self often run cross grain to what the Lord wants us to be and do, and that’s why we have to deny self.

#2) We have to die to self.

That’s what the disciples would have understood when Jesus mentioned taking up the cross. After all, He had already used this illustration with them back in chapter 10 verse 38.

I can guarantee you that the first time the disciples of Jesus would have heard Him use this illustration would have been shocking for them. Taking up your cross meant walking the path toward a violent, degrading death. Thus, what Jesus is saying to all of us who want to be a genuine disciple is that the commitment is total. The person who experienced crucifixion didn’t experience just a partial taste of suffering and death. It was total.

So Jesus used this illustration to say to all of us who want to be a genuine disciple that the commitment is total. We have to be willing to die a horrendous death for Him. And even if we don’t ever have to go through something like that, we have to die to self and our own will to follow Jesus and what He’s called us to be and do. And this isn’t just a one time issue. Luke 9:23 records Jesus saying that we have to take up our cross daily. You see, beloved, this is a call to full surrender. And that leads to

#3) We have to surrender to follow.

That’s the last phrase in this verse, “follow Me.” Jesus spoke those words 18 times in the gospel records - “follow Me.” In other words, “If you want to belong to Me, then you must do what I want you to do and not what you want to do.  You must walk My path and not your own.  You must follow in the way that I lead you.” That’s what Jesus means by this phrase “follow Me.” This is what is involved in belonging to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, when we hear the Apostle Paul denouncing asceticism in the early verses of 1st Timothy chapter 4, we dare not assume that he was denouncing the importance of discipline and self-denial in the Christian life. He makes it clear that he was not doing that because he follows immediately by saying, “exercise yourself toward godliness” or “discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” or “train yourself for godliness.”

Let’s go back there to consider that text together.

1 Timothy 4:7

The first thing we have to clear up is the opening phrase of this verse.

It says, “But reject profane and old wives’ fables” or “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales.”

The NASB is even more surprising because it says, “But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women.” What is Paul saying here? He is taking a “shot” at old women by implying that they are all gullible and characterized by silly beliefs? This is such a touchy subject that the ESV completely avoids the controversy by not translating the Greek word literally as referring to elder women. Instead, that translation simply says “silly” and avoids the controversy.

So, I’ll ask again - is Paul taking a “shot” at old women by implying that they are all gullible and characterized by silly beliefs?

Yes and no.

What I mean is, Paul is definitely describing something that is not at all uncommon among older women but he is not implying that it’s true of all older women.

As an illustration in another realm, are there a lot of older men who, as fishermen, exaggerate their stories to the point of falsehood? Absolutely. It is very common for older men, who are fishermen, to tell stories about “the big one that got away” or catching way more fish than their partners. We all understand that, which is why we often call a lie “a fish story.”

The fact that we all understand this common tendency doesn’t mean we assume that all older men who are fishermen are exaggerators or even liars. In the same way, it is not uncommon for many older women to believe silly myths and fables, especially in the religious realm. I say that without any condescension toward women and here are a couple facts that illustrate the point.

It is a proven fact that the majority of the financial support given to word of faith preachers and prosperity preachers comes from elderly widows. That doesn’t mean that all widows are gullible and undiscerning but many are.

Here’s another illustration of the point. The statistics show that the majority of those in the Charismatic movement who speak in unintelligible gibberish and claim that it is the gift of languages are women. If women stopped speaking in the gibberish that is called speaking in tongues, it is likely that the Charismatic movement would die or greatly diminish.

So, Paul doesn’t use this expression here in verse 7 to speak in a condescending way against women but he doesn’t hesitate to acknowledge that the sad fact is that there are many older women who believe silly myths and fables.

If you wrongly assume that Paul was a chauvinist, remember that “Paul greeted at least eight women in Romans 16; and Phoebe, who carried the Roman epistle to its destination, was a deaconess in a local church (Rom. 16:1).”  Wiersbe, p. 36

Furthermore, in the opening section of the next letter, 2nd Timothy, Paul said this about the two influential women in Timothy’s life: “when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice...” Paul commended Timothy’s mom and grandmother as the key examples in his life. Timothy chose to follow their examples. So, Paul wasn’t anti-women or a male chauvinist but he didn’t hesitate to state what everyone who is observant about society knows and that is the sad fact that there are many older women who believe silly myths and fables.

Therefore, Paul urges Timothy to avoid those fables and have nothing to do with those myths. He is reminding Timothy not to build his theology and life on popular sayings that are embraced by those who are non-discerning. Some of the popular sayings I’ve heard through the years are “cleanliness is next to godliness” or “be kind to dumb animals” or “God helps those who help themselves” or “you can’t love others until you learn to love yourself.”

I’m not implying that all those statements are completely antithetical to biblical truth but some people’s entire theology is built on those kinds of sayings, rather than on biblical truth. Paul told Timothy to reject such “pop” religion or “silly myths” and to discipline himself toward a pursuit of genuine godliness.

The word that is translated “train” or “discipline” or “exercise” is an athletic term that describes the kind of training and self-discipline practiced by someone who excels as an athlete.

And, beloved, that’s what is necessary in the Christian life and in ministry.

To live the Christian life it takes self-discipline because we have to discipline or train ourselves to say no to sin and yes to righteousness.

As I mentioned earlier, Paul said in 1st Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection...”

Furthermore, we have to discipline ourselves to take time or make time to expose ourselves to the word of God.

We can’t learn it by osmosis by sticking it under our pillows at night as we sleep.

It takes the self-discipline of exposing ourselves to the word.

So, we can see why Paul describes Christian growth as exercising “yourself toward godliness” or training yourself for godliness.”

And he even makes the athletic comparison in the next verse.

v. 8

In the first phrase of this verse, Paul acknowledges that bodily exercise has some value.

Unfortunately, the NASB diminishes its importance more than the Greek text does by saying “only of little profit.”

The Greek text doesn’t actually say “only of little profit.”

It simply says that the exercise of the body profits for a little while.

It “is of some value.”

It definitely has some value but when compared to the value of godliness in relation to eternity, the value of bodily exercise is on a little.

Paul is not suggesting that we refuse to take care of our bodies by failing to walk and move and do things to keep our bodies healthy but he is saying that those who are consumed with training their temporal bodies and neglect the condition of their souls are way out of line with eternal priorities.

Bodily exercise is of some value but training yourself for godliness is much more profitable because it has value for life now and for eternity.

It’s profitable now because there is great value in being like Christ in this present life and it’s profitable for eternity because it moves us closer to the perfect Christlikeness we will have in eternity.

The sad fact is that there are lots of people in our culture who spend enormous amounts of time and money to exercise their bodies but they give little to no thought about their character and their soul.

Even many Christians are like that.

They workout and exercise and hike and do other things for their health, which is a good thing, but rarely give any thought about how to train themselves toward godliness or how to discipline themselves for the purpose of godliness.

Paul knew that was the case and would be the case, which is why he emphasizes the importance of what he is saying in the next verse.

v. 9

We saw this expression back in chapter 1 verse 15 and noted then that this expression is a unique feature of the pastoral epistles and it is used to call attention to a truth that is key or foundational in Christianity.

That lets us know that importance of godliness and disciplining ourselves toward godliness is of utmost importance in the Christian life.

It is something that we ought to take very seriously.

It is something that we ought to give attention to.

It is something that we ought to contemplate and consider.

Do you?

Do you have a plan for how to train yourself toward godliness?

Do you have a game plan for disciplining yourself for the purpose of godliness?

If not, chances are that you’ll never really get very far.

A basketball player misses 100% of the shots he doesn’t take.

If you are Christian, you never reach a goal you don’t have and you never reach a goal you don’t exercise yourself toward.

That’s why Paul says in the next verse that this goal of godliness is something for which “we labor and strive.”

v. 10

The NKJV has the verb “suffer reproach” but the best reading is “strive.”

This “is why we labor and strive.”

“We labor and strive” toward godliness because we see its value in this life and in relation to eternity.

We have placed our hope and trust in the living God and He has saved us.

He has declared us righteous in His sight with a perfect, positional righteousness.

As a result, we long to be practically righteous and holy and godly.

That is why we discipline ourselves toward godliness and train ourselves toward godliness.

We labor and strive toward this goal, not so we can gain salvation but in response to salvation.

We don’t work for our salvation but we do work out our salvation, as Paul said in Philippians 2:12.

There’s a world of difference between those two statements.

We don’t put forth effort to gain salvation but we do put forth effort toward godliness in response to our salvation.

We can’t earn or merit salvation by anything we do because it is only God’s work through His Son on the cross that we can have salvation.

And this work that God did on the cross through His Son was something that God did for “all men.”

That’s why Paul adds the last phrase about God - “who is the Savior of all men, especially those who believe.”

What in the world does that mean?

We don’t have to guess because Paul has already told us back in chapter 2 that God desires all men to be saved and that Christ Jesus “gave Himself a ransom for all...”

1st Timothy 2:6 says Christ Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all and 1st Timothy 4:10 says God is the savior of all men, especially those who believe.

Notice that the “all” in 4:10 is clearly all and not “all the elect.”

Can you imagine if someone today made this statement and it wasn’t the Apostle Paul who said it?

If someone in the unlimited atonement camp made this statement today, he would be vilified by those in the limited atonement camp.

I can just here it now - “What kind of statement is this?  How can anyone really say God is the savior of all men?  You’re nothing but a universalist.”

Actually, it was the Holy Spirit of God who made this statement through the Apostle Paul.

God is the Savior of all men.

In what sense is God the savior of all?

Paul already told us the answer back in 2:6 when we were told that Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all.

Hebrews 2:9 says Jesus tasted death for everyone.

God is the savior of all men potentially, since Christ Jesus gave Himself a ransom for all, and He is the especially the savior “of those who believe” because the NT couldn’t be any clearer on the fact that the ransom of Jesus is only applied to repentant sinners who believe.

So, God is the savior of all men in that He provides earthly benefits for all people and also in that He has not already sent everyone to hell.

We all deserve to be there right now, so God is in this temporal sense the savior of all men but only those who receive Christ will experience God’s salvation eternally.

That’s why Paul says, “especially those who believe.”

We are the ones who experience the salvation of God eternally and when we experience the salvation of God in life, that should motivate us and compel us to pursue godliness in our lives practically.

We should exercise ourselves toward godliness.

We should train ourselves for godliness.

We should discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness.

This is so important that God has told me to say these things to you and to me this morning.

v. 11

It is the job of the faithful shepherd to prescribe these things and teach these things.

That is what I have sought to faithfully do in this message.

I have sought to remind us that we should discipline ourselves to godliness.

To this end we should labor and strive.