Cultivating Spiritual Habits

1 Timothy 4:6–10 NRSV

6 If you put these instructions before the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound teaching that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with profane myths and old wives’ tales. Train yourself in godliness, 8 for, while physical training is of some value, godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance. 10 For to this end we toil and struggle, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

Cultivating Spiritual Habits

It is incumbent on all that are justified to be zealous of good works. And these are so necessary that if a man willingly neglect them, he cannot reasonably expect that he shall ever be sanctified. he cannot ‘grow in grace,’ in the image of God, the mind which was in Christ Jesus; nay, he cannot retain the grace he has received, he cannot continue in faith, or in the favor of God.

What is the inference we must draw from? Why, that both repentance, rightly understood, and the practice of all good works, works of piety, as well as works of mercy (now properly so called, since they spring from faith) are in some sense necessary to sanctification.

- John Wesley, “The Scripture Way of Salvation”

1. Spiritual habits nourish and train us. (vs. 6)

Hebrews 5:14 ESV

14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Notes on vs. 6: "If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed." (ESV)

Wesley Bible Commentary

What are the things? If we go back up to verses 1-4 we find out that Paul is talking about those who are going to depart the faith. They devote themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons. These are people who also believe that one should keep the kosher laws.

So now, Timothy is called to be trained or nourished (NRSV) in the words of faith (Scripture) and good or sound doctrine. Paul was calling on Timothy to preach the truth of the gospel so that people would not leave the faith. We are dealing with this problem right now within the church. People are leaving the orthodox and historic teachings of the faith for a false gospel that has made love and acceptance an idol. When we are not properly nourished and trained in Scripture and sound doctrine, we can be led astray toward these false gospels that exist even within the church.

New Covenant Commentary

Aida Spencer in the New Covenant Commentary series on 1 Timothy says that there are two things that make one a good minister of Jesus Christ: 1. making known these things to the brothers and sisters and 2. being nourished by the words of the faith and by the good teaching. "One action is outward, the other is inward. Outwardly, Timothy is to supply to his adopted siblings in Ephesus all that Paul has previously instructed in the letter. Simultaneously, Timothy needs to make sure he himself is nourished or trained and educated. He should regularly 'feed' himself by two means: the words of faith and the good teaching which he followed. These two phrases appear to be synonymous. Possibly, words of faith refer specifically to summary creeds such as in 1 Timothy 3:16. Timothy has to guard his own process of salvation, sanctification, and knowledge of truth. Teaching is a broader term which includes all Timothy has taught and has done. It would include, but not be limited to, 'reading' the Scriptures."

2. Spiritual habits help to break us away from sinful behavior. (vs. 7)

Romans 6:10–11 ESV

10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Notes on vs. 7: "Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness."

Wesley Bible Commentary

Solid teaching and good doctrine are done by refusing to teach irreverent and silly myths. One must refuse to become involved in baseless traditions and gossipy fables. Despite their apparent references to God, they are actually godless. They are related to the 'doctrines of demons'. Instead of wasting time with such senseless trifles, train yourself for godliness. "The man of God has something better to do than to amuse his imagination or the imagination of others..." He is to exercise himself by strenuous efforts to true piety of heart and life (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). His quest is personal holiness and a life of practical godliness. (Look up Practical Divinity within Wesleyanism).

New Covenant Commentary

These myths are also described as those of old women. Graodes has been translated as "characteristic of an elderly woman of speculative or legendary accounts that lack Christian pedagogical value," coming from graus (old woman) and eidos (the external form). Strabo uses graodes for creative old women who proclaim fictional legends for entertainment not for education. Plato in his Republic mentions how philosophers, just to be polite, will agree with "old women" telling myths. Thus, graodes appears to be an allusion to the fascination with telling myths at Ephesus of which women were an active part. In contrast, Paul encourages the female elders at Crete to teach (Titus 2:3), but not entertaining tales that are neither instructive nor edifying. Paul's point is not that one must avoid the tales of elderly women, but that one must avoid speculative tales that may entertain but are not true, instructive, or edifying. Timothy will not mature spiritually if we he relies on accounts that are unholy and false. But he did well to have learned true teaching from his grandmother, Lois (2 Timothy 1:5, 3:14).

3. Spiritual habits will bring about godliness in this life and the life to come. (vs. 8-9)

2 Peter 1:3 ESV

3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,

Notes on vs. 8-10: "8for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. 10For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.”

Wesley Bible Commentary

Paul does not deny the value of the body when kept in its true place; but that place is subordinate to the spiritual life. The minister who would be at his best in service to God and man needs to cultivate his physical body. That will not only involve refraining from some things, but participation in proper exercises to develop a sound body. When self-denial has for hits goal the development of the spiritual life, such is to be commended. If and when it becomes the end itself, it indicates "an absurd profane theosophy of which the discipline of the body is the chief or only practical expression." Godliness (or true and pure religion) makes the present life deeper, richer, and holier through knowing and loving God. The godly life is the best life one can live; for the physical life is limited, but the godly life holds promise of the life which is now and that which is to come. It gives the best of both worlds: joy in this world and eternal life in the world to come.

Accepting the truth that godliness is so richly rewarding here and hereafter, we labor and strive, exerting ourselves to the utmost, regardless of the exhausting efforts required or the reproach and scorn of the ungodly. The secret to the perseverance of the godly is that they have their hope set on the living God. Their heart is fixed. The object of their faith is not the fabled gods of the heathen world, and the mythological stories concerning their power. Instead, their trust is in the eternal, omnipotent, immutable Being who is the fountain of life and the source of all blessings. He is also the Savior of all men, especially them that believe.

New Covenant Commentary

Paul began and ends this extended sentence with positive exhortations: Train for godliness (4:7). He introduces a comparison between physical and spiritual activities through the common theme of exercise. The Greeks were known for their emphasis on physical exercise. Gardiner explains: “Athletics were to the Greek far more than mere recreation. To the Homeric warrior they were the means of training and maintaining the physical vigour and activity which he needed in a warlike age … the citizen might at a moment’s notice be called upon to take the field and fight.”48 Emperor Augustus revived athletics even after the Greek city-states were defeated. Every city had its gymnasium and stadium. In Ephesus itself a number of gymnasiums have been excavated.49 A Greek boy from about the age of seven would spend a considerable portion of each day in the palaestra (a building for teaching wrestling) and gymnasium (an athletic ground for exercise, including a running track), exercising himself under trained supervision. The athletes would box, wrestle, or practice the pankration.50 Most likely, Timothy’s Greek father would have brought his son to the local gymnasium as part of his training.51

Paul acknowledges that such physical exercise has some benefit (for a brief time),52 but spiritual exercise has much benefit for all times (4:8). Training for godliness, like training for war, should be a daily effort under supervision. Godliness is a way to live, dedicating oneself to please God in one’s words and actions.53 One’s life is offered as worship to God. For example, Cornelius was a “godly” man who reverenced God, was generous, and prayed regularly (Acts 10:2). Paul is Timothy’s supervisor, but only Timothy could do the work, “nourish,” or train himself (4:6). Spiritual exercise would help Timothy now as he learned how and why to resist these ungodly storytellers and in the future to receive eternal salvation (4:7–8; Titus 1:1–2).

He could be sure of this promise because God is a living, saving God: The word is trustworthy and worthy of all acceptance: for into this we labor and we strive, since we have hoped upon the living God, who is Savior of all people, especially of the faithful (4:9–10). This is Paul’s third authoritative accurate teaching from God in 1 Timothy expressed in a pithy statement that can be passed on to others as fully reliable.54 As in 1 Timothy 1:15, the focus is on salvation. Whereas in 1 Timothy 1:15, Paul highlights the incarnate God and why Jesus was merciful with Paul, although he had persecuted Jesus’ body on earth, the church (1:13–14), in 4:10, Paul highlights God as judge, encouraging Timothy to persevere in his desire to please God in his words and actions because Timothy’s ultimate judge is God, who is living and a savior. Paul continues to use the imagery of exercise (we labor [kopiaō] and we strive [agōnizomai]). Kopiaō means to labor but especially “with wearisome effort.”55 Paul previously had exhorted the elders at Ephesus to follow his example and to work hard to supply their own physical needs and those of needy people.56 Mary is another example of a hard worker (Rom 16:6). All coworkers should work hard because all ministry (like farming) is hard work.57 Timothy should work hard, trusting God, because God his savior is reliable.58

Agōnizomai (strive, 4:10) is even more so a word for athletics signifying “contend for a prize, esp. in the public games” or “fight.”59 Greeks and Romans would exercise in order eventually to contend for a prize at a public festival.60 Even before the contest, competitors had to arrive a month early having trained at least ten months before coming. But, Timothy’s prize was not dependent on a severe mortal judge,61 but on the merciful living Savior, who favored his own people.62