1 Timothy 4.7-9-Paul Exhorts Timothy To Reject False Doctrine And Train Himself For Godliness And Then Gives Him A Trustworthy Statement Worthy Of Full Acceptance
Wenstrom Bible Ministries
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday June 19, 2011
1 Timothy: 1 Timothy 4:7-9-Paul Exhorts Timothy To Reject False Doctrine And Train Himself For Godliness And Then Gives Him A Trustworthy Statement Worthy Of Full Acceptance
Lesson # 84
Please turn in your Bibles to 1 Timothy 4:6.
In 1 Timothy 4:7, the apostle Paul issues Timothy two commands with the first requiring that Timothy continue rejecting worldly myths, which are like old wives’ tales whereas the second requires him to continue training himself for godliness.
1 Timothy 4:6 In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following. 7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. (NASU)
“But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women” stands in contrast with 1 Timothy 4:6.
Therefore, the contrast is between Timothy fulfilling his responsibilities with respect to the gospel and not doing so because of being occupied with irreverent, silly myths or in other words he is to avoid the false doctrine of the Judaizers.
This adversative clause denotes that Timothy was to refuse to accept or consider these myths of the Judaizers and also indicates that he was to refuse to listen to the false teachings being taught.
It also denotes that Paul wants Timothy to refute these myths as well which is indicated by Paul’s urgent request in 1 Timothy 1:3-5 that Timothy command certain pastors in Ephesus from being occupied with these myths that are based upon a erroneous interpretation of the genealogies of Genesis.
The force of this adversative clause is for Timothy “to continue making it his habit of” performing this task of rejecting the myths of the Judaizers and implies that Timothy was already about performing this task when this letter arrived from Paul.
This adversative clause emphasizes Timothy’s volitional responsibility as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ to reject the myths of the Judaizers.
“Fables” is the adjective bebelos, which means “worldly” and is describing these myths as being directly related to Satan’s cosmic system and are not related in any way whatsoever to the gospel and God’s plan for the Christian church.
“Fit only for old women” is the adjective graodes, which means “characteristic of the tales told by old women” and is describing these myths as being like the types of stories told by gossipy old women that are speculative and non-historical and not truth and thus lack any value to the Christian.
1 Timothy 4:7 But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. (NASU)
“On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” stands in contrast with the previous command and is therefore contrasting rejecting the myths of the Judaizers with that of obeying the gospel, which produces godliness.
This adversative clause contains an athletic metaphor referring to Timothy training himself in a spiritual sense by being obedient to the teaching of the gospel, which will produce in him a godly life.
It describes Timothy as actively and vigorously pursing the goal of godliness just as an athlete in the Greek athletic games would vigorously pursue the goal of reaching the stone pillar first, which marked the finish line in the ancient games.
“Godliness” is the noun eusebeia, which refers to proper Christian attitude and conduct that is produced by the Holy Spirit as a result of exercising faith in the Word of God resulting in obedience to the Word of God.
It means “godliness” in the sense that by the power of the Holy Spirit the Christian is conforming their thinking and conduct according to the Father’s will, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit in the Word of God.
It means that the Christian is conforming their attitude and conduct to the will of the Father as a result of faith in the Spirit’s teaching in the Word of God resulting in obedience to the Father’s will.
The Christian’s faith in the Word of God appropriates the power of the Holy Spirit resulting in conformity of their attitude and conduct to the will of the Father, which is revealed by the Spirit in the Word of God.
This constitutes worshipping God.
Godliness involves the Christian exercising faith in the Spirit’s teaching in the Word of God, i.e. the gospel that they are crucified, died, buried, raised and seated with Christ, which results in the Christian thinking and acting like Christ.
1 Timothy 4:8 for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (NASU)
“For bodily discipline is only of little profit” presents the reason or the basis for the second command that appears in 1 Timothy 4:7.
It teaches that physical exercise is beneficial for a short period of time in comparison to godliness, which is beneficial throughout all the ages because it holds the promise of experiencing eternal life during one’s life and throughout all of eternity.
“But godliness is profitable for all things” stands in contrast with the previous statement that physical exercise is beneficial to the Christian for a short period of time.
It teaches that godliness is beneficial throughout all the ages because it includes promise of experiencing eternal life now during one’s lifetime as well as throughout all of eternity.
Therefore, the contrast is between the limited period of time in which physical exercise benefits the Christian with that of the unlimited period of time in which godliness benefits them.
This adversative clause is teaching that the benefits of godliness are not relegated to the Christian’s lifetime prior to his death or receiving his resurrection body.
The benefits of godliness are superior to the benefits of physical exercise since the former benefits the believer not only during his lifetime on earth prior to receiving a resurrection body but also benefits him in a resurrection body which he will exist in throughout all of eternity.
“Since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” is expressing the reason why godliness is, as an eternal spiritual truth beneficial throughout all the ages.
It suggests that godliness includes experiencing eternal life now in time during one’s lifetime as well as throughout all of eternity in a resurrection body as its inevitable consequence.
It also suggests that experiencing eternal life now during one’s life as well as throughout all of eternity in a resurrection body are a constituent, component or subordinate part of godliness, i.e. living the Christian way of life.
“Promise” is the noun epangelia, which refers to the Lord Jesus Christ’s promise that those sinners who trust in Him as Savior will experience eternal life during their lifetime as well as throughout all of eternity (John 3:16; 5:26; 6:33, 35, 54, 63; 11:25; 14:19; 17:1-3; 20:31).
The apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 4:9 presents the third and final trustworthy statement that appears in this epistle.
This statement describes his statement in 1 Timothy 4:8, which teaches that godliness includes the promises of experiencing eternal life during one’s lifetime and throughout eternity.
1 Timothy 4:9 It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. (NASU)
This trustworthy statement is a reference to 1 Timothy 4:8.
“It is a trustworthy statement” refers 1 Timothy 4:8b and serves as reinforcement to Timothy and the church at Ephesus emphasizing the need for them to affirm as true in their own lives by their attitude and conduct the importance of godliness.
It expresses the idea that this statement is an accurate and faithful affirmation of the value and importance of godliness.
The expression pertains to the fact that this statement is worthy of trust or belief and is dependable and implies that it originates from God and is inspired by Him.
It is ascribed to this statement as an expression of Paul’s apostolic authority and designed to rebuke and refute those pastors in Ephesus who sought to be teachers of the Law and taught false doctrine and whose conduct was ungodly as a result.
It also refutes the Judaizers whose teaching influenced these pastors to abandon the gospel, which led to their ungodly conduct.
“Deserving full acceptance” describes the adversative clause in 1 Timothy 4:8 as having a relatively high degree of comparable worth or value or merit to the Christian community and refers to appropriating by faith this proverbial statement.