Timothy works hard for the Lord. He is a loyal friend to the Apostle Paul and to the churches Paul founded. He became the bishop of the church at Ephesus and eventually lost his life for speaking out against an ungodly pagan festival. But at the time Paul is writing to him, he's still a young minister and he needs encouragement. Paul is going to give him some practical advice for managing the congregation at Ephesus, plus he's going to remind him of the gift he has been given by God.
Yesterday Paul told him to stand firm against false doctrine and to point it out for what it is. He picks up there by saying, "If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching you have followed." (1 Timothy 4:6) A good minister will be quick to recognize false doctrine. He will want to protect the church members from it and will expose it as false.
"Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly." (1 Timothy 4:7) Timothy is residing in a Gentile city where many citizens and visitors belong to pagan religions. We often refer to the religions of ancient Rome or Greece as "mythology", and Timothy has to deal with opposition to the gospel by those who cling to mythology. He also has to deal with human traditions, such as those Paul spoke of yesterday regarding a form of legalism that says that we are holier if we don't marry or we are holier if we avoid certain foods. Legalism, at its worst, actually becomes a form of self-worship. It causes us to think only about our own performance, and in turn it has the tendency to make us prideful about our "religious" accomplishments. It takes the focus off of Christ and what He has done to cleanse us of our sins because it deceives us into thinking we can earn salvation by good works.
The citizens of ancient Roman and Greek cultures placed a lot of emphasis on physical fitness. Have you ever seen pictures of the statues produced by these cultures? The men look like they spend several hours a day at the gym. The women are tall and slim and look like beauty pageant contestants. While taking care of our physical health is important, our spiritual health is even more important. Our physical bodies are temporary; they are eventually going to break down and die no matter how careful we are about diet and exercise. But our souls are eternal, so Paul reminds Timothy that spending time with the Lord and in the word of God is more important than trying to look like Adonis. "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. This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 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." (1 Timothy 4:8-10) It's not a sin if the young and energetic Timothy wants to go for a jog in the mornings before he gets down to the work of the church. We ought to respect and take care of the bodies the Lord has given us. But there's a difference between taking care of our health and becoming obsessed with our outward appearance.
"Command and teach these things. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." (1 Timothy 4:11-13) Timothy is young but authority has been given to him by God who has called him to be a minister of the gospel. He is not to allow himself to be intimidated. He is not to allow himself to feel inferior to anyone.
"Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you." (1 Timothy 4:14) It would appear that the Holy Spirit revealed to the elders of the church that the Lord was calling Timothy to do great things. So, perhaps in a church service where Timothy was ordained as a minister of the gospel, the elders gathered round him, laid their hands on him, and prayed for him. This type of thing is still done in my own church and in many others. Paul is telling Timothy, "You know the Lord has called you to be a minister. Fulfill your calling. Use the gift the Lord has given you." Paul could say the same thing to all of us. We are not all called to be ministers, but we are all called to use our gifts and talents for the Lord. He gave them to us for a purpose, and we are not being all we could be if we neglect to use them. If you don't yet know what calling the Lord has placed on your life, pray for Him to make this clear to you.
"Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." (1 Timothy 4:15-16) The culture at Ephesus was one of physical fitness, as we've already learned. The people there believed in developing physical strength and endurance, in inspecting the body for progress and in showing off that progress. Even more emphasis should be placed on spiritual fitness. Time should be spent every day on developing spiritual strength and endurance. A person should inspect himself or herself to make sure he or she is growing in the Lord. Losing excess weight and developing physical strength might or might not inspire others to do the same, but developing spiritual muscle and using that strength to minister to others can be an inspiration to everyone. This is why Paul reminds Timothy that his main goal in life should be using the gift God has given him. Failing to go to the gym now and then isn't likely to have any eternal consequences, but failing to fulfill our calling in the Lord means failing to be everything the Lord wants us to be.
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