Beloved congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

In this present day and age one often hears the complaint that life is so hectic. We are always busy. Busy with work, with study, with school, or otherwise with some kind of a hobby. As far as our spare time is concerned it also happens that a lot of time and energy is spent on a sport we like, be it hockey, indoor cricket, or sailing. When it comes to training for such a sport, in general we don’t mind to give a free evening or Saturday afternoon for it.

But, beloved, what about the training of our spiritual life, our life in faith? How much time and energy do we spent on this? Yes, how busy are we with the things of the Lord? Is there growth in faith? And if not, what then do we do about it?

Perhaps someone might say, "Can one do something about it? Can you train yourself also in this area, so that faith may grow stronger?" From Scripture we learn that this indeed possible. I now think of the text chosen for this morning’s sermon, where the apostle Paul indeed urges the believers to train themselves in godliness. And then in the original Greek he uses a word that was very well-known in those days, a word derived from the world of sport. Today we still recognize it in the English word ‘gymnasium’, which is a large room or hall for games or physical training. Well, it is this word for physical training which the apostle Paul now also uses for ‘training in godliness’. This morning we will see what this training consists of and what it involves. I minister the Word of God to you under the following heading,

THE APOSTOLIC CALL FOR TRAINING IN GODLINESS

As regards this call we will address the following three questions

1) what constitutes godliness

2) how can one train himself in it

3) what benefit does one derive of this training

I ‘Godliness’, br. & sr., what is that? It is the translation of a Greek word of which the etymology is ‘that of right reverence, worship or fear’, i.e. worship, reverence well and rightly given. From a biblical perspective it means: true respect for the Lord and a genuine desire to obey God’s commandments. In I Tim. iii 16 we read about the mystery of godliness as it has been made known and manifested in Jesus Christ. Yes, it is in and through Jesus Christ only that man may truly know God and enabled to worship Him rightly. In II Cor. iv 6 the apostle Paul writes that God "has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." In II Peter i 3 it reads, "as His divine power has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness." The latter means: one enters into godliness through the power of the living and saving God, which salvation is wrought through Him who is the mystery of this godliness, i.e. Jesus Christ.

Summarizing: godliness is something that comes about in one’s life as a result of knowing God’s will and obeying it. The doctrine or teaching of the Christian Faith is that which produces godliness.

What now does this mean in more practical terms? It means that in every day life we will seek the Lord in whatever we do. It means that in everything you know yourself dependent on Him. You take God’s Word serious. It means: having respect for the Lord and also showing this respect in obeying His commandments. The OT speaks in this context about ‘the fear of the LORD’, which is the beginning of all wisdom.

Our text now says living such a life is not something that happen automatically in the life of a believer, but it needs training. Yes, also godliness needs training. For let us be honest, br. & sr., do we really live always close to the Lord? Just think of an ordinary day in your life, when you are busy with this and with that: when and how often does it then really show up that it is your heartfelt desire to serve the Lord. Maybe I’m generalizing. But isn’t it true that at times we are so taken up with all kind of things, that we don’t even think of the Lord. Yes, how often does it happen in your life that a day passes by and you go to sleep without having opened God’s Word also for yourself on a personal basis, whilst prayer was more or less a matter of routine. I think when we are really honest with ourselves, we all can identify with situations like these. Therefore the apostolic call which we read in our text is surely not superfluous or unnecessary. We had better take to heart.

The next question is: how now do you actually do this? How does one train himself in godliness? Is there a certain method which can be recommended? For instance, in the same way as certain people have a schedule for physical training; say three times a week or something like that?

For a start: the training for which Paul calls in our text is not something he wants us to do just so every now and then, when it suits us. No, in the same way as physical training requires dedication and determination, so it is when we want to train ourselves in godliness. Also this requires determination and dedication, and not only this. For proper training also means that you do it systematically. Training involves more than just an occasional effort.

Let us now apply this to godliness in the way we have spoken about it before. Then in our text the apostle Paul wants to make clear that our life as a Christian, if it indeed means something to us, must also be characterized by a Christian walk of life. No, then not in a way that we have to go out of this world, but living in the midst of this world we should not feel ashamed to live our own Christian way of life. Then serving the Lord will determine how we do things. Then the question what is pleasing to the Lord is always foremost in our mind and this not as if in a certain way we can earn something with God, but out of thankfulness for being a child of the Lord.

See, beloved, that’s what constitutes true godliness; true godliness as fruit of our redemption in Christ. This godliness will blossom when we indeed do live by faith, trust in God and rely on His promises.

Well, all this requires an active life in faith. As I said before, this is not something that happens automatically in the life of a believer. Well, that’s why the apostle Paul urges us to train ourselves in godliness. In Ch. vi 11 he says: pursue godliness! Likewise the apostle Peter in his second letter writes, "add to your faith . . .perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, . . ." II Peter i 6,7.

Beloved, sometimes it can so easily happen that our life is determined by all kind of social commitments, a party here and a party there, that we become almost enslaved to it. We thrive on the pleasures which life has to offer us and it seems all so nice. However as Christians we should not let our life be determined by the pleasures of this world, but by an agenda from above. This applies to our personal life, but also to family life. To mention just one example, then the TV should decide how we spent our spare time, since we don’t want to miss out on our favourite program, or the footie on Saturday afternoon. After all, in Christ we have been freed from all vanity. We have better things to do than a whole evening sitting down in front of the TV and finally go to bed with an empty and unsatisfied feeling. When training ourselves in godliness we will no longer be enslaved to the empty pleasures of this world.

See , beloved, that’s how we ought to direct our life. And this not as a burden, but joyfully. Being thankful that we have something better to live for than the world around us. Yet again, this does not go by itself. Nor is this simply a matter of abstaining from all these things.

In this context for a moment I would like to draw your attention to one of the heresies Paul is fighting in this same letter. In the congregation of Ephesus, where Timothy was working at the time he received this letter - there were certain people with some strange ideas when it came to godliness. To them a mark of true godliness was that you were able to abstain from certain things, e.g. from marriage and enjoying food. According to them a Christian should live a sober life for this would bring you closer to the Lord. In Ch. iv 1 Paul calls these people: deceiving spirits. They considered the OT as a book full of myths, stories who had not really happened, but which nevertheless contained some deep religious truth, i 4. Even the narrative about creation was judged this way, with as result that these heretics had a totally wrong outlook on the material things. And not only on the material things, but also on sin. They saw sin as an inherit part of the material things, and that’s why one had to abstain from marriage and food, for example. If you would do so, you would not sin either. Well, according to these people, that’s how one had to train himself in godliness.

However, beloved, not marriage, enjoying a good meal, nor -to mention an example of this present time- nor the TV as such are sinful. But sin lies at the bottom of our own heart. And therefore we will not cut sin out of our life by simply abstaining from all these things. It is only God’s grace that can redeem us from sin. And when our life becomes full of this grace, the way we live will also change. Then our heart no longer goes out to all the empty things this present day and age is so full of. Then our life will renewed and be directed more and more towards the Lord.

In I Tim. iv 4,5 the apostle Paul writes, "....." In these last words, which precede the call for training in godliness, the apostle Paul gives us two important directives for this training: the Word of God and prayer. Indeed these two have their irreplaceable place in the training for godliness. The Word, i.e. the Word of redemption in Jesus Christ which sanctifies life created by God. When this Word is accepted in faith it will do something in our life. Again, this does not mean that we have to go out of this world, as those heretics in Paul’s day recommended. But then with the Word of God as a weapon in our hand we know how to resist the power of sin. Then we use the things created by God no longer for own pleasure, to satisfy our own desires, but then we use them to the honour of God the Creator and praise and glorify Him in it. Then The Lord becomes number One in our life. See there how the Word of God and prayer, i.e. our response to God’s Word, sanctify life.

Well, beloved, that’s now what constitutes true godliness. But again one has to train himself in this. In the second point of the sermon, we now will see how one actually has to do this.

II I have already pointed out that in vs. 5 the apostle Paul gives two important directives for training in godliness, viz., the Word of God and prayer. The Word of God, i.e. the Word that is preached to us on every first day of the week here in the church and as such will give direction to our life. That’s how we commence the week with the Lord. Through the preaching of the gospel the Lord will sanctify our life. Time and again the preaching will give us a new incentive to serve God from the heart. When this preaching is accepted in true faith it must bear fruit.

Here in the church we also unite in prayer to bring the Lord our thanks for all the blessings we receive from His hand and to ask Him for strength in the battle we have to fight.

Thus the Sunday becomes a very important means for training in godliness. That’s why we should treasure this day as a precious gift of God; treasure this day also in the circle of the family, considering that celebrating the Sunday as a day of the Lord consists of more than just going to church twice. The way in which we spent also the rest of the Sunday should be determined by the fact that the Sunday is indeed a day set apart by the Lord from all the other days of the week, so that we should have time for Him who has so richly blessed us in Christ. Then we take the Word home with us to discuss it further in the circle of the family. Yes, that’s now training oneself in godliness. No, then discussing the sermon is not a means to vent our opinion about the minister. That has nothing to do with training in godliness. But then we will discuss also with our children how now to apply what we have heard, how to apply it in every day life, thus building each other up in faith. Such training, so the apostle says in vs. 8, is profitable for all things.

Training in godliness - this means that Bible should be an open book in our families, since -as the apostle Paul writes in II Tim iii 16ff.- "....." This text is often quoted as a proof text for the infallibility of Holy Scripture. But there is much more to this text. It teaches us that it is indeed God who speaks to us in Scripture. The Bible is the Word of the Living God which we have to accept in faith. Yes, it is our faithful covenant God and Father who speaks to us in Scripture and who wants us to listen to what He has to say to us. Through His Word He will teach us in all wisdom, but also warn us not to give the love of our heart to all kind of vanities. Through His Word God will equip us for every good work.

The Word of God as it is preached to us every Sunday again, but when it comes to training in godliness, I also think of the Word every time it is opened in the circle of the family, for example after a meal, especially during tea-time, one of the spare moments that hopefully as family we are still together to spent time for and with the Lord. Precious moments in a life that often is so hectic. Let us then also make the most of it. Let us be careful that this daily routine never becomes a matter of custom, but rather something that we treasure as family, when the Bible is opened and God in His grace speaks to us, to which we may respond in prayer.

Next to this family worship we should not forget about our personal Bible reading and prayer either. For through it we maintain the relationship we have with God. That relationship will only remain a meaningful relationship when we also allow God to speak to us, whilst we from our side take time to speak to God. Indeed, beloved, we should take time for this and not do this simply because it is the thing we are expected to do. In John xv Christ says that the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. Therefore, let us not expect any fruits of faith when that relationship with the Lord has dried up, is no longer a living one. On the other hand, when that relation is indeed living it will show up also in the rest of our life, in our relation with our fellow brothers and sisters with whom we share the same faith. But also in our conduct in this world. Then having the mind of Christ we will be fully concerned for the needs and interest of others. Then we no longer act out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility we count others better than ourselves. The circle of the family is a good training school to learn this. That’s how as parents we may instruct our children in the riches of being Christ’s.

Finally I also think of the work of our Bible Study Societies. Again one of the means through which we may train ourselves in godliness. Not only by attending these meetings, but also by making proper prep. study True, this might involve some sacrifices as regards personal pleasures. But, beloved, that’s now exactly what this training is all about. Sports people do the same. If in a certain area of sport you want to reach the top it will mean bringing sacrifices, sacrifices for what is valuable to you. Well, this raises the question: how valuable is it to us to be a child of the Lord? Are we indeed willing to bring sacrifices for it.

Back to the meetings of the Bible Study Societies. Then the aim of these meetings is to built each other in faith. In II Tim. iv 14 the apostle Paul warns against all kind of empty chatter which is to no profit. In the words preceding our text he says, "But reject profane and old wives fables." Applying this to our discussions at club, then indeed sometimes the danger is there that we are caught up in a fierce discussion about the interpretation of some words, which sometime can go on for a whole evening, whilst we forget to address the question: what now does the Lord want to teach us via this passage of Scripture, what can we learn from it for every day life, how does it give us direction in godliness. And yet this should be the first aim of this training evening. In II Tim ii 23 the apostle writes, "avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife." I think this is a rule we all can learn from.

Br. & sr., I have tried to make the training in godliness a bit more practicable. Let us now also set ourselves to this training, for as the apostle Paul writes in vs. 8, "godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and that of which is to come." This brings me to my third and last thought in which we will address the question: what benefit one derives from this training in godliness.

III Indeed what value does training in godliness have? In vs. 8 we read, "....." The first part of this verse is not included to condemn bodily training as such, but to utilize the widespread concern and preoccupation with it as a foil or contrasting motif to emphasize the necessity for and the value of godliness and training in godliness. If bodily exercise is profitable for little, and so much time and energy is devoted to it, then how much more should one exercise himself unto godliness which "is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." We meet here the same contrast as made by the apostle Paul in his first letter to the Corinthians, ix 25, where the corruptible crown which the victorious athlete receives is contrasted with an incorruptible crown which the Christian receives. In our text the apostle Paul thus highlights what value training in godliness has, not only as regards the future, but even for today.

Godliness, we saw it in the first point of the sermon, -godliness means our life is directed towards God, who in Christ is our Redeemer. In Christ God has dispelled the darkness from our life. Because of the precious blood of Christ, shed on Calvary, our sins have been forgiven, whilst through His Spirit, i.e. the Spirit of life whom Christ obtained for us, we may live a new life, today already.

Training in godliness thus totally differs from bodily training. Both require determination and devotion. But whereas with bodily training one never knows whether he will make it to the top, as regards training in godliness we may do so assured of receiving the crown of honour, not because of our efforts, but since godliness directs us to Christ who obtained the victory for us. Then in faith we cling to Him, the Redeemer of our life. After all, that’s what godliness is all about.

And then this godliness indeed does hold a promise, not only for the future, but thankfully also for this life. Otherwise one could feel helpless at present. But we are not helpless when we live close to the Lord. He is there to help us through. But, beloved, we should then also make sure that we do live close to Him in godliness. For it is godliness that keeps us in communion with Christ. Yes, Jesus Christ He is the mystery of godliness, which means the revealed truth of it.

Summing it all up, our text summons all of us to run the race that is set before us, full of confidence, putting off sin and every weight which could slow down our pace. In more practical terms this means: training ourselves in godliness we will more and more deny ourselves, and the sinful pleasures of this present world, to direct our life to Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our Faith. If you do so, beloved, life will receive a totally different outlook. You then indeed learn how empty the happiness of this world is. Then you desire will no longer go out to it. But then you seek your strength in Christ, who one day will give to all who have longed for His appearing the imperishable wreath of glory.

Beloved, let us then indeed take the call of this morning’s sermon to heart. Train yourself in godliness. To say it with the words of Hymn 34:

Let us forgetting things behind,

Press on to God’s right hand;

There, with the Saviour and His saints,

Triumphantly to stand.

Amen.

Last modified: December 01, 2002