TRAINING IN GODLINESS
Text: 1 Timothy 4:7-8 – 7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For 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.
Note that verse 8 is one of the “trustworthy sayings.” (V.9 – This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance) The others are: 1 Timothy 1:15; 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:11-13; Titus 3:4-8; Revelation 22:6.
Godliness – Definition: NCV – serving God; MSG – a disciplined life in God; AMP – spiritual training; TPT – righteousness.
Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come – Example: Godliness will guarantee our return to the glory with which we were crowned. Note Psalm 8:3-8 – 3When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.
6You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.
However, as a result of sin, there is the following contrast. Job 25:5-6 – 5If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his eyes, 6how much less man, who is but a maggot–a son of man, who is only a worm!”
Psalm 62:9 – Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
Micah 7:4 – The best of them is like a brier, the most upright worse than a thorn hedge. The day of your watchmen has come, the day God visits you. Now is the time of their confusion.
Consequently, as we seek to “return to the glory with which we were crowned,” let us ask our Majestic God to help us to “receive” the spiritual training provided by Psalm 8 and Job 25, as follows:
Psalm 8 – [CEV – “The Wonderful Name of the LORD”]
V.1 – O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth – This majestic name is to be forever celebrated, as we have been instructed to do by Psalm 113:2 – Let the name of the LORD be praised, both now and forevermore.
You have set your glory above the heavens – Note Psalm 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
V.2 – From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. An example of this occurred at “The Triumphal Entry.” Matthew 21:15-16 – 15But when the chief priests and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were indignant.
16“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ” ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise’?”
Job 25 – V.1 – Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:
Bildad the Shuhite – Job 2:11-13 – 11When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 12When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was.
V.2 – “Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven. See Psalm 8:1, 9.
V.3 – Can his forces be numbered? Upon whom does his light not rise?
Can his forces be numbered – Note: CEV – Who can count his army of stars? Isn’t God the source of light? (Judges 5:20 – From their pathways in the sky the stars fought Sisera,)
GNT – Can anyone count the angels who serve him? Is there any place where God’s light does not shine? See: Psalm 68:17; Matthew 26:53-54.
V.4 – How then can a man be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? By: 1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 2:1-2 – 1My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
V.5 – If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his eyes,
If even the moon is not bright – AMP – “Behold, even the moon has no brightness [compared to God’s majesty and glory] And the stars are not pure in His sight, Note: Acts 9:3 – As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.
Acts 26:13 – About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions.
And the stars are not pure in his eyes – Contrast Genesis 1:14-18 – 14And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, 15and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. 16God made two great lights–the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. 17God set them in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth, 18to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good.
In order to “live” in “the glory with which we have been crowned,” let us ask our Great God to help us to “hear” His words. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.