Awake & Alive: 1 Timothy Reading Plan
Day 15
6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 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. 1 Timothy 4:6-8
In his fight against false teachers, Paul reminds Timothy of another crucial aspect: the ongoing commitment to sound doctrine. It cannot be developed, maintained, or protected passively.
While salvation is instant and eternal, sanctification, the process of being molded into the image of Christ, is progressive. It requires believers to actively pursue God’s will throughout their lives, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
This pursuit involves both actively seeking God and fleeing from distractions and temptations that hinder faith. This truth is why Paul’s athletic training metaphor perfectly parallels the Christian life. However, Paul acknowledges one limitation of this analogy: it doesn’t capture the eternal nature and ongoing development of the Christian faith.