Exercise for Godliness - 1 Timothy 4:1-16

We all know that if you don’t do any exercise, don’t try and lead a healthy lifestyle, eat lots of junk food, that you will most probably going to get fat and will be more prone to pick up diseases. The threat of these things should therefore motivate us to exercise and lead an active and healthy lifestyle.

What we see in this text is a similar warning. Not to do with our physical health, but rather something much more important - godliness – as it has implications for our lives now and our lives in eternity. Paul is warning Timothy against the danger of destructive and demonic false teaching that has infiltrated the church. The result of this false teaching is that it leads to people shipwrecking their faith. It is unhealthy, dangerous – cancerous – deadly stuff! How then is the church to stay clear of this and keep healthy? Train, exercise in godliness. What we’re going to see in this text therefore is that in order to grow in godliness, being healthy spiritually, avoiding toxic teaching that kills – we are to exercise in godliness – finding our hope and rest in Christ Jesus himself.

Preacher: Rev. Antonio Coppola.