the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 5 of 5
1 Timothy 4:1-16
The great mystery of godliness has been despised by many! Some have taken away those things which made them uncomfortable. Others have added legal practices or superstitions. The "good minister" feeds on "good doctrine" (v. 6; see 1 Timothy 1:10; 1 Timothy 6:3). Then he will be capable of teaching others (vv. 11, 13). Godliness is a virtue in which we must exercise ourselves (Greek, "gymnazo", from which comes our word gymnastics). We train ourselves in it. Bodily exercise, or sport, is useful for the health of our bodies — a small matter compared with the development of the soul which the daily exercise of godliness produces. Let us take note that we must exercise ourselves; no one can live on the godliness of others. In this way, young Timothy will be able to be a "trainer" for others (Titus 2:7): an example in word, that word being confirmed by behaviour which is inspired by love, lit in its turn by faith, which ultimately is preserved by purity (v. 12). How do we exercise ourselves unto godliness? We must be occupied with divine matters and give ourselves wholly to them. The weakness of our testimony arises from the fact that we waste our energies in too many directions. Let us be the champions of a single cause, that of Christ (2 Corinthians 8:5). In that way our progress will appear to all (v. 15).
