1 Timothy 4:6-16 A Life Worth Following
If you are appointed to be a member of the recruitment committee tasked to recruit a pastor for the church, what would be some of the criteria you would look for?
• What qualities do you think you will be looking for in the potential candidates?
• Are you concerned about his character, his experience, his track record, his qualifications, his competence, his skills or his giftings?
In this text today, we see Paul highlighting some of his concerns to Timothy, in his role as pastor of the church in Ephesus.
• But what he said does not apply only to Timothy or to pastors alone, as if they are a special breed of Christians.
• His words apply to all who are serious about following Christ and serving Him. They are timeless principles that we can abide by if we want to be good servants of Christ.
• Hence, some bible entitled this section – “A Good Servant of Christ Jesus”.
I like to divide the text into 3 sections. Timothy was reminded to be a good servant of Christ, he would have to:
(1) GUARD THE TRUTH (2) GROW IN GODLINESS (3) LIVE THE GOSPEL
(1) GUARD THE TRUTH (vv.6-7a)
4:6 “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus…”
• The immediate context for "these things" points directly to what comes before - the warnings about false teaching and the need to teach the truth (4:1-5).
• This was expected of Timothy because he had been “trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine” 4:6b that he has followed.
• KJV and NIV uses “nourished in the word” and NASB uses “constantly nourished” which is even better and closer to the original language.
Timothy would not be able to teach what he does not know. He cannot give what he does not have, but he has been “nourished” from young.
• Paul mentioned in 2 Tim 1:5 “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.”
• He has been nurtured in his faith from a young age by his mother and grandmother.
Later on, he became an “apprentice” of Paul, came to Ephesus and learn from the elders of the church.
• As one blessed with the Word, Timothy has to GUARD the truth and correct those who have strayed from the faith.
4:7 “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths.” These cannot nourish you.
• We do not want to spend time on matters inconsequential or unimportant, on human talks and worldly tales. Sounds exciting, but lacks truth.
• Feed on the Word of God and tell the Gospel. Direct the flock to “the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed”, Paul says.
It is interesting to see how Paul described the church earlier in chapter 3.
• He wrote in 3:15, “If I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.”
• That’s the church, where the truth of God is revealed.
• NIV: the church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” because that’s where we find the truth of God proclaimed, taught and obeyed.
Like Timothy, let us FEED on God’s Word, know the truth and hold fast to it. Our spirit needs the Word of God.
• GUARD the truth that we have come to know. The world will drift, but we stand firm on what God has revealed.
Worse Than Being Scammed
When we lose money to a scam, the pain is immediate and tangible. We feel the sting, and it teaches us to be cautious.
But when we let go of what God has said—or accept lies in place of His truth—we often feel nothing right away. There’s no immediate pain, no clear loss. Yet that deception is far more dangerous.
It’s like taking poison that works slowly, dulling our discernment and leading us toward spiritual death.
The consequences are far greater than losing money, but because we don’t feel them instantly, we often don’t realise what’s happening.
So let us guard your heart and mind, and not be misled by deceptive spirits or the teachings of demons. (4:1)
(2) GROW IN GODLINESS (vv.7b-10)
In 4:7b Paul adds on, “Rather, train yourself for godliness.” ESV I would rather you spend time…“Train yourself to be godly.” NIV
• Obviously, Paul is not saying that godliness is an achievement or that if we work hard enough, we can gain godliness. Our sanctification is a work of God!
• BUT it can only come through obedience and discipline. We have to CHOOSE to obey God and let Him work in our lives.
• NASB puts it clearer: “Rather, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.”
Godliness is our end-goal, but if we are careless, complacent, disobedient, self-centred, then that FRUIT will be hard to come by.
• Paul illustrated it. Athletes follow a strict regimen in order to train their bodies for races, and that is only for an earthly crown.
• Then, “Don’t you think we should put in more effort in cultivating godliness – something more lasting, precious and eternal?
In this text, Paul has been using a number of words that depicts spiritual disciplines:
4:6 - the trained/nourished in the words of the faith and good doctrine (read/study),
4:7 - the train yourself for godliness (disciplines),
4:13 - be devoted to the public reading of Scriptures, exhortation, teaching (habits);
4:15 - to practice these things and immerse yourself in them…
Timothy needs to pay attention to these practices so that he can GROW in godliness.
• Spiritual habits come through discipline. It has to be intentional, repeated over time, and does not come by chance. It does not happen by accident.
• Godliness comes through constant practices of reading, learning, preaching, teaching, and living in obedience to the Word of God.
Timothy had a good start, because of the faith of his grandmother and mother.
• And it didn’t stop there. When Paul first met him in Lystra in Acts 16, Timothy was already “well spoken of by the brothers” in the church at Lystra (16:1–2).
• Paul took him under his wings and invited him to join him on his second missionary journey, AD 49-50. That was about 13-14 years ago (Paul wrote 1 Timothy in AD 62-64).
With all these experiences, some would think that Timothy would be qualified and has “arrived”, spiritually speaking.
• Look at his track record: Learn the faith from young at home, served as lay Christian in church and was well spoken of, selected to join Paul’s mission team, and have been serving with him for the last 14 years.
• And now laid hands by the elders – recognised by the seniors in the church - and appointed as church pastor…
Yet Paul says, “train yourself for godliness” 4:7 as if he is not godly enough.
• Conduct yourself well and set a good example for others, as if he is not doing it.
• And that’s not all. At the end in 4:15 Paul says, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.”
Imagine this, having ALL see that you are PROGRESSING in your spiritual life!
• Just wondering, has anyone said that of me? Did anyone say that of you, that you are growing and progressing well, spiritually? “I noticed that you’ve grown, spiritually.”
• Or is the impression more of the opposite: “You have backslidden.”
This challenge was given because there is no end to our learning and growing, spiritually speaking. There is no graduation in our spiritual growth.
• Paul himself set us a good example. 1 Cor 9:24-27 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable.
• 26Therefore I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air. 27No, I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
(3) LIVE THE GOSPEL (vv.11-16) The third section stresses on his conduct.
There’s an old saying, “Your life speaks so loudly, I can’t hear what you’re saying.”
• Our influence depends not only on what we teach, but on how we live.
• Influence flows from character, and not so much our age or position.
Paul bundles teaching and living out what you teach together.
• 4:11 “Command and teach these things.”
• And then in the same breath, 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”
4:16 “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
• Watch both WHAT you say and HOW you live, so that you don’t stumble anyone.
• Don’t just TEACH the faith; SHOW our faith. Live the Gospel. Live like Christ.
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GODLINESS is our goal. It defines the life that Christ has given us.
• The world will say, strive for success, wealth, fame and glory, but all of these will pass.
• 4:8 “Godliness is of value in every way…” and it holds promise “for the life to come.”
Look at King Solomon. He has a good and comfortable life, blessed with fame, status, success and wealth, and yet at the end of his life, he could not say he was fulfilled.
• We know that because he wrote Ecclesiastes and said, “All is vanity.” (1:2)
• And his conclusion? At the end of the book: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (12:13 )
A God-honouring life – the godly life – is the only life that can truly satisfy us.
• This is not just for Timothy or pastors, but the call to all Christians.
• The world needs not just gifted Christians, but godly ones – men and women whose lives reflect the truth they proclaim.
Our hope is not in self-effort but in “the living God, who is the Saviour of all people, especially of those who believe.” (4:10)
• We fight this good fight of faith with confidence, because Christ our Lord grants us the strength and the grace we need.
PRAYER:
Lord, help us to be faithful servants of Christ, nourished by Your Word, trained in godliness, and shining as examples of Your love and truth. Strengthen us to persevere, so that our lives and our doctrine may honour You and bring others back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
