1 Timothy 4:6-10

⁶ “In pointing out these things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the good doctrine which you have been following. ⁷ But stay away from worthless stories that are typical of old women. Rather, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; ⁸ for bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. ⁹ It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. ¹⁰ For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have set our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all mankind, especially of believers.”

Verse 6: Paul encourages Timothy to point out the truths of the faith and the good teaching to the believers. By doing so, Timothy will fulfill his role as a minister of Christ Jesus. As believers, we are nourished by the truths of the faith and the good teaching that we have followed, which helps us grow in our understanding and relationship with God. Ministry is about being nourished by the grace of God and nourishing others with the gospel message. Notice that the Christian life is one of joy and not one of obligation. This is the atmosphere Paul wants to see cultivated by Timothy in the church. Foolish doctrines, such as those being combatted in this letter, do not create freedom for people.

Verse 7: Paul is talking about worldly ideas and stories rooted in Gnosticism. These stories encourage unhealthy asceticism which destroys our experience of the freedom of Christ. Paul advises Timothy to steer clear of these godless myths and old wives’ tales. Instead, he encourages Timothy to focus on training himself to be godly. This reminds us that our pursuit should be godliness, rooted in the truth of God’s Word, rather than getting caught up in empty and false teachings.

Verse 8: Paul draws a comparison between physical training, which has some value, and godliness, which has value for all things. While physical training has temporary benefits, godliness holds promise not only for the present life but also for the life to come. But true godliness is not the denial of pleasure but rather expressing the Spirit in every circumstance. This is true godliness. Paul is not saying that there are no benefits to physical health, but rather, that true godliness is compatible with who we are at our cores.

Verse 9: Paul emphasizes the trustworthiness of the saying he is about to share. This indicates the importance of paying attention to and fully accepting the truth that follows. Notice that Paul’s focus is on the gospel of grace, not on meaningless false teachings. Such teachings are not trustworthy and ought to be rejected.

Verse 10: Paul explains that the reason we labor and strive is because we have put our hope in the living God. He is the Savior of all people, extending His grace and salvation to everyone. However, there is a special emphasis on those who believe, as they have personally received and experienced the salvation offered by God.