ARE YOU IN TRAINING? YOU SHOULD BE!
What comes to mind when you think of someone who is “in training”? We usually think of an athlete who is preparing for an athletic competition or a person entering a career area or job responsibility. The term pictures someone applying themselves to learn and function in their role in the very best way possible. We don’t think in terms of “training” to live the Christian life – but that is exactly what Paul tells Timothy to do. 1 Timothy 4:7-8 says “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
Living the Christian life is not just something we decide we will do and then start doing it. You don’t just say, “I’m going to run a marathon” or “I’m going to become a financial advisor or heart surgeon.” Athletes go into training (1 Corinthians 9:25). Students go into training, as Daniel did (Daniel 1:1). Children are in training (Ephesians 6:4). There are disciplines that must first come into place and skills to learn. It is a slow and often painful process, full of failures and setbacks, as we move toward our goal. The same is true of the Christian life.
Training implies learning from someone who is further along your chosen path than you are. It means taking their advice and learning skills and basic information from them. It also means practicing until you are able to apply these skills and traits to your own life. Living the Christian life doesn’t come naturally or easily. It is a slow, often painful process of replacing wrong habits and patterns with healthy ones.
Paul doesn’t tell Timothy to try his best, nor does he expect him to be able to live a godly life from the start. He treats it as a goal worth trying to attain, but one which takes planning, practice, dedication, focus, sacrifice, commitment, daily application and learning from each failure. Timothy needs others who are further along than him to help train (teach by word and example) him how to live a godly Christian life.
Often training periods are for a limited time of intense work toward a goal. For the Christian, though, training is a lifelong lifestyle. We never achieve full maturity in this life. We are always to be learning and growing. We are always in training. We are committed to a disciplined life style of sacrifice and learning as we strive for the goal of becoming more like Jesus.
Are you in training to become more like Jesus? Do you have a good coach to help, a plan to strengthen and mature you and accurate teaching to apply to your life? Are you in training, or just coasting on what you already know?
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
What is your approach to living the Christian life?
In what ways are you a different person than when you started following Jesus?
What is God teaching you right now about Himself and living for Him?
Where do you need the most training to be what God wants you to be?
cto Rev. Dr. JERRY SCHMOYER
Christian Training Organization
Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org
(India Outreach, Spiritual Warfare, Family Ministries, Counseling, World View)
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