Training for Godliness: A Spiritual Exercise Plan That Works

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to criticize younger generations? We often find ourselves saying, "This generation today just isn't great." But here's my challenge: What are we doing about it? Do they have someone to guide them, to train them in godliness? Leaders don't just magically appear—they have to be pushed, trained, and developed intentionally. What we really need is a spiritual exercise plan, and I believe Paul gives us exactly that in 1 Timothy 4.

Remove the Excess

In 1 Timothy 4:7, Paul writes, "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness." That word "refuse" (paratimomai in Greek) means to vehemently reject. Paul is telling Timothy to actively reject anything that's radically against holiness—the worldly influences, the foolish stories, the false teachings. These "old wives' fables" were like the myths we grow up with: "If you swallow gum, it stays in your stomach for seven years" or "If you sit too close to the TV, you'll go blind." But Paul is talking about something more serious—false teachers who were distracting believers from the gospel. Today, our world is filled with similar lies:

• "You can do whatever you want."
• "You gotta have your future all planned out."
• "If you go along with the crowd, then you'll be popular."
• "You're too young to make a difference."
• "You should follow your heart, do what comes natural."
• "You are the sum of what you do or what you own."
• "You can believe your truth, and I'll believe mine."

These aren't coming from me—these are coming from our teens. This is what they've heard. And there is a world out there that is trying to make disciples, and it's not Biblical disciples. The world wants everything possible to take a teen, take a kid, to take you—and they want you to be like them. "We can't be spiritually healthy if we keep believing the lies. Just as I can't be spiritually healthy if I'm just eating Chick-fil-A every single day and dumping Chick-fil-A sauce on it. I can't say, 'Wow, I can't believe I'm not healthy,' right? Because you keep giving into the excess, the junk."

Establish a Routine for Spiritual Exercise

The second part of our spiritual exercise plan is to establish a routine. Paul continues in 1 Timothy 4:7, "...exercise thyself rather unto godliness." That word "exercise" is the Greek word "gymnaso"—where we get our word "gym." It means to be trained, to be disciplined for godliness. When Timothy read this, the connotation would have been rigorous and self-sacrificing training—not just lackadaisical, one-foot-in, one-foot-out effort, but putting in the sweat equity, the time, pushing through the pain, having dedication to it. I illustrated this by racing a young man named Chase down the church aisle. He easily beat me because he's well-trained physically—he plays basketball and soccer. The dude's physical. He does it all the time because he has a routine of training. "I can't just expect growth as a Christian to magically happen. I've got to put in the effort. I must regularly have a strategy, and I need to establish a routine of exercise." What does this routine look like? It includes:

• Talking with God (short prayers and long prayers)
• Scripture reading, meditating, and memorizing
• Fellowship with other Christians
• Service to others
• Evangelism—choosing one person to share the gospel with

As Oswald Chambers said, "Spiritual ends can only be achieved by spiritual men who employ spiritual methods." If we want to see the world changed, our country changed, our city changed, lives changed—if we personally want to be changed—we must fully engage in these exercises. Paul reiterates this in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27: "Know ye not that they which run a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things... I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection..." "Don't just flail about. If I'm just flailing my arms in a boxing match, I look like a weirdo. I'm not gonna be able to hit anyone... I need to have the self-discipline, I need to have the perseverance to actually think about the prize I want and put in the effort."

Meditate on the Benefits

Finally, we need to remember why we're doing this. What are the benefits? 1 Timothy 4:8 tells us: "For bodily exercise profiteth little, but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." This verse isn't saying physical fitness doesn't matter—obviously, the Lord wants us to be good stewards of our bodies. But it is saying physical fitness and physical pursuits are not as important as the spiritual. "Major in holiness. Sometimes we take the minors and major in them. When we need to actually major in the majors, we need to major in holiness." I shared the story of Kevin McGinnis, who lost 58 pounds by eating at McDonald's for 100 days (cutting portions in half and only drinking water). His physical transformation was impressive, but bodily discipline has limits:

1. It's limited in duration—our bodies are temporary
2. It's limited in extent—it can only do so much

"My good looks that I'm striving for, my health that I'm striving for, my ability that I'm striving for—it won't transform the world. It won't help me evangelize a lost friend. It's not gonna help me disciple another person to grow in Christ. It's not really gonna help me grow that much closer to God." But godliness is "profitable unto all things." It helps you now and in eternity. It gives you assurance for eternity, purpose, wisdom, peace, and joy. It helps you resist temptation and impact others.

Life Application: Your Spiritual Exercise Plan

What is your spiritual exercise plan? What are you personally doing this week to grow in the Lord and to help others grow?

1. Remove the excess: Make sure you're not spending too much time with things that are ungodly or worldly. Not even necessarily bad things—just make sure you're having time with your Savior.
2. Establish a routine: Schedule time for devotions and prioritize it. "I have to say this is the time each week I'm doing my devotions, and I need to prioritize that time because there's so many different distractions that want to tear me away from that time." Get a training plan for prayer, Bible reading, and evangelism.
3. Find a training partner: You don't have to do this alone. Who can you connect with that can help push you to grow? That's the beauty of small groups—they push each other to grow.
4. Remember the benefits: Remember your "why." Remember what the Lord has done for you. The joy we experience doesn't come from us—it comes from God who has blessed us and is guiding us.

As Paul concludes in 1 Timothy 4:9-10: "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, specially of those that believe." The whole reason we do all this, the whole reason we even have the hope to train for godliness, is because of Jesus—the One who put in the most effort, who came down to earth, lived a perfect life, died, and rose again. He is our hope and the One who helps us train for godliness. Are you ready to start your spiritual training program today?