Childhood Heroes
Good morning. I hope you have a blessed day as we finish reading 1 Timothy 4–6.
When I was a little boy, like many young boys, I dreamed of becoming a professional football player. Even though watching sports was not the national pastime it is today, I still knew who Johnny Unitas and Bart Starr were. They were giants. And at age nine, I already knew that women wanted Joe Namath, and men wanted to be him. The dream sounded pretty appealing.
But as I grew older, I discovered the truth: wanting to be something and training to become that thing are completely different realities. Even more so today, reaching an elite level requires starting young, disciplining your diet, relentless training, the best coaching, and laser focus. You can want it all day long—but without training, you will not achieve it.
Spiritual Leadership
Surprisingly, spiritual leadership works the same way. You must train just as hard, though in a different arena.
Your diet must be the Word of God.
Your playbook is Scripture itself.
Your coaches are faithful mentors.
And your ultimate trainer is the Holy Spirit.
Paul writes:
“Train yourself to be godly.”
— 1 Timothy 4:7
The word he uses—gumnazō—is where we get our word gymnasium. Training is not optional. It is essential.
The Crisis
Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus while he went on to Macedonia (1 Tim. 1:3). Timothy wrote to Paul describing serious problems developing in the church.
A Culture Worshipping Women
Ephesus was the center of Artemis worship, a goddess celebrated for female power, fertility, wealth, and dominance. (1) The culture around the church elevated women in ways that distorted God’s design, and unfortunately, this influence was creeping into the church itself.
Rumors had also spread that Christ had already returned (1 Tim. 4:1–2). This false teaching led some to abandon hope and live only for pleasure—much like people today who reject Christ and decide this world is all there is.
The Church Was Breaking Down
Some older wealthy widows were flaunting their sexuality and seducing younger men, including possibly Timothy (1 Tim. 5:11–15).
Some men had stopped working, grown lazy, and were failing to lead their families (1 Tim. 5:8).
Some were abusing the church’s generosity, taking aid though they did not need it (1 Tim. 5:6).
False teachers were imposing extra-biblical rules, such as forbidding marriage or certain foods (1 Tim. 4:3–5).
Others discouraged marriage entirely, leading to immorality.
Paul tells Timothy—his young protégé—to confront all of this.
Training for the Good Fight
Paul gives Timothy a simple but demanding assignment:
“Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
— 1 Timothy 4:12
Timothy had to:
- Resist sexual temptation
- Reject greed
- Teach truth boldly
- Live in purity
- Use the gifts God gave him (1 Tim. 4:14)
- Watch his life and doctrine closely (1 Tim. 4:16)
Like a fighter or football player training his muscles, Timothy had to develop six spiritual strengths:
righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness
— 1 Timothy 6:11
These are the muscles of godliness. Everyone has them, but only those who train them become strong enough to lead.
Why Training Matters
Those he shepherded would watch him closely.
If he modeled these traits well, they would follow. Any compromise could cause them to stumble. Holding firm would preserve Timothy and might even lead others to be saved (1 Tim. 4:16).
Paul warns Timothy not to rely on clever speech or “deeper knowledge” to compensate for a lack of character. These are useful tools but can never replace godliness. (2)
This Message Is for All of Us
Paul’s instructions may have been addressed to a young pastor, but the message is for every believer today:
- We all influence someone.
- We all set an example.
- We all must train in godliness.
- We all must avoid the trap of performing externally while collapsing morally inside.
And in the end, none of our titles, wealth, or accomplishments will matter. What will matter is whether we lived in faithfulness to Christ and helped lead others toward Him.
So ask yourself today:
How are you training?
What legacy will you leave behind?
Tomorrow, we will read 2 Timothy 1–4.
Footnotes (Chicago Style)
- BibleProject, “1 Timothy,” video, accessed February 2025, https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/1-timothy/.
- David Guzik, Enduring Word Commentary on 1 Timothy 4–6, accessed February 2025, https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/1-timothy-4/.