Join host Rick Hughes on an enlightening journey through the spiritual disciplines reflected in scripture. As we delve into the significance of athletic metaphors found in texts like Hebrews and Timothy, we learn the importance of running the race of faith with patience and discipline. Discover why spiritual exercises are just as crucial, if not more so, than physical ones, and why self-control is a key component in becoming a spiritually mature believer.
Welcome to the Flatline with your host, Rick Hughes. For the next 30 minutes, you’ll be inspired, motivated, educated, but never manipulated. Now, your host, Rick Hughes.
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Good morning and welcome to the Flatline. I’m your host, Rick Hughes. Thank you for sticking around the next few minutes, 30 minutes of motivation, inspiration, education, just like our announcer said, but no manipulation because we don’t con people. We’re not trying to raise money. We’re not trying to solicit your support. We’re not trying to sell you anything. We’re not going to ask you to join up anything. We just would like for you to listen as I try to verify and identify God’s plan for your life. And if that’s possible, you can orient and adjust to the plan if you find that possible. So thank you. Thank you for listening. This is show 987 Sundays that we have been producing the Flatline Radio Show, compliments of the grace of God. You know, we find in the scriptures many exercise metaphors, you know, workout, exercise. And these relate to the spiritual life, not the physical life, but the spiritual life. Everybody wants you to exercise today. Everybody wants to sell you a piece of exercise equipment. Everybody wants you to work out and be in shape, live a long time, take your vitamins, do good. Well, let’s talk about what the Bible says about exercise. First of all, we find the word run used in the Bible in Hebrews 12, one through two. Here’s where the writer said, wherefore seeing we are also compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, Let us lay aside every weight, that’s distractions, and the sin which doth easily beset us, that’s defeat, and let us run, run, run with patience the race that is set before us. There’s an athletic metaphor, let us run with patience. In other words, you’re not going to get to be a spiritually mature individual overnight. It takes a little bit of time to study and grow and learn and apply. But the writer went on to say, looking unto Jesus, who is the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is now set down at the right hand of the throne of God. So there is an athletic metaphor for us to run the race that is set before us. If you ever intend to grow spiritually, you have to be disciplined to run the race. Also, the Bible says we have to walk. We walk by faith and not by sight. So you don’t have to start out by running, you start out by walking. If you’re like me and you’re up in age, you have to walk and not run. But then Paul uses another metaphor called fight. He said, I fight not as one who beats the air. So we got run, walk, fight, and then the word strive in 2 Timothy 2.5. And if a man also strive for the masteries, yet is he not crowned except he strive lawfully to compete, winning the prize. All of this requires self-control and it requires consistent training. These are the athletic metaphors used in the scripture. So if you’re going to be a winner believer, if you’re going to be a mature believer, if you’re going to maximum glorify God, you have to have self-control and consistent training. Winning the prize is you or me becoming a mature believer and you and I giving maximum glorification to God. Paul wrote to Timothy while he was a young pastor in the city of Ephesus in his first letter, 1 Timothy, and Paul encouraged Timothy to concentrate on becoming a spiritually mature believer and to avoid distractions on the road to godliness. His urging included a warning about certain distractions that Timothy might face. And we might assume from the verse I’m going to read to you this morning that Timothy was in good shape and Timothy enjoyed exercising. And we can also assume that there were those in his church that could draw Timothy into discussions about things that were questionable. Listen as I read the warning from Paul to Timothy. 1 Timothy 4, 7, but reject profane and old wise fables and exercise yourself to godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having the promise of life that is now and life that is to come. You know, today’s culture, we’re obsessed with being fit. Millions and millions of dollars are made selling exercise equipment, selling gym memberships, which people rarely use, between the weights, the home gyms, the vitamins, and all the other legitimate, indeed profitable devices. Many people, many believers focus entirely on their body and on their physical appearance, and yet they ignore the spiritual life and the needs of the spiritual life. So the scripture addresses this issue in two verses I just read to you. Exercise yourself towards godliness. That’s what he told Timothy to do. Bodily exercise profits a little, but you should exercise yourself to godliness. Godliness is profitable, the Bible says in Paul’s letter, to both now and in eternity. So here’s a couple of principles I want to give you. No believer will ever reach spiritual maturity without daily exercising his soul. Daily exercising his soul. The mentality of his soul is what I’m talking about. Number two, peak body performance requires daily exercise and so does peak spiritual performance. Peak bodily performance requires daily exercise and so also does peak spiritual performance. Number three, Very seldom is anything taught in local churches that have to do with spiritual vitality. And we’d say, what’s that? That’s the state of being strong and active. So very seldom is anything taught in a local church that has to do with spiritual vitality and endurance. Endurance is the lasting spiritual impact even until the later years of your life. It’s not taught very much, not brought up very much. Point four, the believer’s soul will endure forever but will it be fit to run the race in time and be recognized in eternity? Do you hear that? Your soul will endure forever, but will it be fit to run the race in time and be recognized in eternity? 1 Corinthians 9, 24. Don’t you know that they which run the race run all? but only one receives the prize. So run, there’s the athletic metaphor, that you may obtain, that’s eternal rewards. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate, he has self-control, in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible crown. I therefore so run, not as uncertain, and so fight I, not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, least that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should become a castaway. You can hear the self-discipline. You can hear the determination in Paul’s words. You can hear the difference between the winners and the losers, people that commit themselves to the race, the people that are willing to exercise daily in their spiritual life and those that don’t. Let’s look at some of these metaphors Paul uses to explain the need for spiritual growth in your soul’s mentality and why your Christian life requires endurance. In 1 Timothy 4, 7, again, our verse, reject profane and old wives’ fables. That’s what he told Timothy. And then he said, exercise yourself to godliness. We’ll get into what is godliness here in just a minute. But we start off with Paul instructing young Timothy, young pastor Timothy, to avoid or refuse, he said reject, avoid or refuse profane and old wives’ fables. What does the word profane mean? Well, it’s an interesting Greek word, it’s babylos. Babylos, B-A-B-Y-L-O-S, I pronounce it, babylos. And this word, bebelos, refers to all relationships or like-mindedness with things that are not related to God, profane things. What about this thing about wise fables? What’s he talking about there? W-I-V-E-S, a wise fable. Well, it’s the gradodes, wives, gradodes, muthos, fables. And the word muthos means a Nile stories are our word. And now we get a word senile from it. And it means the doddering of an old woman. The word reject, or stay away from it, is the present middle imperative verb of the compound word para, and it means in close association with, and put together with it, aito, and it means to request. So this is a command from God through the Apostle Paul For Timothy to stay away from what? Things that are not profitable and old wives’ fables. Things that are dottering of an old woman. You know, it could be that in this local church there are some older women who would like to talk about things that are distracting to Timothy’s spiritual life. These things can include superstitions and traditional habits. But keep in mind that no pastor has time to entertain conversations that are useless ramblings. And it’s true that in many cases, the older females make up the backbone of the church. I know in my ministry, I have many females that make up the backbone of this ministry. I couldn’t do what I do without solid, mature females that help me. And in this case, in the church that he’s talking about, they’re strong prayer warriors. The women can be. The women can be the teachers of children. But in that local church, it’s also true that some lonely elderly females can be demanding. In other words, if they feel neglected, they’re going to be mad. And why? It’s for this reason that the church has deacons. Did you know that? In Acts 6, 1 through 7, in those days, When the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring, complaining of the Grecian women against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily administration of the church. And so the 12 called the multitude of disciples unto them and said, it is not reasonable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. In other words, meet with all these ladies that want attention. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven, search out seven men of honest report, men who are full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. And then we ourselves will continue to give ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word. So here’s a good thing for pastors to remember. It’s not your job to call on people every day, to visit people every day, to hold their hand every day and try to make them feel better about themselves. You need to commit yourself to prayer and teaching God’s word, studying God’s word, and let the deacons handle that sort of detail. So if we continue in this verse, Paul tells Timothy to exercise, exercise yourself towards godliness. This is the present active imperative of the verb gumnazo, gumnazo, G-U-M-N-A-Z-O, gumnazo. We get the English word gem from that. It means to exercise or train the body or train the mind. So there’s not a day that you are to go by that you are not in the gym, spiritually speaking, that you’re not training your body and training your mind spiritually. The present active imperative is a command from God. I want to read to you a commentary on this verse from a man named Randolph Yeager who’s dead now, but he wrote a series of studies called the Renaissance New Testament. And here’s what he said about this verse. Paul is dealing with relative values, things that are most important. He does not deny that a Christian should take care of his health, Indeed, he says that working out in the gymnasium or jogging or watching one’s diet has some usefulness. Physical health is important, he goes on to say, but to a greater degree, godliness has far more profit because godliness carries a double promise where Paul said it’s useful in time and in eternity. Paul proclaims the importance of what he just wrote to Timothy in verses seven and eight in verse nine. So seven and eight I read to you and now here’s verse nine. This is a faithful saying and this is worthy of all acceptance, acceptation. So here it is, that’s a fantastic doctrine. Avoid conversations that are not to your advantage. Reject profane, reject old wise fables, and exercise yourself to godliness, is what he said. So what are we looking at here? What do we mean by this? What does this apply to? Exactly how do you exercise yourself to godliness? What does that mean? Well, I think we better determine what godliness is. Godliness is derived from the Greek word eusebio, eusebio, and it connotes duty and responsibility of the royal priesthood of God under Operation Grace. And you are to strive to be a godly person, eusebio. So godliness, number two, I’ll go back to number one again. Godliness is derived from the Greek word eusebio, which connotes the duty and responsibility of the royal priesthood to God. Two, godliness, or living your life according to the protocol plan of God, is related to the perception of the word of God in your soul. You cannot be a godly person if you don’t listen, learn, and apply the word of God in your soul. In Titus 1.1, Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgement of the truth which is after godliness. The truth produces godliness in your life. There is no godliness without spiritual metabolism. What is that? That’s the perception and the application of the word of God in your life. So if you’re not taking in the Word of God on a daily basis, if you’re not in the gym of the spiritual church daily, if you’re not taking in God’s Word daily, you’re never going to reach godliness. You got to get in shape spiritually. You got to be able to think. You got to be able to recall. You got to be able to apply. And that’s why the Word of God is so important in your life as you study it under the filling of the Holy Spirit. Point three, there is a great benefit to living a godly life. You know what it is? If I ask you to write it on a piece of paper, what is the benefit for living a godly life? You’d be surprised when 1 Timothy 6 says this, godliness with contentment is great gain. So the benefit of having a godly life is contentment. Capacity to live and to love, to enjoy life, you’re content. Paul said it doesn’t make whatever situation I’m in, doesn’t make any difference whether I have a lot or whether I have a little, it’s not even an issue. The issue is Christ in me, that’s the issue. And so if you’re not content, you’re definitely not godly. Point four, godliness is simply the Christian way of life. 2 Peter 1.3, according as his divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, Through or by means of the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue. So where does it come from? Comes from what? Through the knowledge of him that has called us to glory and virtue. How can you know God that you don’t understand? How can you understand a God you don’t know is what I’m trying to say. You have to grow in the grace and knowledge of your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s why Jesus said, come unto me, all you that labor heavy laden, and I’ll give you rest. Take my yoke and learn of me. My yoke is easy. My burden is light. And so only through the knowledge of him can you develop godliness in your life. Five, principle. As you acquire a biblical inventory in your soul, you are in essence acquiring the mind of Christ and you will function under divine viewpoint. As you acquire a biblical inventory in your soul, a scripture circulating in your frame of reference in your memory center, you begin to acquire the mind of Christ. The Bible says, let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. And you begin to function under divine viewpoint. You cannot have the mind of Christ without getting a biblical inventory of doctrine in your soul. And you’re not gonna get a biblical inventory of the word of God in your soul if you don’t grow and do what the Bible says, study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Six, spiritual exercise is simply you having the self-discipline to stay filled with the Holy Spirit and to be consistently hearing and applying God’s word on a daily basis. Seven, godliness has nothing to do with holy sounding vocabulary. It’s not, oh, brother, praise the Lord, sister, God willing, hallelujah. It has nothing to do with that holy signing vocabulary. But rather, what does it have to do with you thinking, thinking according to God’s protocol plan? And that revolves around the 10 problem-solving devices. Do you know them? Do you understand that? That’s the summary of the Christian life. Do you know how to rebound and confess your sin? Do you know how to stay filled with the Holy Spirit by using rebound? Do you understand what the faith rest drill is? Do you understand grace, living grace, dying grace, surpassing grace? Do you understand that? Do you understand doctrinal orientation? How the word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder the soul and the spirit and the joints and the marrow is a critic of thought and intents of the heart. When you learn the Word of God, it will cut you open. It will show you what you really are. It’ll take away your arrogance. It’ll let you see yourself as you really are. Then there’s the personal sense of destiny, understanding God’s plan for your life. There’s the great personal love for God, which is your motivational virtue, associated with impersonal love for all other mankind. then eventually sharing the happiness of God and being occupied with Jesus Christ. What a wonderful way to live. So, you must discipline yourself to reach maturity. That’s what it requires. Godliness requires discipline. That’s point eight. Godliness requires discipline. You must discipline yourself to reach maturity. Our key verse we’re studying again, 1 Timothy 4, 7, but refuse profane and old wives’ fables and exercise yourself rather unto godliness. You’re not going to be a godly person without exercising spiritually. Now what about point nine? God opposes ungodly individuals. God opposes ungodly individuals. Romans 1.18, for the anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth by means of unrighteousness. So God doesn’t tolerate ungodliness. That’s people that reject his word, reject his son, reject everything to do with that. And they’re out there. The unbelievers are there. and they’re under the vengeance of God. They will spend eternity in the lake of fire, not because God’s mad at them, not because he hates them, but because they rejected everything God offered in love. God opposes ungodly individuals. The anger of God is being revealed from heaven against all ungodliness. Point 10, the concept of godliness is definitely opposed by Satan. In 1 Timothy 6, 3, if any man teaches a different doctrine and does not concur with sound doctrine, those doctrines of the Lord Jesus Christ, even doctrines pertaining to godliness, that’s spirituality, he has become arrogant and he understands nothing. So you cannot be a spiritual person or a godly person if you don’t understand the mechanics to the Christian life and the word of God. So here’s a question. Do you consider yourself to be a godly person? Do you? If you do, on what basis do you consider that? Why do you think you’re a godly person? Is it related to how you talk? Is it related to how you dress? Or should it be related to what you think? Because you can fool everybody. You can fool the preacher. You can fool your best friend. You will never fool God. He knows exactly what you’re thinking. And when you are not growing spiritually, when you’re operating under human viewpoint, you are ungodly. You’re not using the divine resources God provided for you. A godly person, hopefully that’s you and me, will stay filled with the Holy Spirit at all times by using rebound when necessary. We sin, we know we sin, and if we sin, the Bible says if we confess our sin, he’s faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all wrongdoing. So a godly person will stay filled with the Holy Spirit by using rebound when necessary. And next, a godly person will take in the Word of God on a consistent basis. And I add again, as I do every week, under a well-qualified pastor. A godly person will reflect Jesus Christ when he’s occupied with Christ. A godly person has plus H, sharing the happiness of God, even in disastrous circumstances. You know why? Because he realizes this is just an opportunity. These disastrous circumstances are just an opportunity to lift up Christ. A godly person is content and not in a frantic search for happiness. A godly person has personal love for God as his motivational virtue and then personal love for others as his functional virtue. So if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you don’t reflect these characteristics I just gave you, then you need to check yourself and see what are your true priorities because it’s possible that you may look good and you may sound good, but you just might have a soul that stinketh because you’re not godly. You’re not godly. You’re basing your godliness on your emotions. You’re basing your godliness on your activity. You’re basing your godliness on how you look and how you sound and you’re impressing somebody, but you’re not impressing God. That’s not the godliness we’re talking about. If you want to be that person, I suggest that you stay filled with the Holy Spirit and you find a well-qualified pastor that you can study under. And you begin a consistent routine of taking in the Word of God as often as you can, hopefully daily. Going to the gym daily, going to the Bible class daily, applying the Word of God daily. That’s how you reflect the character of God. That’s how you represent Jesus Christ to your generation. And that’s what God wants you to be, a godly person. And Timothy had to learn that. There was a lot of distractions in Ephesus as a young pastor. And he had to learn that godliness was more important than anything else. And I hope you’ve learned that this morning. I hope as a Christian and a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will set godliness as your priority. If you need notes on this, let us know. We can send you the transcript. We can also provide other doctrinal material and books we’ve written from our website, which is simply rickhughesministries.org, rickhughesministries.org. Thank you for being with me this morning. Thank you for listening this morning. Pray for us as we press on towards number 988 next show. We’ll see what God will have us cover. Until then, this is your host, Rick Hughes, saying thank you so very much for listening to The Flotlines.
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Thank you for listening to The Floodline with your host, Rick Hughes. If you’d like to contact Rick, please write to him at P.O. Box 100, Cropwell, Alabama, 35054, or online at www.rickhughesministries.org.
