What Does 1 Timothy 4:7-8 Say? Part 1 of 3

I was talking to a friend this morning about what he is going through in life. He shared personal concerns about God, family, and how confusing it can be at times. I shared a few thoughts about building a relationship with God first and giving Him all his worries and concerns. After a few minutes of sharing the Word with him, I returned to my desk and saw a notification from my Bible app on my phone with a verse from 1 Timothy. I thought to myself. “God does not waste anything; He uses everything in His power to ensure we are aware He is with us.” So I took the time to break it down verse by verse and write it on paper for him to take home and read.  

1 Timothy 4:7–8 says:

“Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” — 1 Timothy 4:7–8 (ESV)

What Paul is saying

Paul is writing to Timothy, a young Christian leader, and he uses physical exercise as a picture of spiritual discipline.

1. “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths”

Paul tells Timothy not to waste his time on teachings, stories, or spiritually empty arguments.

The point isn’t that every question or discussion is worthless. Rather, Timothy should recognize that some things consume our attention without helping us know God or live faithfully.

In other words: Be careful what you give your mental and spiritual energy to.

2. “Train yourself for godliness”

The word “train” is significant. Paul compares spiritual growth to athletic training.

An athlete doesn’t become strong by merely wanting to be strong. Training involves:

• repetition,

• discipline,

• perseverance,

• correction,

• and intentional effort.

Likewise, godliness doesn’t normally develop accidentally. We grow through practices such as prayer, Scripture, worship, obedience, repentance, serving others, and resisting temptation.

This doesn’t mean we earn God’s love through discipline. Rather, because God has already given us grace, we respond to that grace by learning to live differently.

3. “Bodily training is of some value”

Paul isn’t saying exercise is bad or unimportant. He explicitly says it has “some value.”

Physical health matters. But its benefits are limited. Even the healthiest person eventually grows old and dies.

Paul contrasts that temporary benefit with something whose significance reaches beyond this life.

4. “Godliness is of value in every way”

Godliness means living in a way that reflects God’s character—becoming increasingly shaped by our relationship with Him.

Its value isn’t limited to church activities. It affects:

• how we treat people,

• how we respond to suffering,

• how we handle money,

• how we use our words,

• how we deal with temptation,

• and what we pursue in life.

And unlike physical fitness, spiritual growth has eternal significance.

“Promise for the present life and also for the life to come”

This is probably the heart of the passage.

Paul isn’t promising that godly people will have easy or prosperous lives. In fact, Timothy himself would face hardship.

Rather, godliness benefits us now because knowing and following God gives us a different way to live—peace, wisdom, self-control, endurance, purpose, and hope.

And it benefits us in the life to come because our relationship with God isn’t limited to this earthly life.

A simple way to understand it

Paul is essentially saying:

“Just as you deliberately train your body to become stronger, deliberately train your spiritual life to become more like Christ. Physical fitness has temporary benefits, but becoming godly has benefits that reach into eternity.”

There’s also an important connection to the surrounding verses. In 1 Timothy 4:10, Paul says they labor and strive because their hope is in the living God. So this isn’t about religious self-improvement for its own sake. The goal of spiritual discipline is a deeper relationship with God and a life shaped by that hope.