Paul teaches his protege, Timothy, that godliness requires training similar to that of an athlete.
“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and life to come. (1 Timothy 4:8, NIV)
Similarly, the author of Hebrews informs his readers that it takes constant training to distinguish between good and evil (Hebew 5:14). Peter warns his readers to be on their guard and grow in Christ’s grace and knowledge so that they can stand firm (2 Peter 3:18).
YET we live in a world with countless self-identified Christians riding a self-inflicted spiritual roller coaster, and they step out of church dissatisfied and sick of religion.
Yet, there is a path to a more fulfilling Christian life. The believer can truly experience ‘life to the fullest’ if they are willing to undergo the rigorous training and discipline, as Paul describes. This ‘training’ is not just physical, but also mental and spiritual. It involves removing what hinders us (like clothes to a runner) and striving to move forward. This doesn’t happen naturally. It is choosing to sacrifice.
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