20130407
The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Tim 4:6-11 about 3 spiritual priorities essential for the development and maintenance of a sound Christian life.
First priority: nourishment from the Bible is crucial in building up our spiritual lives From the Bible God reveals His will and thoughts to us. We always emphasise how important communication is in a meaningful relationship. God communicates to us through the Bible and we definitely need it to develop our spiritual lives. This nourishment from good biblical teachings will show us how important it is to practise godly living and following the right teachings as Christians in the service of God.
Second priority: Christians need training in godliness. Obsession with physical fitness is a big thing in Singapore and is a good thing but we know that our physical bodies will only last for some limited years. What we should focus on more is our spiritual bodies, our souls, which are eternal. Indeed, “godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come”. With godliness, we can cling to God’s promises and Holy Spirit guidance for daily living. We can also be sure that we will be living with God in eternity forever and ever and ever.
Third priority: Paul shares with Timothy the spiritual goal of Christian mission. “That is why we labour and strive” shows us that the very reason for our labour for God is because of this life-changing gift of godliness. The Great Commission was to make disciples of the Christians from all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus made disciples – He taught them, guided them, and modelled for them. As we strive to be like Jesus, may we daily pray that we will have His heart and His burden for people that they too, may share in the joy of this desire.
The protection of the Church from unsound teachings and heresies is largely the responsibility of Church leaders. However, it is crucial that every member of the Church individually commit to being godly. When we surrender our wills to God and follow His way, we will be able to pass on what we have learnt and lived out. We must make our spiritual priorities to be nourished by the Bible, trained in godliness and burdened for Christian missions.
