At this time Tim is laboring in the congregation that Paul set up. Paul advised Timothy as a young man in the Word as it helps him and the congregation. This Word applies to all of us as we are called to exercise ourselves to Godliness. It is an exhortation in this text!

We have a calling....to exercise unto Godliness and Paul brings up a figure and a contrast. Note we do not interject physical exercise here as many do. The figure can stand alone with the contrast to it. Paul seizes upon this figure (as it was important to the athlete (Coliseum came later and we still see the ruins of it today) to point to the figure that he may exhort spiritually. Exercise yourselves to Godliness. Being Holy and putting on the new man which is the thankfulness of the life of a Christian. Paul points this out to Timothy that he may be fit spiritually in order to teach the Church spiritually. He also contrasts the two examples" physical exercise it profits a little as it still ends in death......

But with spiritual exercise it profits EVERYWHERE! To exercise yourself spiritually it gains you everything in this life and also beyond that in the eternal life to come! God rewards that Christian exercising in glory and it has ETERNAL RAMIFICATIONS. One has to do with earthly things and one to do with eternal and spiritual things. The question is where is our spiritual treadmill, walk, diet, and nourishment? The athlete is very conscious about his diet...what about us spiritually?!? How much more important is this spiritually? "Take time to be Holy and feed on His Word!" The athlete also has a rigorous course and schedule...where is our spiritual gym beloved people of God?!? Is it of primary importance to us or is it sandwiched in between other things here and there? The athlete is continually motivated by the prize as he continues to excel. So we too need to keep our eyes on the heavenly prize rather than the bread that perishes. (Can you think of a lot of people that were fixated on the bread that perished?) Stay close to your trainer the Lord Jesus Christ and spend much time with Him spiritually! Preachers must chew on the Word of God (II Tim) and preach the Word of God as there will come a time when they will not hear. We too must spend time with that Word of God that talks very easily to us about ALL things...telling us how to run and do battle. Do we spend time with the Word of God and do we train ourselves in it?!? We live in rampant lying days.... and when we train ourselves in the Word of God we will be led a right! Set time away in your life for the Lord! To train and exercise ourselves! This means church, catechism, Bible study, and a list of things! Train and exercise ourselves and our children! Teaching, counseling, spending time with your children that they may be strong with you and with the Word of God in their hand!