In comparison to the limited physical benefit of bodily training, Paul makes a bold claim about godliness. It is of value in every way for the present life and the life to come. If we really did believe this in practice about godliness, I would suggest that Christians all over the world would know the blessing of life at a vastly elevated level. Unfortunately, many have often relegated godliness to the realm of religiosity and outward shows of piety. Paul, however, has a vastly different understanding of godliness and claims that it is intensely practical. How could he possibly mean otherwise if he is saying that value of godliness is its promise of value for every way of this present life?

The statement Paul is making is in the context of him talking about the way the church lives out the truth of God in this world. Paul had just previously said that he had written the whole letter to Timothy so that he may know how one (any single Christian) ought to live in the world as a member of the church. He had emphasized and repeated that, in Christ, the church has the truth of God to know how to live in this world to God’s glory. The pinnacle of our life is seen in the confession of Christ in 1 Timothy 3:16 where Paul tells Timothy that Jesus is the mystery of godliness. I believe what Paul is saying is that if you want to know the glory and character of God as shown in human life, look at Jesus. If you want to know the hope and practical reality of godliness, look at Jesus.

So why is this so intensely practical? Well, because a life of godliness is a life that is lived in both the knowledge of who God is and the application of his character in the reflection of him in our own life. The promise being made by Paul is that in whatever you face in this world, godliness is the answer. Really?

1. In our suffering, godliness is the answer. While we live in a groaning world that brings the weight of suffering in many ways, we look to who our God is. Every human deserves suffering and yet our God is one who came into this world in a perfectly obedient life to suffer on our behalf. While we may not understand our suffering moment by moment, we understand the mystery of godliness in Christ as our hope remains set on a greater glory. We trust that God brings all things for his greater glory. We understand more of the infinite suffering he went through for us as Jesus took on God’s wrath on our behalf. We understand that through suffering came mercy and grace. These are truths that give Christians hope amid suffering. We live through suffering in light of them.

1. In our sorrow, godliness is the answer. When the world seeks to define our problems by way of labels of disease and disorder, worldly medications and therapies can only promise temporal symptomatic relief (even if they work and don’t create even greater issues). The Christian can assess our own hearts in the light of God’s truth and holiness. We can know a God who both provides hope beyond this world and becomes our greatest source of satisfaction in this one. When we understand God, we understand that there is nothing lacking in him when he is our greatest desire. The application of that truth in our life puts the realities of our sorrows in the light of God’s greater eternal purpose for us. Because of godliness, we can look up in our sorrow.

1. In our sin, godliness is the answer. When this world counsels us to ignore guilt and live according to your own desire, we suffer in the consequences that our sin inevitably brings. When we understand something of the holy character of God, we see our sinful flesh for what it is. We also see that life in this world is deeper and richer lived in the light of all that God has for us in Christ. We understand deeper and richer relationships, gratitude, and the joy that only comes through a knowledge of grace. Godliness in the face of our sin compels repentance to a reconciled life with God who gives his abundant love to all who call on him.

Godliness is the application of the truth and character of God in our life that can only come through union with Christ. Godliness is the answer for every aspect of human life because it is the only answer that impacts our life now and also has eternal promise. This world seeks answers for our temporal existence, but godliness keeps us holding on to a much greater eternal answer. Through godliness, the things of this world grow strangely dim.