Train to be Godly

Paul’s first letter to Timothy was written while Timothy was a young man. He was living in a godless place, the city of Ephesus. One of the seven wonders of the world was built in Ephesus to honor the goddess Artemis/Diana, who was known as a mighty hunter and a fierce warrior. Music and art celebrated violence. Paganism was superstitious and plagued by myths and meaningless debates. Virtues like forgiveness, grace, and kindness were taken as signs of weakness. Christians were even facing increased persecution, which the apostle Paul knew from personal experience. Timothy’s responsibility was to train himself to be godly in a godless place. Godliness matters because God’s mission matters. The challenge is to train ourselves to be like Jesus, to be godly. The encouragement is that godlessness is an opportunity for the gospel to take root and grow.