How does God create living things? If you look around the answer is obvious; he grows them. Ants and oak trees, grass, elephants, and human beings, even Jesus, although he was himself God, entered the world as a baby and had to grow up like everybody else. Growth is God’s plan. Only some of the growing we have to do comes automatically, though. We don’t automatically gain the ability to read, or to drive a car, or to hold a job. Those things require learning and practice.
This is also true of spiritual growth. The Apostle Paul wrote to his former disciple Timothy:
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come (1 Timothy 4:7-8).
The Greek word translated “train” here is gymnazō, meaning “to exercise vigorously.” Paul uses a metaphor from athletics to talk about growth in godliness (Greek eusebeia), which is a term that refers to the attitude of a person who does what is pleasing to God. One who is Christlike. What Paul is saying here is that increasing in godliness is not a matter of natural growth, even for believers. Like training for the Olympics, it requires continual practice and discipline. We’re supposed to work hard at becoming more like Jesus.
Twenty-first century Christians, especially Evangelicals, sometimes make the mistake of applying the saying “let go and let God” to their growth in Christ, but what Scripture is saying here is just the opposite. We are not just passive recipients of God’s Spirit. Rather, he wants us to be active partners, not puppets, in building his kingdom. Beginning with building it in our own lives.
None of this, of course, takes away from the fact that our righteousness is only by grace, through faith in Christ. And this is true of growth as well as salvation: both the will and the ability to become more like Christ come from him. But, in the words of Dallas Willard, “grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.” Without the pressure of trying to earn God’s favor, we freely work at becoming more like him. Or, as the Scripture says:
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Philippians 2:12-13).
Growth in godliness, in other words, requires intentional effort. Paul does not give a list of spiritual disciplines that Timothy should practice, but it’s clear that something of that nature is intended. From other places in the New Testament we can identify prayer and thanksgiving (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18), the study of God’s word (2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17), fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25) and worship (Hebrews 12:28-29) as essential building blocks.
I realize, of course, that practicing these things takes time away from other activities. Training in godliness requires sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2), just like any other kind of training. Make the sacrifice. I know you have responsibilities that must be honored. I do too, but I’m willing to bet there is something we can each give up. Something less important than becoming more like Jesus. For me, it’s time browsing the internet; for you it might be something else. Start small: ten minutes more a day reading the Bible or praying than you’re doing now, and see what God does. Work with the Holy Spirit in training yourself to be godly. I’m betting that you’ll find the sacrifice is worth it.