“With CrossFit-like enthusiasm, in 1 Timothy 4:7–8, Paul calls his son in the faith and other readers to the gym, and distinguishes useless workouts from useful ones. “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.” Two bold points emerge. First, real godliness rejects sham training programs. Second, real godliness requires rigorous workouts, real sweat, and uncompromising discipline.”

Writing the Pastoral Epistles, the Apostle Paul makes “godliness” (Greek, eusébeia) primary. Some have perceived here a theologically incompatible, and hardly “pastoral,” fixation. It might sound strange to hear the apostle of grace making such a big deal about our godliness, our works. Wasn’t he himself saved from moralism (cf. Galatians 1:11–17)? Isn’t the redemption he preached all about the freedom of grace rather than the condemning chains of personal piety?

Has Paul, in these last letters of his ministry, lost his way? Does he, in an act of apostolic madness, abandon the gospel? Or does the senior apostle suffer a series of senior moments, exchanging grace with godliness, substituting fidelity for faith, replacing forgiveness with fear? Does Paul lose sight of the cross?

Or perhaps, it is worse—that the Pastoral Epistles evidence no senior slippage at all. Maybe Paul had a change of heart. After all, as he faces the end of his ministry, the Church stands on the threshold of major risks. Aging, suffering and dying, the apostles are passing off the scene; the Church will soon find itself with no more apostolic presence and no more apostolic preaching. Perchance Paul, burdened by the moral corruption around him, sees the need to preach a desperate though disparate message. Enough about grace! The Church will only survive if it stays godly!

What are we to make of Paul’s preoccupation with the moral state of the Church? What are we to make with his repeated insistence upon godliness? What are we to make of his urgent mandate to pursue good works, even to “train . . . for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7)?

Before seeking an answer to these questions, we should first listen to his multiplex pleas for such vital and visible godliness. In 1 Timothy 2:8, Paul calls out the men of the church, who evidently had a habit of wrangling rather than praying. Church officers were to be men of good character and to do good works (1 Timothy 3:1–13; Titus 1:5–9). Without godliness, men fail even to qualify for spiritual office in the Church.

He turns to the women, and urges an adornment of godliness and good deeds among them: “likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works” (1 Timothy 2:9–10).

Later he returns to godliness among women, but this time for those who are widows, “But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God” (1 Timothy 5:4).

Paul’s godliness preaching leaves no gender, age, or office untouched. He even sounds a siren about an apparent godliness that does injustice to the term.

Assessing his contemporary world, he warns of a fake piety “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” Such bogus godliness involves deceivers who actually advocate for it. Paul minces words neither about the impotence nor the impostors: “Avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:5).

Critiquing the self-centered gain pursued by false teachers in their mock devotion, Paul nimbly rejects the empty piety of false teaching, contending for a piety of substance: “But godliness with contentment is great gain,” (1 Timothy 6:6 ESV).[1] The apostle of grace turns our attention to the personal benefits of good works. Not only is piety necessary, he contends it brings advantage. Real piety produces benefits!

If such motivational appeal sounds startling, note that he unashamedly associates this promise with the pure doctrine of Jesus. Just as Paul weds false teaching and false piety, he yokes faithful teaching of Christ to his mandate for faithful living. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing” (1 Timothy 6:3–4a). As Paul sees it, his apostolic call to right living moves in lock step with the gospel(!) words of Jesus.

How is that possible? Doesn’t such a rigorous call to moral behavior operate at odds with the pure forgiveness of Jesus? How can Paul align such demands for godliness with the grace in Christ Jesus?

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