The theme for Study Week 2010 was "Training in Godliness ", taken from the Paul's first letter to Timothy.

‘Training in Godliness’ – Some thoughts on the Epistle...

The first thing that comes to mind is its broad guidance for a young person... it provides advice on how to live a Godly life in an ungodly city. Ephesus, where Timothy lived, was a city similar to those we live in today - full of idolatry and the same temptations that are pressed upon us day by day. Paul's advice to Timothy, and us, is given ‘that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God’.

Paul informs Timothy to ‘exercise thyself rather unto godliness’ for ‘godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.’

So what does it mean to be Godly?

Timothy, just like you and I, went to an Ecclesia where people talk religious talk, send religious letters, write religious pamphlets, do religious Bible study and deal with religious concerns. And that's great, but it's so easy to be religious and NOT Godly, so easy to be religious and go to the meeting, listen to the talks, say a prayer at meal times, but does that make us Godly?

The term ‘Godliness’ frequently occurs throughout the epistle and has reference to God manifestation. This is the overriding theme of the epistle, i.e. that the moral characteristics of God may be clearly seen in the lives of believers today as the result of a transformed mind that we might ‘follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called’

Study Week focused on the epistle of Timothy so that each of us, like Timothy, might begin or continue ‘Training in Godliness’.

Official Study Week 2010 Study Notes

A new set of study notes was written especially for Study Week 2010.

Download Study Notes (PDF - 2.7 MB)

Download Study Notes(MS Word format - 0.8 MB)