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Here, in the apostle's own terms, we have the difference between "bodily exercise"
with its temporary and temporal profiting, and "exercise with a view to godliness" which,
while having the promise of this life, includes that which is to come.
As a comment upon the words "profit for a little", Bloomfield cites Diogenes Laert,
who in speaking of the athletes said:--
"While going through the exercise or training, they sacrifice much, and are at great
private expense, and when conquering, occasion loss to the public."
The apostle also had in view the fact that the Romans set apart a special period daily
for "bodily exercise" which made for health and fitness. How much more therefore, he
urges, should the believer, with an incorruptible crown in view, exercise himself towards
godliness.
In the second reference (II Tim. 1: 1) we have the promise of life which is in Christ
Jesus. This stands without qualification or condition, except that it is in Christ Jesus.
Seeing that II Timothy is a prison epistle, and is one of the epistles through which the
One Body is specially instructed, we must see in this promise of life in Christ Jesus the
great inclusive grant which embraces "all spiritual blessings" and the "adoption" unto
which that church was predestinated.
In Ephesians, the apostle gives the dread alternative when he says that the Gentiles
were "alienated from the life of God" (Eph. 4: 18). In Colossians, he speaks of the life
which is in Christ Jesus when he says: "Your life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. 3: 3).
The life in Christ Jesus is referred to once again in II Tim. 1: 9, 10, where its free
unconditional character and true endlessness are set forth:--
"Who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works,
but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus, before
age-times, but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, Who
hath abolished death and hath brought life and incorruption to light through the gospel."
The third aspect of life in connection with promise is called "eternal life". This, as we
probably know, is better translated "age-abiding life". True eternal life is that which is
in Christ Jesus and unconditional, being that which is spoken of in II Tim. 1: 10 as "life
and incorruption", but aionion or age-abiding life is a special aspect of life enjoyed
during the ages to come, and associated with blessings and aspects of glory not
necessarily the accompaniments of life pure and simple.
Excluding I Tim. 6: 19 where the best Greek texts omits "eternal life" and read "life
indeed", we have four references in these epistles to "eternal" or "age-abiding" life,
viz.:--
"For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all
long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on Him to life
age-abiding" (I Tim. 1: 6).