Contented with Godliness

1 Timothy 6:3–10

Introduction

1 Tim 3:15 - How you ought to behave as the household of God, the church of the living God.

This is the main thesis of Paul’s letter to Timothy and the Church, and we still hear and apply it to the church today.

As His letter comes to a conclusion, what is essential really comes out: The call to godliness.

Everything we’ve read (elders, deacons, men and women) is important, relevant, and good for the building up of God’s church.

But this is the very heart of the Christian life: Godliness. The teaching of the Church, the very words of Christ, the warp and woof of the life of every believer - rooted in and moving to Godliness.

Overview of the sermon:

Defining godliness and contentment

A warning about those who would lead the church away from godliness

The key to contentment

Contentment and Godliness

Defining Godliness

Godliness is the life directed toward God

Worship, study, service

Jerry Bridges, “Godliness is devotion to God which results in a life that is pleasing to him.”

Charles Spurgeon, “Make God’s glory your object in life; live in his sight; dwell close to him; seek for fellowship with him; and you have godliness.”

Godliness is godlikeness.

But the tendency when we think of godliness is to think of the things that we do to show god in our lives. As long as godliness is something we do, it will be out of our reach.

Godliness is Christ

1 Tim 3:16 - the mystery of godliness is the very person of Jesus Christ, what he has done for our salvation in the gospel, and the fact that we now can be godly because of His life being lived out in us.

Godliness doesn’t begin with what we do, but with who Christ is, and what he has done for us.

2 Cor 5:21 - For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Godliness is Christ in Us

Our lives are hidden in Him (Col 3:3), and we live by the strength of Christ in us (Gal 2:20).

We are being made in the image of Christ, by the sanctifying work of Christ’s Spirit.

The aim, purpose, message of Christian doctrine, and the sound words of Christ - accords with godliness - this is what we are about

MacArthur, “All of Christian teaching has God at the center, His word at the source, and godliness as it’s aim.”

Attaining Contentment

Practical Contentment - You can’t take it with you

Jim Elliot, missionary to the Auca Indians in Ecuador, who was martyred for the gospel, is noted for saying, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Satisfied with the gain of godliness

When we consider the tremendous treasure that is Christ-in-us, godliness - we see the great gain of heaven

Psalm 37:16 - better is the little of the righteous than the abundance of the wicked

Godliness is not the means to financial gain; godliness is the gain.

The treasure in a field, pearl of great price

Calvin - “In godliness we become not only heirs of the world but are enabled to enjoy Christ and all his riches.”

Beware Other Teachings

A Caution for Christians in the pursuit of godliness

The Character of False Teachers

False teachers will come along - ravenous wolves - who will lead you away from Christ

Heterodoxy - Other teaching - away from the sound words of Christ which lead to godliness

Teachers who come along and remove Christ from the Word, who remove Christ from transforming grace, who remove Christ from godliness.

2 Tim 3:5 - appearing godly, but denying its power

Puffed up - but knowing nothing

Conceit - an illusion about self. They won’t be taught by God’s word, think they can go beyond the wisdom of God, and shows that he understands nothing.

Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools…

The Content of False Teaching

Controversy over words

Unhealthy craving vs. sound words of Christ How do we see this?

Words don’t mean what you think they mean…

Words don’t apply the same today…

Words aren’t really God’s words…

The Word War

At odds with the Word of Truth - fighting against the revealed will of God.

One commentator on this passage, “Not only wanting to split hairs, but with a chainsaw…”

The Result of False Teaching

Division in the Body

Envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicion and constant friction

False teachers are okay with the division they bring to the church, because they can gain from it - all the while blaming those who hold to orthodox teaching as being stuck in their ways.

Depraved in mind and Deprived of truth

Depraved - darkened - thinking they are wise, they have become fools

They teach that godliness is a means to gain

The desire for riches is a trap and the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil

Wealth is not a sin, money is not evil. Not a rebuke of money or wealth - but of the desire and tendency in every heart for a misplaced affection and desire for material gain to do what only God’s grace can accomplish in Christ - the satisfaction of our soul.

If you see godliness and a means to an end, then then end is something other than God. Whatever you use godliness to attain; be it wealth, security, or the praise of man, that is your god.

But for those who are truly serving the Lord, godliness is the gain. When being more and more like Christ is the end-goal, it is because Christ is first and foremost in your life.

The End Result: Destruction and pierced with pangs

Unless you are satisfied with what you have, you will never be satisfied with what you want.

Without contentment in Christ, you will never be satisfied in life.

The godly person has found what the greedy person never will - satisfaction and rest in his soul.

Being Satisfied in Christ

Be Devoted to His Word

Love His Word, study it. Cling to His every word - like a letter from your dearest friend.

Obey His Word - Allow His Word to shape you in godliness.

Be Satisfied In Christ

All things are yours in Christ

Rom 8:28 - And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

1 Cor. 3:21-23 For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

What more could you ask than what God has given in Christ

Heb 13:5 - keep free from the love of money, be content, because He said he will never leave you or forsake you.

Anyone who has Jesus Christ has everything he or she needs.