1 Timothy 6:3-10

Introduction

Context

1 Timothy 6:3 “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;”

Some argue that v.3 is attached to v.2 - There is very similar language at the end of verse 2 and the beginning of verse 3. However, many others believe that Paul used the first 2 verses to lay down a foundation to a more important truth - godliness with contentment is great gain. The context of v.3 focuses on more than a singular teaching about slaves and masters that Paul highlights in v.1-2, but is inclusive to all the words of Jesus - Even the words that Jesus spoke through Apostles and Prophets.

So, lets follow Paul’s logic. 1 Timothy 6:2 “And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort. While I am talking about teaching and exhorting... If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to the wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ...”

People in this verse are doing 2 things:

They are teaching otherwise - In other words advocating an alternative doctrine.

Teaching otherwise was a colossal headache at the church in Ephesus.

W. Wiersbe - "Don't worry about doctrine," some modern preachers say; "the important thing is spiritual unity." Paul refutes that lie in this section: whenever there is disunity in a church, it is because somebody does not really believe and practice the Word of God. Those who were teaching false doctrine and who would not agree to Paul's teachings were to be noted and dealt with.

An Epistle follows a certain format.

Writer

Audience

Greeting

Prayer wish of thanksgiving

Body

Conclusion

Sometimes, like 1 Timothy an epistle will not have the prayer wish or thanksgiving. Paul is the writer, Timothy is the audience, grace and peace is the greeting, followed by the body. The very first item Paul brings up is people teaching otherwise.

"Dr Paul" is going to give his "diagnosis" of a "spiritually sick teacher." "The mark is that he teaches doctrine diverse and incongruous to the Gospel."

It is not a coincidence that in the pastoral epistles Paul focuses on preaching the word.

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

Titus 1:3 “But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;”

Titus 1:14 “Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.”

1 Timothy 6:3 “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;”

We do not have liberty to teach or preach anything opposite of God’s words.

They are not consenting to the wholesome words of Jesus!

Consent - Means to draw near in accordance to someone else’s teaching. In v.3, it is drawing near to the wholesome teaching of Jesus.

The idea of "not agree..." is that the false teacher is not willing to "attach" himself to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Exegesis - aims at discovering the original and intended meaning. The goal is to find out what the author originally intended. In their book - Reading the Bible for all its worth - Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart wrote - A text cannot mean what it could have never meant for its original readers/bearers. The true meaning of the Biblical text for us is what God originally intended it to mean when it was first spoken or written.

Illustrate this:

Jesse Duplantis - "Me and Cathy are very blessed. I'm spiritually, physically, and financially [blessed]. I've had more people criticize me over that jet. They still can't get over it. Criticize me over my house. They didn't pay for it. I paid for it. Do you understand what I say?" he asked.

The televangelist attempted to use Psalm 49:16 (Psalm 49:16 “Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased;” ) to claim that Christians should not worry about how much another person has. He asked his wife to read from the Amplified Version: “Be not afraid when [an ungodly] man becomes rich, When the wealth and glory of his house are increased.” The Scripture he read and the subsequent verses seem to warn against being enamored by financial wealth.

The reason Jesse is a heretick his unwillingness to draw near to the wholesome words of Jesus. Instead, he disintegrates the context of scripture fit him.

These activities do not lead to godliness

What is godliness? We will focus on the answer a bit later in the sermon but an overview of godliness is Jesus Christ being the center of everything! 1 Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Prosperity Preachers focus is on wealth

The idea is the false doctrine that is being taught does not promote godly behavior and a God honoring lifestyle. There is a saying "you are what you eat," but Paul would say in the spiritual life "you are what you are taught." Unholy teaching will produce unholy lives!

Wholesome words of Jesus

Whole or healthy - An English equivalent is hygienic.

The idea is making sick people healthy or to be in good health.

In the pastoral epistles this word is used 8 times, 6 of which is attached to doctrine.

The importance of sound, healthy, wholesome Christian doctrine cannot be overemphasized in regard to the spiritual health of the body of Christ.

Warren Wiersbe comments that "It is unfortunate today that we not only have (unsound, unhealthy doctrine) in teaching and preaching, but also in music. Far too many songs not only teach no doctrine, but many even teach false doctrines. A singer has no more right to sing a lie than a teacher has to teach a lie."

Their Status

1 Timothy 6:4–6 “He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Who they are - a paraphrase - “he is a conceited ignoramus.”

Proud

What is the middle letter of “pride” and “sin” = “1”

The idea of the word pride is inflated with a lot of hot air.

James 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”

No nothing

They believe they know spiritual things but no nothing relatable to spiritual things.

Romans 1:22 “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” A fool is someone who says, believes or lives like there is no God.

James 3:15 “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.”

His knowledge, upon which he presumes, is limited to fables and misinterpretations of the law (cf. 1:4–7) and does not penetrate into the truth.

Guthrie says: "The true state of these puffed-up teachers is nothing short of abysmal ignorance."

What they accomplish

Dotes about questions and strifes of words

This brings about:

Envy

Strife

Railings

Evil surmising

Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds

Destitute of the truth

Supposing that gain is godliness

Our Charge

1 Timothy 6:5–10 “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Stay away

“From such withdraw thyself”

Timothy is told to deliberately not associate with those who receive or present the gospel with this kind of marketing approach.

John Calvin - “He does not only forbid Timothy from imitating them, but tells him to avoid them as harmful pests.

Godliness

Paul is v.6 declares what great gain is:

Great gain is not:

Wealth

Education

Things

Great gain is: Godliness

What is godliness?

Wuest - "a holy reverence or respect for God, piety towards God. The word does not refer to a person’s character as such, but to his attitude towards God."

Marvin Vincent writes that eusebeia "is from eu, well, and sebomai, to worship, so that the radical idea is worship rightly directed.

Titus 1:1 “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;”

Godliness is in an intimate relationship with truth

2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”

It takes divine power to live a godly life.

2 Peter 1:6–7 “And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.”

Godliness does not just happen.

2 Peter 3:11 “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,”

Godliness is living a separate life

Godliness is a practical awareness of God in every aspect of life. Godliness is not talking godly but living godly.

Why is truth that manifests itself in godliness so important? The renowned nineteenth-century Scottish preacher Alexander Maclaren answers this question writing that

The world takes its notions of God, most of all, from the people who say that they belong to God’s family. They read us a great deal more than they read the Bible. They see us; they only hear about Jesus Christ

Contentment

Inward self-sufficiency - Philippians 4:11 “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

A friend in Pennsylvania sent us this illustration: “One of my father’s old cows gives good milk, but she sure can be dumb! She has a whole field in which to feed, yet no grass seems quite as tasty as those patches outside her own pasture. I often see her stretching her head through the fence, while right behind her is everything she needs— excellent grazing land, beautiful shade trees, a cool, refreshing stream of water, and even a big chunk of salt. What more could she want?”

Many people are like that old cow. They think that the “grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.” They are constantly grasping, coveting, and seeking to obtain what doesn’t belong to them. How absolutely miserable they are! What folly there is in discontentment!

If you are a Christian, the greatest blessings in life are already yours. Heaven is your home, and God is your Father. He has promised never to leave you (Heb. 13:5), and He will supply your every need (Phil. 4:19). So thank Him for all that He has given you and be content. When you have such an attitude, you will learn to appreciate how green the grass is on your side of the fence. It’s a lesson we all need to learn!

Most people aren't content with their lot—even when they get a lot more.

Solomon - A sign by the roadside carried this message: “I’m getting sick of the rat race. The rats keep getting bigger and faster.” Many men and women, no doubt, feel that way. In spite of amazing advances in technology, people’s frustration level seems as high or higher than ever. The core problem is that sinful human nature hasn’t changed.

Almost 3,000 years ago, Solomon made three insightful observations about the rat race of life in his day. First, he said that a desire to outdo one’s peers was the motive behind much human industriousness, and this was a no-win situation (Eccl. 4:4).

Second, those who dropped out of the rat race became lazy and unproductive. This kind of idleness is foolish and self-destructive (Eccl 4:5).

Third, Solomon said that people became so obsessed with making money that they didn’t form healthy relationships. This made them go through life without purpose or meaning, never satisfied with all they had worked for (v.8).

What is the key to contentment?

Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Paul gives reasons why “gain” is not “godliness”

1 Timothy 6:7 “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

1 Timothy 6:8 “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.”

1 Timothy 6:9 “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Conclusion