Godliness with Contentment is great gain

Introduction:

‌As we continue with our worship of the Lord this morning, I want to invite you to turn with me to 1 Timothy 6:2b-10.

Now, I know that those of you who use a NKJV or KJV, and some other translations, this may read a little different, but I want us to pick up halfway through verse 2 of chapter 6 because this sentence goes more with the verses that follow than it does the previous ones.

Keep in mind, chapters and verses in our Bibles today were not part of the original writings. Chapters and verses were not added until around 1551 with the 1st English translation: The Geneva Bible. Chapters and verses were added to help people navigate as a point of reference.

Let’s read the Word of the Lord together this morning. And what a blessing and honor it is that we have the privilege of doing so.

Hear the Word of the Lord… Teach and urge these things. 3 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, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs (1 Ti 6:2–10).

Let’s go to the Lord in prayer as we seek to study His Holy Word this morning.

Let’s pray together.

Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits”( Mt 7:15–20).

What Kind Of Production? Production matters in the Kingdom of God. In America, when we think of production.... We think about the amount of something. We ask questions like, “how many....” to determine if it was effective. How many people came to the outreach event? How many people are coming to church on Sunday Morning? How much money is being taken up in the offering? If the amount is large... then we consider it a success. And if it is small.... then it wasn’t successful.

Now, are these bad questions to ask? No! There is nothing wrong with these questions. In fact, I would even say that these are questions that we need to ask because God cares about them deeply. Does God care about how many people came to the Fall Festival? He does. Why does He care? Because He cares about people. Does God care about how many people are coming to church? He does. He tells us not to forsake the gathering together with the church. Does God care about how we handle money? You better believe He does. He says a lot about money in the Bible. God wants us to be good stewards. He wants us to handle His money wisely.

But, let's ask an honest question, just because something produces a lot of something, does that make it healthy?

We would have to say no. What is so different about the Kingdom is that it is not so much about the amount of something being produced, it is the quality that is being produced. What type of fruit is it bearing? That is the question that is asked by Jesus and the Apostles in the New Testament.... and that is what Paul is saying here in this section this morning. He is going to come full circle here at the end of this letter to Timothy to address the elephant in the room, yet once again as he talks about the false teachers.

Two questions to consider.... ‌What was their character and motive?

What are some ways we can spot false teachers?

These are some of the questions that I want us to keep at the forefront of our minds as we walk through this text together.

Body: ‌Let’s start with the opening words…Teach and urge these things.... These words are used to further Paul’s instruction to young Timothy in how he is to guide the church through the problems that they are facing. Paul has given them instructions on how to live a godly life, what that looks like in action as they take care of one another, and now he is going to turn his attention to a new set of things that Timothy must be ready to preach and teach to the church. There are some things that the church needs to be aware of… and that is what Timothy is to preach and teach…and that is what we are going to see throughout the rest of this letter.

Continue reading with me. Look at verse 3.....

‌3 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, (1 Ti 6:2–3).

As the letter is coming to a close, Paul starts this new section with his focus being on the false teachers. He tells Timothy “ If anyone”, it doesn’t matter who it is… this applies to everyone.... “teaches a different doctrine AND (see the conjunction there) does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and (also a conjunction) the teaching that accords with godliness....”

We have to stop here to ponder what is being said because this is very specific language that is being used. First thing that we need to take note of is that this is a dependent sentence… this cannot stand by itself. We need something else to make this make sense… and that is what we are going to see in the following verses.... but what Paul says here is quite remarkable. He is saying, “If Anyone at all”… doesn't matter who.. comes and teaches something other than what is linked to the historical teaching of the church.... then what? We will get there in verses 4 &5.. But catch what is being said here. Don’t let it slip by you. Remember what we said earlier in our series... the Christian faith is a Creedal Faith… meaning there are certain truths that make up the Christian faith. Christianity is not a faith that is based on whatever you feel is true. The Christian faith has at its core a set of values and beliefs that are totally and absolutely true… or it falls apart and becomes another man-made religion.

The things that are non-negotiable are that the truths that make up the core Gospel message. We are all sinners who deserve the wrath of God because of our rebellion against Him. We cannot in any way do enough good works to earn our way into heaven. There is no amount of effort or cleaning ourselves up that is ever going to make us right with God. I like what one church leader says. He says, “there is not 1 thing that you have done that has bought you even 1 min out of hell.” We are depended upon God to come and save us. We believe that we are saved by faith alone through grace alone in Christ Alone. We believe that Jesus came 2000 ago as God the Son, took on flesh, lived a perfect life, and went and died the death that we all deserve by taking the wrath of God for us on a cross, was killed and buried, but three days later rose again defeating sin and death for all of those who repent of their sins and place their faith in Him. We believe that when we do that, we are given a new heart with new desires and that God comes and lives inside of us. We believe that He actually not only forgives us of our sins but that He gives us the power to put to death sins and walk in righteousness with Him. We know we won't do that perfectly, but this is the beauty of the Gospel. God loves us despite us because of Jesus Christ. And we believe that One day He is going to return again for His Church to rule and reign forever and ever.

These are the things that Paul is talking about here when he mentions talking about teaching a different doctrine that does not go along with Jesus' teaching.... He is talking about the false idea that a person can be “GOOD” enough to get into heaven on their own merits and achievements… that they are able to please God enough to make Him welcome them back into a right relationship with Him… and this simply is not true. This is what the Bible calls a different gospel. This is a teaching and message that says you do not need Jesus in this life. You can do it on your own. Paul says in Galatians… “Listen to me (and I am paraphrasing of course) if ANYONE.... even us… or an Angel from heaven… comes and preaches to you a different Gospel let them be damned. It was that serious.

Paul says here… if anyone teaches a different doctrine … let's pick back up in verses 4-5 to finish the thought there.... 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain (1 Ti 6:4–5).

If anyone does teach a different doctrine, verses 4 &5 tell us what the outcome is. They finish Paul’s thought. If they do that he says, then “ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.” He thinks that he knows it all. He thinks that He is the best teacher in town. He thinks that he has this secret knowledge about how to have the right relationship with God… and yet… he doesn’t have a clue.

What he does have, however, is an unhealthy craving for controversy and fights about words… he likes to get into arguments with people. He likes to try to twist things up for his own benefit.... but the only thing that he is producing is envy (a feeling of discontent or resentfulness, dissension (can’t agree or get along), evil suspicions, and constant friction among people....and look at how these people are described.... they are people who are depraved(morally corrupt; wicked.) in mind and deprived (suffering a severe and damaging lack of basic material and cultural benefits) of the truth…

Moving away from the sound teaching of Christianity produces those qualities in those who do not know Christ. This is what happens when you step away from the Gospel. The focus very much comes upon you and what you can do. And what it produces inside of a person is not very good. It only feeds the flesh...and when the flesh is being feed... sinfulness expounds.

But the problem is not only that they are going around just teaching a different doctrine.... but they are also promoting that “godliness is a means of gain.” This is very much like our health and wealth preaching of today. “If you come to Jesus, then He will give you all the wealth that you want.” Come to Jesus to be rich. In the words of Ron Hubbard, the father of Scientology, “You don't get rich writing science fiction. If you want to get rich, you start a religion.” That very well might as well have been the motto for the false teachers that Paul was having Timothy deal with in the 1st century. They saw it as no more than something to get rich by.

So, let’s go back to our questions real quick

What was their character and motive?

Character... ‌Conceded, loves controversy, loves to argue about words, envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicion, friction, depraved in mind, and deprived of the truth.

Motive... Godliness as a means of gain (Doing it for money)

What are some ways we can spot false teachers?

Is it compatible with the apostolic faith, that is, the New Testament?

Does it tend to unite or divide the church?

Does it promote godliness with contentment, or covetousness?

As you can imagine, this kind of teaching did not go over very well with the Apostle Paul. Look down at verses 6-8 with me. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content (1 Ti 6:6–8).

This starts with a contrast to the teaching of the false teachers… “BUT”… the secret to living a satisfied life is not in the amount of money that you have, or the house that you have, or the job that you have, or the car that you drive, or the toys that you own....... those things do not make you RICH… it is a lie that you are blessed ONLY if you are rich… now does God bless certain people to be rich? Yes He does.. and there is no shame in that… that is not the point here. Riches don’t make your godly. And being Godly doesn’t make you rich. What then is the benefit? What are we after here? “But godliness (being like Jesus, living like Jesus, walking in the fruit of the spirit) with contentment is great gain. OOOO how lovely it would be to wake up every day just content with what you have. What peace that would give to the weary restless heart. Can you picture what that would be like for your life? Wouldn’t that be grand? We should seek that for our lives. We should cry out to God that he would grant contentment to our souls. We need that. Just picture what life would be like if this were true in our day and age.

But why is verse 6 true? Look at verse 7. FOR (purpose word) we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of it. There is a saying that goes something like, “There are no U-Haul's behind hearses.” It does not matter how much or how little we have in this life, because we should not be living life with our focus only on here. Jesus had told us to store up treasure in heaven. That is where our heart is to be.

If we are to be content in this life, in what areas are we to be content, and how is that done? Since we brought nothing into this world and since we are not able to take anything out of this world, how does one be content? Paul says in verse 8, “But” (again another contrast to what was just said) if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. So, I would say, based on this verse, that we should learn to be content so long as we have the things needed for life.

Here we have before us two opposing world views: We have verses 3-5 of the false teachers promoting that godliness should bring gain… and verses 6-8 teaching us that godliness with contentment is where the real gain is because it is only there that the heart is satisfied. And I would argue that the heart that finds contentment is only content because he or she is finding their daily needs in God. God becomes the source of joy and satisfaction as they cry out the prayer that Jesus taught followers to pray... “Give us this day our daily bread”

For it is when we step outside of this realm of contentment that we find ourselves struggling. Look at verse 9 with me. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction (1 Ti 6:9). Paul says in verse 9, “BUT (Again, contrast.... if we would be content... be content with food and clothing....BUT) those who desire to be rich.. those who desire to have an excess amount over what their needs are… fall into temptation… they fall into a snare (trap) into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. It is when we try to find some other means by which to make ourselves happy and content that we are willing to do just about anything to get what we want. The end is not contentment… for we are never satisfied... the end is want. We find ourselves always seeking but never arriving. There is always ONE MORE Thing that WE MUST get in order to be happy. And when we do that, it is harmful to us and to our families. How many people have ruined their lives because they failed to put work in its proper place in their hearts? How many people have chased the almighty dollar just to come to the end of their life with nothing to show for it because they burned every relationship in the process? How much stuff must we have before we are able to enjoy life? If only if only… becomes the cry of the human heart.... and it is that pull that will lead many down a dark and dreadful path of destruction.

Due to the damaging impact of lack of contentment and the desire to be rich... Paul can write what he does in verse 10. Look there with me. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs (1 Ti 6:10).

Why is it true that chasing after riches will result in a ruined life? “For the love of money is a root (not the root as is often misquoted, but a root) of all kinds of evils. Paul even goes so far as to say that some people, through wanting more and more money, have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pangs. In the end, money will not give you what you are seeking for it to do. Even if you have all of the money in the world… it will not satisfy your heart. Money is not the means to godliness… and godliness is not the means to get wealth.

In fact, the Bible says a lot about money and what we put our trust in. Let me say this here. Jesus taught more on money than he did heaven or hell combined together. Money was an important topic for him. And I know, money does not seem all that spiritual, after all it is just money. Who really cares what I do with it? I worked for it. It’s mine… and it is with that mindset that we are so deadly wrong. Everything that we have belongs to the Lord. He gives it to us. And because of that, He wants us to handle it the way that we are supposed to. For those who think that money is not a spiritual topic, turn with me to Matthew 6:19....19

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! 24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money (Mt 6:19–24).

Do you see how this is a spiritual matter? Jesus says that we can only serve 1 master. Either Him or money. Which are we going to choose?

Now, some of you may be thinking… Yea… OK.. But how in the world am I to live according to the Bibles teaching on Money? How am I to give to the church? How am I to lay up treasure in heaven when I can barely afford the things here on earth? Those are good questions.... keep reading Matthew 6 with me. Look at verse 25… “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble (Matthew 6:25-34)

We are not to give ourselves to worrying… we are to give ourselves to serving our Master. When we do that, He will take care of us. Seek first His Kingdom. Let God take care of the rest. Serve God not Money.

Conclusion: The Bible's teaching on this subject, and although it is broader than we have time for here this morning, calls us to a radically different kind of living than what we are fed by our culture. And I know that it is not just our culture that struggles with these things... if that was the case in wouldn’t be in the Bible. This is something that All cultures have dealt with ever since the Fall of humanity in Genesis 3 when Adam and Eve rebelled against God. We have sought to find contentment and satisfaction in the things of this world.

Ladies and Gentleman, that is what the Bible call idol worship. When we turn to something other than God to satisfy our hearts or we run to something other than God for comfort, peace, and security.... we are giving it the place in our hearts only where God can occupy. He ALONE can satisfy our hearts. He ALONE can brings comfort and Peace. He Alone is the one who can make us whole. The Bible calls us to come and to seek first the Kingdom of God... and Let Him take care of us. That is a radical call of faith. To trust Him at His word and to trust Him that He is going to provide everything that we need..... but just picture it though... what if we sought to live for Christ... was content with what we already had..... and just sought His Kingdom and Righteousness... how much more peace and joy would we have?

As we think about this text for this morning, I want us to think about a few different things as this applies to us.

Are The Messages That I Am Hearing In Line With Biblical Teaching? What Kind Of Fruit Am I Producing In My Life? What Are My Daily Needs? Do I Find Myself Content or Am I Always Seeking More? Am I Willing to Seek First the Kingdom in My Life?

I want to end with one more verse from Scripture. Paul learned the secret of being content. He learned how to do this well. What was the secret? Here is what he said.... 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me (Php 4:12–13).

My prayer for everyone in this room, and those watching online, is that we would give our lives to Christ and allow Him to live through us. You want the world to be different... then you have to start living differently than the world. Believers, we have to start chasing hard after Christ. We have to take our faith seriously. We have to examine the fruit being produced and ask Him to prune us to help us bear good godly fruit. And for those who do not know Christ, I talked about the Gospel earlier. About how you and I have sinned against a holy God. You and I deserve His wrath... but God sent His only and only Son to come and die on the cross for our sins and then three days later rose again. The Bible says that if you would repent of your sins and trust in Jesus that you will be saved and given new life. Give your life to Him today. Surrender to Him today.

And that new life is what we are talking about this morning. It becomes a pursuit of Christ, finding our joy in Christ. It is a journey that we get to walk through this life until we are taken home. That is what I want to call all of us to this morning. Let’s let go of the things of this world and its ways... and let's pursue Christ together.

Let’s pray together.