Sermon Tone Analysis

Go ahead and turn in your Bibles to 1 Tim 6.

We have come as far as verse 9.

Last week we began to look at Paul's closing remarks to Timothy in this epistle.

We left off with Paul advising Timothy that "godliness with contentment is great gain" as opposed to false teachers who "suppose godliness is a means of gain."

Let's pray, and then we will read 1 Tim 6: 9-21 ...we are going to finish this epistle today.

1 Tim 6:9-10 "But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

1.

Money is such a huge topic that we could literally spend weeks examining all kinds of topics centered around money and finances.

Money can be a tool and a blessing when used for good purposes, and the desire for wealth can be an absolute obsession that never satisfies.

2. Being rich does not mean a person is ungodly.

Abraham, Job, and David, to name a few, were very wealthy and had their hearts set toward God.

3. The problem with money is concisely summarized in Ps 62:10, "If riches increase, Do not set your heart on them."

4. And, for many people, whether they have money or they don't, their heart is set on riches...an idol of the world.

5.

In verse 9, Paul addresses the heart attitude of greed towards money.

The false teachers he referenced in verse 5 of this chapter saw godliness as a means of gain.

In the next verse, Paul advised Timothy that contentment does not come from financial gain, but from living a god centered life and learning to be content no matter one's financial state.

You were born with nothing, and you are not taking anything you acquired in this lifetime with you into eternity.

In Phil 4, Paul shared that he learned to be content living humbly or with abundance, because Christ strengthened him to be content in either state.

6.

But, many people are not there...there are stuck in an obsession...they believe money will buy happiness, so they pursue it, they lay up for themselves treasures on earth, and have no mind set towards the eternal, which is foolish.

7. The desire for more, is a heart issue, a sin of covetousness.

8.

In verse 9, notice Paul lays out a pattern and a process where an obsession with money leads to downfall: Look at verse 9: A desire to be rich results in falling into temptation and falling into a snare/trap and falling into many foolish and harmful lusts, which result in destruction and perdition or ruin.

9. James sums up this process in James 1:14-15, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."

10.

There are stages in pregnancy... a fetus develops, and in 9 months a baby is birthed.

There are also stages in sin...Desire is conceived, it develops and eventually sin is birthed, when sin is full-grown, it brings forth spiritual death because if you love anything of this world more than God, you are spiritually dying.

11.

John spoke of temptation and sin as well, "For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world." 1 Jn 2:16

12.

The "desire to be rich" that Paul references in verse 9 is very much a "lust of the flesh," and a "lust of the eyes," and it's also because of "pride of life."

13.

After the heart desires material wealth, notice the person "...falls into temptation and a snare..."

14.

You don't fall up, you fall down.

Their lot in life is not improved...it is worsened.

Even if they acquire more things, they are still in a worse off situation, because desire has conceived, and they are on the downward spiral to spiritual death.

15.

In the parable of the soils, Jesus said, "Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful."

Mk 4:18-19.

16.

Spiritual death is the end result of this situation.

They are worldly minded, I love how riches are described...as deceitful...because so often people are tricked by riches...

17.

Back in Timothy, they fall into "temptation"...not just the temptation for greater riches, but the compromised position to obtain riches at any cost...even unjustly.

18.

There is a difference between a temptation and a trial or testing.

By definition, temptation is defined as a "trial or testing," but it's not a testing from God.

19.

James 1:13 "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone."

20.

A testing or a trial from God will refine you, sanctify you, and produce fruit where you will become more Christ-like.

A testing or a trial will drive you toward God.

21.

A temptation is from your flesh or the enemy, and only yields the fruit of spiritual decay and death.

Temptation will drive you away from God.

The person falling into temptation because of their desire to be rich is on the road to spiritual destruction.

22. And, still in verse 9, they fall into a "snare" or a trap; they become captive to evil desires and lusts.

23.

A snare or a trap in the Bible is often used metaphorically to describes an alluring trick of Satan to gain control over you and destroy you spiritually.

24.

After falling into temptation and being trapped, now this person with an insatiable desire to be rich, falls "into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition."

25.

Paul does not specifically list the kinds of foolish and harmful lusts, but we can imagine.

26.

Many set on riches are willing to sacrifice and destroy relationships with family, friends, business partners, etc.

The rich person who has achieved wealth in this fashion, sits on a lonely throne...they may have all the money in the world, but very few, if any, authentic relationships.

27.

They work long hours, neglect their health, neglect their family; they may lie, cheat, and steal to obtain wealth; they argue and fight to win; they defraud or murder other people; they plot and ploy; they keep up a façade; and they obsess about obtaining money and they worry about losing it.

28.

As this person is ensnared in this lifestyle, the result is they drown...Literally, they sink into destruction- meaning death/ruin and perdition meaning destruction/loss.

29.

Jesus said, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?"

Mk 8:36

30.

Albert Barnes, "The destruction is complete.

There is a total ruin of happiness, of virtue, of reputation, and of the soul.

The ruling desire to be rich leads on a train of follies which ruins everything here, and hereafter.

How many of the human family have thus been destroyed!"

31.

In verse 10, Paul continues examining the heart issue..."For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

32.

This is a very famous verse...and an often misquoted verse...people often say, "Money is the root of all evil... "but, that's not what the verse says...it says "the LOVE of money is a root of all kinds of evil..." and money is not THE root of evil...it's A root...we can be led astray by many evil passions...

33.

Money is not the issue, it's the love of money that is the issue.

This verse is not targeting the rich, but those who are discontent and have set their heart on wealth.

34.

Scholar Marvin Vincent said, " It is not the possession of riches, but the love of them that leads men into temptation."

35.

And, money love...has a temptation to enjoin with many evil acquaintances...intemperance/drunkenness, fornication, hedonism, selfishness/greed...lusts of the flesh, lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life.

36.

This verse says, "some have strayed from the faith in their greediness..."

37.

They wandered away from the faith.

38.

In their pursuit of wealth, they forgot to pursue God.

39.

In Luke 16, the Parable of the Unjust Servant, Jesus finished this parable with the application, ""No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and mammon."

Luke 16:13

40.

You can only have one master, one Lord in life...if money is your God, you have strayed from the faith...you have lost relationship and Lordship to God.

41.

Heb 2:1 "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away."

42.

And, these wanderers from the faith have "pierced themselves through with many sorrows."

43.

This carry's the imagery of self-inflicted harm...like a sword piercing their soul...or an arrow piercing their heart...the insatiable desire for wealth MAY lead to attaining riches, but certainly it will lead to many sorrows...which by definition is a "consuming grief."

44.

In J.C.Ryle's book "Practical Religion" published in 1879, he said, "Money, in truth, is one of the most unsatisfying of possessions.

It takes away some cares, no doubt; but it brings with it quite as many cares as it takes away.

There is trouble in the getting of it.

There is anxiety in the keeping of it.

There are temptations in the use of it.

There is guilt in the abuse of it.

There is sorrow in the losing of it.

There is perplexity in the disposing of it.

Two-thirds of all the strifes, quarrels, and lawsuits in the world arise from one simple cause-money!"

Starting in Verse 11, Paul presents Timothy with his final charges of this epistle.

1 Tim 6:11-12 "But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

1. "But you" Paul states for emphasis and contrast to the "man of sin" (false teachers, and people consumed by the lust for money)...Paul addresses Timothy as "man of God, " a wonderful title found 76x in the OT and only 2x in the NT.

This speaks of Timothy's godly character, his calling, perhaps his spiritual gifting.

2. "...flee these things..." all the things mentioned since verse 4 of chapter 6...flee pride, a discontented soul, foolish and harmful lusts, and being obsessed with gaining wealth...

3. Flee is a present imperative...a continuous action...Timothy is to flee and keep fleeing.

In this lifetime, as a Christian, you will flee many things, but if you stop fleeing evil, you fall into sin or backslide and return to sin.

4. Flee and "pursue"...run away from the evil things and desires of this world, and run after godly character...righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.

5. Notice that these character traits or Christian virtues are not something you can possess or buy, but it must be developed and unlike riches which you cannot carry out of this world, these character traits will go with you into heaven.

6.

We are a three-part whole...Paul exhorted the Thessalonians "Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thes 5:23

7. We are comprised of Body, Soul, and Spirit.

8.

Your body is your physiological self (the five senses; your physical frame).

9.

Your soul is your psychological self (mind/intellect, will, personality, and emotion).

10.

Your Spirit is your spiritual self (conscience, intuition) and determines who you are...especially who you are in-Christ.

11.

Your body is not going with you to heaven...you will receive a new body, a glorified body.

This body of flesh that desires sin will go back to the dust from whence it came.