Godliness with Contentment

Dupe, Con, and Manipulate

What can get you?

An investment strategy?

An infomercial for . . .

Kitchen utensils

Vitamins

Diet hack

Exercise miracle?

A charmer?

Read:

1 Timothy 6:3–10 ESV

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.

False Teachers

This is a core theme in Paul’s letter to Timothy

1 Timothy 1:3–7 ESV

3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

1 Timothy 4:1–8 ESV

1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 6 If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. 7 Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; 8 for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

What is a false teacher like?

Teach different doctrine

Devoted to myths, genealogies, speculations, deceitful spirits, teaching of demons

Vain discussions, False Godliness through Legalism.

Wander or Depart from the faith

What we are to be like:

Practice Godliness and Stewardship from God.

What Paul writes to Timothy in our passage today is a reminder, that all that was discussed in the previous section of the letter, from appropriate worship, offices of leadership, and our roles in church community, can be led astray by false teaching that draws on our desires and distracts from our walk of faith.

Let’s look at our passage as Paul continues to warn Timothy about these false teachers.

A selfish motive

1 Timothy 6:3–5 ESV

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.

First off they have disagreed with Jesus. That means that their life is not in line with but is opposed to the things of God.

They are proud and in their pride they bring destruction and disunity.

We see this warning earlier in the qualifications of an elder.

1 Timothy 3:6 ESV

6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.

What was the condemnation of the Devil? He thought he knew better than God and God cast him out of his presence.

So, along with ungodly teaching and pride, we have Greed.

Now this greed is broader than desire for financial gain. Although our passage will get into that. This is the person who wants to use God to get power, recognition, wealth, influence, and the list goes on.

Godliness with Contentment

Paul repudiates this way of thinking in the following verse.

1 Timothy 6:6–8 ESV

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.

What does this contentment look like?

In the Lord’s Prayer:

Give us this day our daily bread.

I am concerned with my God’s provision of my needs, not my wants.

In Jesus Teaching:

Matthew 6:25–34 ESV

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.

I have a God who is trustworthy so I can seek him and his kingdom and not be trapped by the desires of the world.

In Paul’s Teaching:

Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 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.

In seasons of abundance and in seasons of struggle, we are content because we have Christ.

Look at what Paul said again.

1 Timothy 6:6 ESV

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain,

It is not about just contentment alone. I am not to willpower my way into a false ascetic holiness.

It is not just about the appearance of godliness for the sake of getting something out of it.

It is godliness with contentment that is gain.

I think these verses describe well the gain of godliness with contentment:

Philippians 4:4–7 ESV

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

A Warning

1 Timothy 6:9–10 ESV

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.

This desire is linked back to the false teachers. They decided to use “Christianity” as a means for selfish gain.

This desire to be wealthy is a desire that supplants ones desire for godliness. It is a question of masters. As we talked about last week, are you a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness?

Please note that this verse does not say that money is the root of all evil. You do not need to run away from money, burn money that’s given to you or otherwise refuse to participate in the economy.

It says that the LOVE of money is the root of all KINDS of evil.

As we discussed last week, human trafficking is a prime example.

Gambling away God’s provision for your family.

Manipulating the church by threatening to withhold giving.

Spending all you have on pleasure.

None of these keep God’s kingdom first.

Jesus taught in the sermon on the mount:

Matthew 6:19–24 ESV

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.

This implies a clear choice to seek God’s kingdom first in everything. It is not teaching that wealth is bad all by itself. But the pursuit of wealth and the clinging to wealth, in the place of godliness with contentment, will lead to destruction.

Godliness with contentment is gain. It is not a means to gain.

Mark 8:34–38 ESV

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Have you bought into any lies about false godliness?

Have you added anything on top of your walk with God.

When you read those words of Jesus and think about taking up your cross . . . What is it that God is asking you to put down so you can?

As we turn to communion . . .