Godliness with Contentment

Introduction

Paul has told Timothy that the false teachers within the church at Ephesus equated godliness with possessions, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain (6:5b). They were the original prosperity doctrine preachers. They used religion to entrap others and line their own coat pockets. Their ministry was drive by greed rather than service. This was the exact opposite of Jesus’ ministry example. As we find within the Scripture...

Mark 10:45 NKJV

45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Paul builds off a former warning on the qualifications of a pastor...

1 Timothy 3:1–3 (NKJV)

1 This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;

3 not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous;

and he builds off the example of Christ as one to serve not be served, and moves forward with a reminder that every believer should desire two traits within their life: They are to strive for godliness and strive for contentment.

Focus Passage

1 Timothy 6:6–10 NKJV

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 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.

Outline

Godliness with Contentment (v.6)

1 Timothy 6:6 NKJV

6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

Godliness with Contentment (v.6)

Paul has already addressed the need for every Christian, every born again believer to strive for godliness. That is they are to have a life that honors God in all areas. They are not to be hypocritical and thus blaspheme the name of God and His doctrine.

As stated within the Holman New Testament Commentary on 1 Timothy...

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon B. Understanding Contentment (6:3–10)

For Paul, godliness was the entire scope of the faith—correct doctrine combined with new life, truth measured by right living. The spiritual goals and disciplines necessary to progress in Christlikeness are to be the consuming passion of all his followers

1) The Christian’s spiritual condition has nothing to do with their materialistic condition - ‘Godliness’

One’s strife within self to live a life that honors God has nothing to do with wealth and materialism. It has everything to do with the heart and inner man. God has called each of us to be holy. We find within the Scripture two distinct types of holiness. We find the holiness that is given to us at the point of conversion, where we are found in Christ, and then we have an active holiness in which we are to live out in our day-to-day lives. This is active holiness is not based on materialism but in a faithfulness to God’s word.

This is the holiness that we are to strive for. This is what Paul is stating when he writes...

1 Timothy 4:8 NKJV

8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

One can easily be side tracked, if they equate holiness with possessions. They may be led to believe they are either in perfect favor with God or outside of the will of God simply by what they have or don’t have. With this truth in mind, Paul adds to his call for godliness. He does this to combat those that were teaching prosperity doctrine, those that were using the Scripture as a tool to get rich.

2) Christians are to learn to be content - ‘godliness with contentment’

Paul was one that taught contentment within the Lord throughout his ministry. He wrote to the church at Philippi...

Philippians 4:11–12 NKJV

11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

Paul understand that all good things come from the Lord. He believed that for one to truly serve the Lord their contentment must fully come from the Lord and not within what they had or did not have. He understood and wished for his readers to understand that nothing materialistically would ever feel that void that within us. That void within us can only be filled and sufficed through a personal relationship with Christ. He told his readers to be content in the Lord for in Him alone does one find satisfaction and strength. It will not be found in money, fame, or fortune.

3) Finding contentment in the Lord is the greatest gift one could ever have - ‘is great gain’

Contentment in the Lord alone (vv.7-8)

1 Timothy 6:7–8 NKJV

7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

1) The Christian’s focus is to be on the Lord

It’s not about stuff. It’s about building the kingdom of God. We find true peace and freedom as believers in the Lord and the Lord alone. As Jesus spoke in Matthew.

Matthew 6:33 NKJV

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Paul emphasizes this point when he writes, we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. What we find in many situations, where one becomes extremely wealthy, is that they end up losing focus of what really matters. The money, the materialism becomes that which drives them.

2) The Christian should be content in the Lord alone

Which begs the question this morning, Is God enough for you? Do you have to have stuff, stuff that you will not take with you when you die, to be satisfied and happy? We are told that God has provided all that we need for life...

2 Peter 1:3 NKJV

3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

When we add clothing for protection and food for nourishment, we are taken care of in the Lord. What do we have to complain about when God has provided it all for us?

What we find is that many don’t have contentment in the Lord. They strive to find contentment in those things that perish. God reminds us that He should be our contentment.

Materialism has been the ruin of many (vv.9-10)

1 Timothy 6:9–10 NKJV

9 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) Greed has driven many into a trap that they cannot escape

When one’s focus is on materialism, the things of this world, rather than God and the things of heaven, they will soon fall into a rabbit hole that will most certainly cost them more than they will ever want to pay, those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare.

2) Greed has driven many to their death and destruction - ‘drown men in destruction and perdition’

3) Greed is the starting point, of many kinds of sin and rebellion - ‘a root of all kinds of evil’

The phrase, ‘a root of all kinds of evil’ was a common first century folk saying of Paul’s time. Paul used this phrase a way to remind his hearers that greed destroys. They are not be focusing on materialistic possession and wealth but rather God. The only way for them to truly life was to learn to be content within the Lord. As we find written within the Holman New Testament Commentary...

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon B. Understanding Contentment (6:3–10)

Our deepest joys and well-being are to be found in God’s kingdom. We are to be content with God—period. In the Old Testament, the Levitical priesthood received no portion in the division of the land; their portion was God himself as they served before him day after day (Num. 18:20). Under the new covenant, Christians are priests unto God (1 Pet. 2:5). He alone is our inheritance. The question comes back to us, “Will we be content with him?”

4) Greed, in the end, will cause one to abandon the faith and caused them more loss than gain - “strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows’

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon B. Understanding Contentment (6:3–10)

Today our entire culture is built upon the accumulation of wealth and material possessions. It determines the success or failure of presidents. It is the foundation of free enterprise, the principle behind our system of credit cards and debt, banking, and loans. It is what drives the advertising, music, entertainment, and sports industries. Materialism and personal wealth are hammered into our thinking every day all day long.

It is easy to put Christian ministry, personal godliness, acts of justice and charity, and sacrificial giving on the peripheries of life—to see no connection between these Christian “ideals” and life as we experience it. The truth is that there is no compatibility

Conclusion

How does this apply to us today? A Vody Bauchman stated, “God is not against you having wealth. He is against wealth having you.” There is nothing wrong with possessions, but the end game of our life should not be to gain great possessions and power. Our priority should be that of honoring God through the whole of our being, life, relationships, work, etc. Within us striving to have a life of godliness in all areas, we must learn to find contentment in God. This is hard. We live in a society that is geared toward the flesh. However, we must understand that all this world affords will at some point rust and ruin. However, one’s personal relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, will last forever.

1 John 2:15–17 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 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. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

What are you looking for in this life to bring you contentment, peace, joy? As we find listed in the Holman New Testament Commentary...

I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon B. Understanding Contentment (6:3–10)

Look candidly at life. From a love of money grow thistles which choke out abundant living:

• The businessman determines to secure advancements and higher salaries, neglects his family, and loses their love and affection.

• The dreamer thinks he can gamble and make a fortune, hoping never to work again. He keeps trying, wasting his resources in hopes of a big win, losing friends and dignity instead.

• The housewife habitually buys new furniture and redecorates her home, neglecting to tithe or give to others because her comforts have made her insensitive to those in need.

• The pimp sells drugs or sex for the sake of money, fancy cars, expensive clothes.

• The guy down the street steals from others, his desire for things ruining his sense of personal worth.

• The mercenary kills for the sake of cash.

• A woman complains, gossips about a neighbor, snaps at her children and husband, making herself and those around her miserable because she is envious, bitter over what she does not have, always wanting more.

In order to end the evil behavior, each person must dig out its root—the love of money.

The only true source of contentment, peace, and joy; the only true source of being fulfilled in this life is a life found in and rooted in Christ Jesus.

John 10:10 NKJV

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 14:6 NKJV

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.