1tim6v6-10

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READ 1 TIMOTHY 6:1-10 PASSAGE: v6-10 [SERIES 21]

In the previous passage, Paul sets his sights upon those teachers who consented not to the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus (v3-5)
He was not sparing in his denunciation of such men
With the characteristic fervour of a shepherd protecting his sheep from the ravages of the wolves which would destroy his flock, he exposes these men as those who are to be avoided
From such withdraw thyself
That creates a division – a creating/two camps – but so be it
A necessary separation that works overall for the health/flock
Among the other things, he accuses them of supposing that gain is godliness: The health and wealth gospel is nothing new!
Even in Paul’s day, you had false teachers who went forth (falsely) in the name of Christ preaching the very same things that some of the TV Evangelists are proclaiming

Paul doesn’t consider it to be a side issue
Doesn’t think that he has said enough in the opening allegations
Rather he not only includes the charge, but enlarges upon it
As we will see: This is the road to ruin and Timothy must not only warn his flock about it, but he himself flee from it (v11)

Let’s study this immediate thought which Paul introduces here i.e. the two opposing sides with their two different views
In urging separation (v5) Paul created a “them and us” situation
So there not only two opposing camps, but two opposing views
We observe that both sides seek great gain
There is no fault seeking to advantage ourselves further than where we are
Right back at the beginning/creation, God gave Adam a mandate to responsibly conquer the earth and use it/his own advantage
God gave man a brain – an imagination – skills to do these things
So there is nothing wrong in them in themselves
Indeed any one who sat back and never sought to advance
himself in any way would be considered lazy/odd!
4 things to consider:

1) THE CHRISTIAN SEEKS GREAT GAIN IN GODLINESS:
Godliness with contentment is great gain

A/ What is godliness? Simple answer:
Positively: Have the life of God/your soul, to live it/God’s glory
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)
Story/Augustine who met a female acquaintance/old
She had questionable morals (as indeed he once had)
“Augustine! It is I!” – to which he replied, “It is not I but Christ that liveth in me”
Negatively: to resist the encroachments/world
And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. (Galatians 5:24)
Both are captured in v11 – negative and the positive expressed

B/ Godliness with contentment means that we not only avail of what we have in Christ, but are content with what it brings us
Calvin points out that this may be taken both ways:

[i] Contentment despite being without earthly gains:
Such we see in Hebrews 11 where the faithful had the opportunity to improve their lot by denying/faith but refused
Paul said that he was content in whatever state he was found
Knew how to hunger and how to abound etc.,
I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:12)
We ask: Paul, does it not get to you when you are hungry and in great need and doors seem to be closed to you?
He answers:
Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. (Philippians 4:11)

[ii] Contentment with what godliness brings us
Calvin points us to Psalm 34:10 where the young lions lack etc., but they that trust/Lord shall not want any good thing
The godly therefore are satisfied with their faith

What though the world it’s gifts deny
I've riches more than gold/buy
The key/treasure in the sky
O bless the Lord I’ve Jesus!

C/ Christ is described as being the pearl/great price
Parable: The merchant man sold all that he had to buy it
He considered it to be a great gain
The man who is living godly in Christ Jesus is living in gain
He is laying up for himself safe/secure treasure/heaven
A lot/folk are seeking to do that on earth
Yet in recent times billions/$’s have been wiped of shares
Businesses have gone/wall and their shareholders left penniless
People’s pensions have lost their value
Nothing wrong in investing/money on earth or in pensions etc.,
But the idea of “great gain” is not automatic and is often missing

Not so for the contented/godliness Christian
No matter what the economic/political climate may be
He has his Bible – his freedom/pray and work for God
What peaceful hours/once enjoyed – How sweet/memory still!

D/ You have missed out nothing by being a Christian!
You can challenge the worldling as to what he has that you don’t
Don’t be content with superficial answers
You can tear away the veneer of what he has
It won’t last for ever!
It carries its own decay because it is of the world,
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:17)
We can keep pressing this home
Bit only if our godliness be with contentment
Discontented believers = Disaffected believers
Such disaffection must be attributed to Demus:
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica etc., (2:4:10)
The two are not compatible and won’t last long together
Love for the world is enmity with God (James 4:4)
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2:15)
Lets be content with our godliness – it is great gain
Which may be seen by comparison with those who have an alternative worldview from the Bible:

2) THE MAN/WORLD SEEKS GREAT GAIN IN RICHES:

A/ This is the charge Paul laid against false teachers
Suppose that to be rich is the be all and end all of all things
A full wallet – possession of lands/silver etc.,

B/ This is why men will do anything to get their hands on money
Cheat- steal – murdered to get their hands on it
Only to read of the various gold rushes/California – greed

Even religion cannot keep a man back from this obsession/money
Twice already: Cause of disqualification for elders: 3:3/8
Titus take sit beyond the mere warning stage: (1:11)
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
It was happening/the Apostolic day and it needed to be stopped
Whole house holds were being affected
False teaching came in its wake
A man who is making money in religion will be greatly tempted to keep that money coming no matter what it takes
If it hurts the wallet to be orthodox…take the heterodoxy road

Again (on how religion cannot stop it) I remind you:

Judas criticised the woman who broke the alabaster box:
What was the cause of his criticism?
Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. (John 12:4-6)
Yet the darkest deed had still to be done and it was done/money
Judas sold his Saviour for 30 pieces/silver

3) RICHES CANNOT DELIVER GREAT GAIN:

A/ Certain things which money cannot buy:

[i] Money can buy security…but it cannot buy peace
You could spend a fortune kitting/house in the latest security gadgets and employ armed guards etc., to protect you
Yet you could lie/fortified bed and not sleep/wink with fear
World cannot give peace whether you could pay for it or not
Often it is those with the most money who are the least/peace
Their wealth attracts trouble to them
No one kidnaps or is even interested in the poor man
At least as far as money is concerned

[ii] Money can buy you laughter but not joy
Many laugh one moment only to be in the depths/despair next
Joy is more than laughter – joy is something that lasts
Joy/Christian is said to be unspeakable/full of glory
True…that it doesn’t always show itself 24/7
But it is real and it cannot be bought with money
It will last for all etenrity
World cannot offer that – indeed eternity will be one/woe:
Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. (Luke 6:25)

[iii] Money can buy medicines etc., but it cannot buy health
Namaan would have been a wealthy man…but he was a leper
There are morgues in the most expensive hospitals/USA
Latest medical science cannot wipe out illness nor restore the vigour of youth again
Health comes from God
While we can do our bit to remain healthy (4:8) yet the health itself is given of God
Job seemed to enjoy good health until one day it all changed
All changed by the sovereign permission/God
Health is something that money cannot purchase
Can buy you food/medicine etc., but it cannot guarantee health

B/ Money for the extra’s/life is not really that necessary
Yes…we need to work in order to get money
Contrary/misquote: money itself is not the root/evil (v10)
If we have food/clothing (denoting necessities) let us be content
v7 is a powerful argument: We brought nothing into this world – yet we survived
Others looked after us
OBJECTION: Did they not do so with money?
ANSWER: Yes … they had it because they used it wisely
They did not waste it nor gamble it
We were well clothed and kept warm and fed because wisdom rather than greed held the hand on the reins

Furthermore, we can take nothing out of this world
Rich man die and leave their millions to the next generation
Old Puritans spoke about a dying man who vainly clapped a twenty-shilling coin into his mouth
Yet money has no uses in eternity
Rich man in Luke 16 certainly had no use for it
He needed a drop of water rather than a bank full of gold

4) RICHES CAN LEAD TO GREED WHICH IN TURN LEADS TO DESTRUCTION:

A/ This is the tenor of the warning of v9-10
It is not necessarily those that are rich but who would be rich
As seen: Wealth is not in itself the problem, but the love/money
Problem is greed – men who cannot be content with enough
Wise man in Proverbs (30:8-9) certainly had it all cased up:
Give me neither poverty/riches; feed me with food convenient:
We ask: Why is that Solomon?
Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.
One would think that riches would prevent us from stealing
But this is not the case: Wealthy magnates in prison for fraud
There was no dependence upon God for their needs
They craved money and left business to enter crime
Others have drawn line at crime but live for their business
Men might plead the need/business for their long hours
Reply: Others with bigger businesses have not forgotten God
Spirit of Proverbs 30:8-9 is captured in Lord’s Prayer
Give us this day our daily bread… (Matthew 6:11)
Jesus said: Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? (Luke 12:24)

B/ But let a man be drawn into greed and look at all the things that are awaiting to overcome in:
He waits to
[i] fall into temptation
[ii] a snare [iii] many foolish and hurtful lusts
[iv] drown in destruction/perdition
[v] pierced through with many sorrows
Supposing that you were travelling through some notoriously bad country – you come to a barrier in the road manned by police
They advise you to turn back because the road ahead is unsafe
They tell you (honestly) about the great gully’s on either side of the road – of flood’s waters that frequently sweep over the road
They speak of bloodthirsty bandits on the road
They assure you that their warning is no idle one
They can name names of those who ventured down this road and never returned – leaving heartache in their wake
Would you insist that they lifted/barrier and let you through?
Or would you not be glad that such men were posted there?

In naming names (named a few already) let us add the wretched name of Gehazi the hitherto blessed servant of Elisha
Do you remember how he was motivated by greed
His master nobly took no money from Namaan/Syrian/healing
Gehazi wanted the silver that his master disdained (2 Kings 5:20)
But Gehazi, the servant/Elisha the man/God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
Driven by greed and when questioned/Elisha resorted to lying:
Many hurtful lusts had clung to his soul:
Elisha rebuked him severely:
And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
What a punishment followed; leprosy clung to him forever

Although wealth is not a sin (many Bible heroes were wealthy)
Yet Bible goes further and suggests that it can be a hindrance to getting saved
After the encounter with the Rich Young Fool, Jesus observed:
Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!

B/ Let’s finish this message on a very positive note:
Two ways:

[i] Context itself: We need not be sucked into these things
Just as our friends/illustration turned back – so can we
Language of v11 doesn’t leave a lot of wriggle room
There is an alternative – let us pursue it instead

[ii] The things that make us truly rich/contented are actually said to be “without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1)
Need of the soul is mercy and pardon for sin
Specifically said not to be redeemed with corruptible things such as silver/gold but by the precious blood/Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19)
Bible (Romans 8:32) is very clear about this:
He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
To withhold any good thing from a Believer on account of its cost or its preciousness to God would now reflect upon His Son
Who/what could be closer to God than His own dear Son?
No good thing will God withhold from them who love Him.
It’s all there for us to have for the asking
It is the only thing that we will carry out of this world;
Our soul in a justified and sanctified state
Are you up for living godly in Christ Jesus with contentment?
There is no reason why you cannot do so
Appeal

THE END

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