1 Tim 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing,
but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness:
from such withdraw thyself. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing
into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. – Vince Bonner U-Haul 1 Tim 6:8
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
A recent survey has taken the population of the world and compiled it to reflect 100 persons, i.e. If
we could reduce the world’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all existing human
ratios remaining the same, the demographics would look something like this:
80 would live in substandard housing
24 would not have any electricity
76 that do have electricity would only
use it for light at night
67 would be unable to read
50 would be malnourished
and 1 dying of starvation
33 would be without a safe water supply
7 people would have access to the Internet
1 (only one) would have a college education.
If there is a meal in your refrigerator,
if you are dressed and have got shoes,
if you have a bed and a roof above your head,
you are better off, than 75 % of people in this world.
This is not to make you feel guilty but rather help us see for what we have to be thankful…
1 Tim 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of
our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing
nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmisings, 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that
gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6 But 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
raiment let us be therewith content.
The word godliness is used 15 times in 15 verses all but 4 of them being Pauline.
What does this indicate? It indicates the God is concerned about godliness in the age of grace. The
word is not found in the Old Testament, Matthew – Acts, It is found 4 times in 2Peter.
Godliness
1 Tim 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications To make
a humble, earnest petition; beg, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be
made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet
and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this
is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
Supplication
Prayers
Intercession
Thanksgiving
Quietness
Honesty
1 Tim 2:9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness
Extremely modest or shy; bashful and sobriety self control; not with
broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh suitable women professing
godliness) with good works.
Shamefacedness
Sobriety
1 Tim 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was
manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed
on in the world, received up into glory.
1 Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1 Tim 4:3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created
to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. 4 For every creature of God
is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: 5 For it is sanctified by the
word of God and prayer.
1 Tim 4:6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of
Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
1 Tim 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8
For bodily exercise abstaining from things in this passage profiteth little: but godliness
is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and
of that which is to come.
1. There is a great deal to be got by godliness; it will be of use to us in the whole of our life,
for it has the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
2. The gain of godliness lies much in the promise: and the promises made to godly people relate to
the life that now is, but especially they relate to the life that is to come.
Under the Old Testament the promises were mostly of temporal blessings, but under Grace - that of
spiritual and eternal blessings. If godly people have but little of the good things of the life that
now is, yet it shall be made up to them in the good things of the life that is to come.
3. There were profane and old wives' fables in the days of the apostles; and Timothy, though an excellent
man, was not above such a word of advice
4. It is not enough that we refuse profane and old wives' fables, but we must exercise ourselves to
godliness; we must not only cease to do evil, but we must learn to do well and we must make a practice
of exercising ourselves to godliness.
1 Tim 6:3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but
doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain
is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
What does it mean to be contented?
Webster defines it thus:
Desiring no more than what one has; satisfied.
What do you have – right now – that you can take with you – beyond the grave?
The carnal Corinthians thought that gain was godliness…
1 Cor 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God
hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things
of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to
bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness,
and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord.
2 Cor 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through
the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our
outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
2 Cor 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding
and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things
which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal.
Gain is not godliness
Sound Pauline doctrine produces godliness in the life of the believer
Godliness produces contentment and confident expectation not only in this life but in the life to
come!
