A.It is commonly known among Christians that “the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil” (1Tim. 6:10).
B.Knowing this truth is essential, but let us also notice the full context of 1Timothy 6:6-10, which is a series of “sentence sermons.”
1.Each of these verses can stand on its own, but they form a complete lesson when studied together.
2.This complete lesson pertains to godliness, contentment, and the love of money.
II.GODLINESS PLUS CONTENTMENT EQUALS GAIN
A.“But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.” (1Tim. 6:6)
B.This subject was introduced by Paul to Timothy because there were some who sought to profit through religion.
1.Paul identified these people in 1Timothy 6:3-5 as those who sought to stir up controversy in contradiction to the doctrine of Christ.He said they did this because they supposed “godliness” (Greek eusebeia, lit. “good worship” or holiness, piety, religion) was a means of gain.
2.This warning is still relevant today because there are still persons who make a business out of religion and prey on souls by leading them away from the truth.
C.The true “great gain” to be profited by godliness and contentment is spiritual, not material.
1.Contentment removes the obstacles of greed and materialism that hinder godliness.With contentment, godliness becomes effective and thrives.
2.The Lord alluded to this same idea in the parable of the sower when He described the seed that fell among the thorns.The thorns were a figure of the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of riches that choke the word of God and cause a person to become unfruitful (Matt. 13:7, 22).
3.When godliness is combined with contentment, faithful souls will profit spiritually and eternally through Jesus Christ.This is “great gain” indeed.
III.YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU
A.“For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.” (1Tim. 6:7)
B.This verse demonstrates the truth that it is foolish to invest oneself completely in worldly things that cannot transcend the grave.
1.Solomon observed this in Ecclesiastes 5:15-16 – “As he had come naked from his mother's womb, so will he return as he came.He will take nothing from the fruit of his labor that he can carry in his hand.This also is a grievous evil--exactly as a man is born, thus will he die. So what is the advantage to him who toils for the wind?”
2.The Lord also taught this truth in the parable of the rich fool (Luke 12:16-21).
a.In the same day in which the rich man trusted in his possessions to sustain him for many years, God required his soul of him.God called this man a fool.
b.The Lord stated the lesson in verse 21: “So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”
3.This is why the Lord has taught us to lay up our treasure in heaven rather than on earth (Matt. 6:19-21).
IV.BE CONTENT WITH FOOD AND CLOTHING
A.“If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.” (1Tim. 6:8)
B.So many people wear themselves out “keeping up with the Joneses” even though they have everything they need.
1.In the United States, food, clothing, and shelter are all available in abundance, and yet there is a high level of discontentment.This is the product of being ungrateful and spoiled, for food and clothing are not enough to satisfy our greedy appetites.
2.Notice Proverbs 23:4-5 – “Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it.When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.”
C.Consider the proper attitude of contentment expressed in the Scriptures.
1.Proverbs 30:8-9 – “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: 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.”
2.Philippians 4:11-13 – “Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
V.THE DESIRE FOR RICHES LEADS TO DESTRUCTION
A.“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.” (1Tim. 6:9)
B.Many people have been ruined financially and spiritually because of their attempts to get rich.
1.Consider Proverbs 28:20 – “A faithful man will abound with blessings, but he who makes haste to be rich will not go unpunished.”
2.Persons who are blinded by their desire for wealth will make foolish and risky choices that will lead to disaster (“get-rich-quick” schemes, gambling, lottery, dangerous investments, etc.).
3.These things not only do financial harm to a person, but they also do spiritual harm, for each of us is accountable to God for our stewardship over God’s blessings (2Cor. 5:10).
4.No one illustrates the folly of desiring riches more than Judas Iscariot.
a.For a meager thirty pieces of silver, Judas betrayed the Son of God (Matt. 26:14-16, 47-50).
b.This not only led to the Lord’s crucifixion, but it led Judas to take his own life (Matt. 27:3-5).The Lord said of Judas, “It would have been good for that man if he had not been born” (Matt. 26:24).
VI.THE LOVE OF MONEY
A.“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1Tim. 6:10)
B.This verse is similar to the previous verse, but verse 10 directly addresses the threat posed to our faith by the love of money.
1.The love of money (Gr. philargyria, lit. “love of silver”) competes with the love of God in our hearts.The love of money will lead us away from the love of God, and thus we will wander away from the faith.
2.Consider Matthew 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”
C.The love of money prevents a person from acquiring the great gain that is afforded by godliness combined with contentment.
1.Notice Hebrews 13:5 – “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’”
a.The love of money is incompatible with contentment.One who loves money wants more and more regardless of how much he may have.Consider Ecclesiastes 5:10 – “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.”
b.The love of money also exposes a person’s distrust of God.Rather than trusting in God’s promises to “never desert you,” one who loves money trusts in riches.
2.A person who loves money can never be content, and without contentment, he cannot profit spiritually.Instead, he is drawn to evil, and his soul is ruined.
VII.CONCLUSION
A.Let us not deceive ourselves into thinking that we can defy the truth of 1Timothy 6:6-10.We cannot practice sincere godliness while being discontent and having a love of money.No lasting profit will arise from such a practice.
B.Therefore, let us embrace true godliness, let us be content with the provisions that God gives us, and let us reject the love of money in favor of the love of God.
