Well, if you have your Bible with you this morning, please turn with me once again to 1 Timothy chapter six. 1 Timothy chapter six. We will be continuing our study of this chapter considering verses three through 10. That will be our focus. Verses three through 10 as we see the wonderful jewel of Christian contentment. and Paul's words and teaching of Timothy in that regard. First Timothy chapter six beginning in verse three. Here now the holy, the inspired, the inerrant and infallible word of God written for you and for me today. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such, withdraw yourself. Now godliness, with contentment, is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and to many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 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. Amen. Thus far, the reading of God's holy word, and let's go before him in prayer, asking his blessing on the preaching of it. Our gracious God and heavenly Father, as your word is in our ears and to our hearts this morning, we pray, oh God, for your spirit's work to sink it deeply into our hearts, that we would then apply it by your grace and direction in our lives. Oh Lord, this is a glorious text. This is the food that you have for us today. Nourish us with it, we pray. In Christ's name, amen. Amen. Well, beloved people of God, godly honor in action in Christ's church is fueled by godly love and shows itself in godly service. Honor. Don't despise and don't let others despise one another. It's Paul's instruction, isn't it? Let each of you carry out your godly duties faithfully instead of bringing damage to the flock. As there were problems with all of these in Ephesus, Timothy needed to teach and preach sound doctrine. He needed to walk by example as he applied the salve and the reforming influence of Christ to bear on the body. And considering all of the ages and stages and stations of life that people in the congregation were in, Paul addressed many of them, including slaves and masters, didn't he? Beloved, the gospel of Christ changes lives and it impacts your heart and your words and your walk in your daily lives. And so Timothy needed to teach and guide slaves and masters in the Ephesian church as well to have a redeemed view of one another and their relationships so that slaves served their masters as unto Christ and masters did the same in return, bringing a beautiful witness of Christ that would be evident to those within the body, as well as to those who were looking from the outside. For Christian slaves, they didn't get a free pass to rebel because their master was either an unbeliever or a fellow believer in the Lord. No, my friends, in any relationship between Christians as inferiors and inferiors, and superiors rather, the inferior must never think that you can get away with half-hearted effort and less than excellent work merely because your superior is a believer and you think that he should cut you some slack. No, do your work. as unto Christ, always, in every way, every day. Indeed, Christians in every stage and station must be different from the world, and especially in these ways. And that light must continue to shine, giving the world no room to bring reproach against Christ or his name. And so as Paul repeatedly told Timothy to teach and exhort such things to the people in Ephesus, he now goes on to return to addressing more about false teachers and those who would teach contrary to sound doctrine. Let's look together at his words of wholesome words and godly doctrine in verses three through five. the gain of godliness with contentment in verses six through eight, and the snares and the destruction of greed in verses nine and 10. And so as he begins this portion and returns to address false teachers and their teaching, look at what he says in verse three. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness. Let me stop there for a moment. I want you to see two important areas of concern here. Notice Paul's focus on one who teaches otherwise, meaning who teaches other than the good, godly, sound, biblical doctrine that Paul has delivered to Timothy that is in the very word of God. He speaks of concerns regarding them. But secondly, to the one who doesn't consent to wholesome words. Now notice that one who teaches otherwise is one who doesn't consent to wholesome words, because the wholesome words are truly in the sound doctrine of the Lord. The two are closely connected. but also see the problems in each action in false teachers. First, one who teaches otherwise is clearly one who is blind and rebellious in his beliefs within his own heart first. Secondly, that person isn't content with keeping his beliefs to himself, nor being teachable. or being submissive to the elders in study and learning. And thirdly, he has taken the added step of crossing the line to engage privately or publicly in what the Greek word is and is very meaningful in the hetero-didaskalos, or literally teaching strange doctrines that deviate from the truth. He is a divisive man, and the Ephesians needed to see this. They needed to mark such a man, but they needed to see this, that this is at the core. He is a divisive man, seeking to divide the body and siphon off sheep to follow him. Beloved, you need to recognize such men in this way, rather than thinking, Huh, well, that's interesting what he said. Hmm, maybe I'm gonna chew on that a little bit. And you ponder the odd teaching and an alarm really needs to go off in your mind instead saying, ah, yeah, he's a false teacher, he's a divisive man. Again, be a good student of the word to be able to discern sound from false doctrine. But also memorize these words from Paul to Timothy in 2 Timothy 1 beginning in verse 13 and keep them in practice in your life. Where Paul said, hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. Beloved, see these words, and again, memorize this, take this to heart. There is the holding fast to that pattern that has been given. A willingness and an unwillingness to deviate from it, to walk away from it, but a very serious willingness and a commitment to follow it. But also to guard, right? To guard that good thing, that good treasure, that good deposit, of truth that has been committed to you. Keep it, guard it by the Spirit. But also see that because false teachers are teaching their strange doctrines, it's clear that they don't consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, Paul could say, look, even if they're gonna call into question what I've taught you, which is faithful and true, whether it's because they question my apostleship or not, if they're gonna call that into question, no, I'm saying that it's even worse than that, for they also are against the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. and the doctrine that accords with godliness, this wonderful picture, this wonderful command and activity that all of God's people must be in, right, and exercising yourselves toward godliness. Godliness is so important and true and pivotal, and yet they are going against the doctrine that supports it and teaches you it and guides you in it. Now, what does Paul mean by consent? Well, the Greek literally refers to a drawing near. When you consent to wholesome or healthy words that are safe and sound for you, that's really the picture of this wholesomeness. When you're drawing near to such things, when you consent to them, you are drawing near and embracing them. rather than rejecting and staying away from them to embrace those of your own concoction. Notice that false teachers will reject the teachings of Christ along with those that accord with godliness as the apostles have been faithful to deliver to you. This is what not only they're willing to do, but that they do. And as you peel back the layers of their words and their teachings, you see this exposed. Now knowing this, what does Paul say is in their hearts that fuels their actions? Look at verses four and five. He is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words. from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. So there are two views of godliness here, aren't there? There's the view of the righteous, And that godliness is truly the path and the outworking of obedience to Christ and his words. Christ defines and lays out what godliness is and the path of it. But here, we see that the false teachers have a different view. And they want to use it for a specific reason. Pride, my friends, and its tentacles are pervasive and false teachers. They think they know much. They think they have the answers. They think their answers are better than the apostles and the true teachers of the word. They believe that they are on the right path, but one of the lures that they use is what they supposedly know, but take note, they truly know nothing. Again, divisive men, destitute of the truth. They have a good show. They put on a good performance. They can even be deceiving with how close they look. But again, here, the kimonos pulled back and you can see the truth of what's underneath. Pride is festering and the fruit of it. Indeed, beloved, they're snake oil salesmen. Timothy needed to know that such divisive men were also men, notice, full of obsession. It wasn't that these men had an occasional engagement in empty disputes with others in the church. Helpfully, the Greek word Paul uses for this obsession gives you a good picture of the deadly and nasty nature of it. Their obsession is literally a morbid interest, a diseased appetite. They had a hankering after arguments over little issues, and it brought deadly fruit. And it remains true in the broader church today, doesn't it, my friends? People who creep into the church, who have an insatiable appetite to stir the pot, sometimes behind the scenes, sometimes more openly, going against the instruction of, and that biblical instruction that the pastor and the elders are giving, sowing seeds of doubt, giving criticisms, stirring up dissension. Though the pastor and elders are faithful to the word, the serpentine questions come Is he really preaching the truth? Really? Is what he teaches really what that text means? Did God really say? And therefore, what's the fruit that comes from such poison? Look at the list, envy or jealousy, quarrels in the flock, not the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, reviling or literally blasphemy and slander, evil suspicions, useless wranglings or meddlesome activity of men who are heretics and they are void of Christ and therefore void of his truth. That's what comes from the poison. This is so important as to why we need to see divisive men and heretics for what they are and the poison that they push, so that we will not ingest it, but we'll stay away from it. Not knowing Christ and saving faith, my friends, not having the spirit within them, They are deceived regarding the true purpose of obedience in the body of Christ instead of pursuing holiness and exercising themselves toward godliness for the honor of Christ, your head, and the glory of God. See that heretics reject that and try to use godliness for their own prideful purpose, namely for their own honor and material gain. rather than gain through contentment. That is a key here. And therefore, what was Timothy to do with such men? Withdraw himself from them. What does Paul mean by such withdrawal? Timothy needed to, and elders today need to avoid such people in private conversation as well as carry out church discipline ultimately casting them out of the church if they engage in public scandal and are willfully disobedient to the God-given authority of the session of the church. They need to be dealt with, but they do not need to be buddied up with. Guarding needs to take place of heart and mind and of the sheep. And thus Paul begins to show the excellence of contentment and the evil of covetousness. He brings these in sharp contrast in a beautiful way. Look at verse six. Now, godliness with contentment is great gain. Those peddlers try to use godliness for their own gain. But where is the great gain? It's godliness with contentment. Godliness connected with Christian contentment is and will continue to be a jewel in your life, beloved, and also a jewel in the church as we seek such godliness and contentment in our own lives, in our families, and as a body together. Think of its preciousness being like going to a jewelry store and seeing a beautiful diamond or an emerald that takes your breath away. Its presence is refreshing to your soul because its focus is securely in Christ and receiving the benefits of him. It glistens in the darkness as a blessing from God to you, and it's truly a great gain. You can put such great gain next to the false teacher's gain, and yours is so much greater and so much more rich than any of theirs could ever be because theirs is nothing. It smokes and mirrors. It's empty. And why is this true? because godliness with contentment is so contra to the world and the false teachers. In many ways, it puts the power and work of Christ on display in and through you, and it confounds them, while you are built up and strengthened in him. And now, what does it mean to be truly content? Well, Jeremiah Burroughs gives this helpful definition. Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition. I think that's really good, you should write that down. Christian, let me say it again, Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition. Beloved, in speaking of this in verse six, Paul was restoring the truth to what the heretics had flipped and torn apart. Godliness and the pursuit of it isn't about selfish gain. In fact, godliness with contentment takes yourself completely out of the picture. And as it does so, you are living every day in Christ and his peace, and are at peace with his provision. Be refreshed by David's words in Psalm 37 verse 16, where he said, a little that a righteous man has is better than the riches of many wicked. Again, where's your view and lens of evaluation? You may look at the riches they have and you may say, wow, that's a lot. They're doing really well. That's really good. But is it? Not according to the Lord. The little that you have as a righteous man or woman is better than all of that. Receive Solomon's wisdom in Proverbs 15, verse 16. Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure with trouble. And you see this here in 1 Timothy, don't you? What's really true? This great treasure that the false teachers would like you to think is true if you take their concoction and walk their walk. That that would truly be your result. That that would truly be your gain and your end. You'd be rich. And yet, what is so tied to it? Much trouble. Much trouble. Much sorrow. As Paul considered the generosity of the Philippian congregation, remember the lessons God taught him as he speaks to and states in Philippians 4, beginning in verse 10. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again, though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. Now that I speak in regard to need, not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am to be content. 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. I can do all things. through Christ who strengthens me. Beloved, never forget that wherever there is true godliness, there will be contentment. As you daily put your faith into practice and pursue living a holy life, you will be content by the grace of God. Paul here points you to the sufficiency of Christ. And hear this and receive this, beloved, today. No matter what is going on in your life, you are in Christ. You are his and he is yours and he is enough. He is enough for you. No matter how little or how much you have. But what other reason, beloved, does Paul give for such a godly view of contentment. Look at verses seven and eight. For we brought nothing into this world, and it's certain we can carry nothing out, and having food and clothing with these, we shall be content. My friends, you were brought into this world naked. You can't challenge anything as a debt that is due to you. You are owed nothing. by God, but you are given so much in Christ, rich abundance. God has, and he will continue to provide for you. And therefore you must rest in his providence and provision and follow his call for you, not seeking your own agenda, but being content with his. Knowing also that you, like the richest man in the world, will carry nothing with you out of this world. And therefore, why should you covet and be greedy for material gain? You should be content with a little, even food and clothing, if that is all that you have, knowing that you will leave it behind. It's not the man with the most toys and the best toys wins. No, it's godliness with contentment. Knowing that Christ is sufficient and enough for you. And therefore, though Timothy and other saints had been told otherwise, know the truth about greed. Look at verse nine. 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. Thomas Watson was right when he said, Satan loves to fish in the troubled waters of a discontented heart. That's his favorite fishing hole. He loves to fish in the troubled waters of a discontented heart. He knows you're going to take the bait, or he's hoping you will. Because that water is so stirred, so choppy, so unsettled. There's his opportunity. Beloved, covetousness, which is breaking the 10th commandment, is evil. You shall not covet. The desire of the riches of men for your own gain is good, they say. Come on, let's get more, they say. We're on the right path. We're getting the right metrics. Our marketing's working. The money's rolling in. No. Indeed, truly the cravings to get more and to get more riches are all sinful traps. Again, here's the light on the situation. Here's the light to the divisive man's heart and the false teacher, he's full of pride and he's full of greed. Here is the light shown to the reality of this craze and obsession for material gain. It's a trap. It's a deadly trap. Notice that Paul doesn't speak of those who were rich, but of those who would be rich as they placed their happiness in the future gain of worldly wealth that they coveted and were willing to be violent in the pursuit of. They were going to get it at all costs if they could. Nothing but great abundance would satisfy them, and they would do whatever it took to get what they wanted, but what fuels such a great fall? Look at verse 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. They didn't get what they thought they would get. but what they got was far worse. It's devastating. Now, beloved, money itself isn't evil. You are to be a good steward of that which the Lord has given you, and if he gives you much, you need to be a good steward of that much. Yet the love of money and the craze for it is the cause of much evil. It's undergirding, it's the root, it's what's feeding the fruit. And that's true both of sin and punishment. And so may this be a lesson to you. Don't play around with and give room to envy and covetousness in your heart. You will fall into the trap that leads you astray into that which is foolish and evil. That's the reality of the situation. It's foolish and it's evil. It looks good. It's got the clear coat on it. It's got the sweet taste to it. It's got the lure in front of it. It's got the smoke screen. All looks good to the flesh. But greed never gives you what you think you're going to get from it. It never gives you lasting peace. Rather, greed leaves you in the wake of many sorrows. and those that pierce your soul with grief and worry and loss. Again, here's the solution. It's the salve of Christ in the gospel. Godliness with contentment. That's great gain. That's the jewel. The jewel is Christ, and this is the wonderful fruit and the gift that he gives you. So beloved, as you seek to be faithful in exercising yourselves toward godliness, see the great value of this jewel, the great gain that godliness with contentment truly is. And the question that I have for you really today, is Christ and his gracious provision enough for you? You really need to seek and examine your hearts over this and take yourself before the Lord. Is Christ and his provision enough for you? Or are you wanting more? Are you wanting to get what you want apart from him? This rare jewel is the blessing and gift of Christ to you as his spirit works in you. It is sadly rare and yet it's so precious. May godliness with contentment abound in all of you and in your children. Parents, teach your children this. Which also, like Timothy was called to do, means that you need to show them by example, not just by your words. Show them what godliness with contentment looks like. And if you're not sure you can because it's not in you, get on your knees and go before the Lord and beseech him to bring that to be true in you so that you can then stand and be a good model and a pattern for them in that. Indeed, may this be true and may its scarcity and the scarcity of this jewel be diminished by God's grace. You will likely come across many false teachers in your life who will seek to lure and convince you that godliness is a means to your own gain. Many of you undoubtedly already have, and as has been true in every generation, there are plenty of them today, and therefore, if and when you hear or encounter them with your ears and your heart tuned and grounded to the truth of the word so that you can more easily recognize them for who they are. Know that pride fuels their hearts and drives their purpose. Like Timothy in the Ephesians needed to, don't play around with pride and greed because you don't need what they have. and what they want, you need Christ, and being at peace and content in him. Amen. Praise God for his word. Let's pray together. Our gracious God and Heavenly Father, this is such a wonderful word to us, a timely word to us, Lord, for this is something that we wrestle with. This is something that is often hard, in our lives, not only to exercise ourselves toward godliness, which we must do by your command, but that such godliness that you are bringing about and growing in us would be coupled with contentment. O Lord, cause us to be content. Give us sensitivity to see the different small lures and pieces that try to pull us away even in the smallest ways from such contentment and peace in Christ, that we wouldn't find ourselves in another pit of despair and discontentment before we try to do something about it or before we see it and are aware of the situation, but that you would show us and keep us in such a beautiful, contented place. We pray these things in Christ's name. Amen.