These are the original teaching notes from this passage.
I Timothy 6:1-10
Review…
- There are four main section to the book of I Timothy…
- Chapter 1-2 – Three lessons – Teach the Word / Grace / Prayer…
- Chapter 2-3 – Defined three roles – Women / Pastors / Deacons…
- Chapter 4 – The need to DEFEND the FAITH!
- Chapter 5-6 – Relationships within the church…
- We are to TREAT one another in church – as a FAMILY – fathers / mothers / brothers /sisters…
- Last week – Paul addressed how we are to treat PASTORS…
- Bottom line was to treat them also as FAMILY – because they are just like us!
- As we pick up this week – Paul finishes up this final section on RELATIONSHIPS…
- He is going to address how we are to relate to employers and employees within the church…
- And perhaps most importantly – what the role of MONEY should be in our lives!
Our relationship with MONEY… (3 things)
- 1st – Working for MONEY… vs. 1-2
- BONDSERVANTS count your MASTERS worthy of honor… vs. 1
- BONDSERVANTS – doulos – 127x in NT used to describe a slave – we would say EMPLOYEE…
- MASTERS – despotēs – 10x in NT used to describe a boss – we would say an EMPLOYER…
- An EMPLOYEE is to COUNT (imperative) – hēgeomai – to count / think about / or consider…
- Their EMPLOYER WORTHY of all HONOR – whether they DESERVE it or NOT!
- Why are we COMMANDED to give HONOR to our EMPLOYER – three reasons!
- 1st – Because we are NOT the BOSS… vs. 1
- Ever since Adam men have made a living from the sweat of their brow – Genesis 3:19
- And most have had employer / boss they had to answer to!
- We might think we know better than our BOSS – but we are still the WORKER…
- So even if we do not agree – we need to listen to their instructions – and HONOR / OBEY…
- Do not give our opinion (unless it is asked for) – do not give an attitude…
- Because if they want to – they can fire us – and we will no longer have a job!
- Titus 2:9 – “[Employees] must obey their [employers] and do their best to please them. They must not talk back.” [NLT]
- 2nd – So the name of God / His doctrine are not blasphemed… vs. 1
- As many as are under the YOKE – a harness put on animals to do HARD labor…
- The picture is of a cruel / godless EMPLOYER – who mistreats his EMPLOYEES…
- Even if we have an EMPLOYER who does not know Jesus – is cruel and unfair…
- We are still to HONOR them – so the name of God is not blasphemed!
- There are people who work hard – so long as the BOSS is watching…
- The moment the boss walks away – they assume it is break time till the boss returns…
- People who work like that are a terrible witness for Jesus…
- Other watch and see their hypocrisy – it allows them to blaspheme the name of Christ!
- The true test of a character is not what we do when people are watching…
- It is what we do when no one is looking – that is who we really are!
- Work as though it is Jesus who is our boss…
- If Jesus were the one who hired us to work – and was there watching…
- How hard would we work – trying to please THE BOSS with our best effort!
- Christians should be the first ones to show up to work – early…
- They should be the last ones to leave – not staring at the clock…
- And they should work harder than anyone else at their work!
- Because no matter what our work – we should do it like it we were doing it for Jesus!
- Because it might just be our example that leads our BOSS to Christ!
- 3rd – To benefit believing EMPLOYERS… vs. 2
- Those who have believing EMPLOYERS are NOT to DESPISE them…
- DESPISE (imperative) – to think little or nothing of – because they are BROTHERS…
- There are some who try and take advantage of an EMPLOYER who is a believer…
- Because we are all equal in Jesus – there are not levels in the church!
- Galatians 3:28 – “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither [employee or employer], there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
- Since they are equal to our EMPLOYERS – they feel like they do not have to obey them!
- Rather than work – they take the time to share the Word – while on the clock…
- Or they expect to receive special treatment because they are also a Christians…
- Although we are equal in Christ – we still need to obey / HONOR our EMPLOYER!
- RATHER – all the more – we should SERVE (imperative) them…
- Because the work we do is a BENEFIT to a fellow BELIEVER!
- If we are working for an unbeliever – the money they make is NOT used for the Lord…
- In contrast if we are working for a BELEIVER – the profit from the business is for the Lord!
- So if we are blessed to work for a Christian – work all the harder!
- Because we are on the same TEAM – we are working for the same Lord!
- 2nd – Worldly view of MONEY… vs. 2-5 (7 points)
- 1st – TEACH and EXHORT these things… vs. 2
- The subject of money is one of the most divisive / difficult issues in the church…
- The world ALWAYS tries to tell us if ONLY we had LOTS of money – we would be happy…
- Even in the church there are those who claim – GODLINESS leads to great WEALTH…
- Leading many believers to NOT understand how to RELATE to MONEY!
- Therefore it is important that we TEACH – didaskō – give Godly instruction and doctrine…
- And EXHORT – parakaleō – come along side and ENCOURAGE each other…
- So we have a PROPER understanding of the PURPOSE of MONEY!
- 2nd – If anyone TEACHES OTHERWISE… vs. 3
- If anyone TEACHES OTHERWISE – heterodidaskaleō – a DIFFERENT kind of doctrine…
- Then they do not CONSENT – draw near to – WHOLESOME / HEALTHY words!
- The world has an UNHEALTHY dependence on MONEY…
- One of the richest men who ever lived – J.D. Rockefeller was asked…
- How much MONEY is enough – his answer – Just a little bit more!
- We have been taught MONEY has the answers – lured in with false hopes and promises…
- But if we seek MONEY – it never seems to be enough – we always want more!
- The only HEALTHY words – are those that come from our LORD Jesus Christ!
- They are THE (one and only) DOCTRINE that is according to GODLINESS!
- John 4:13 – “Whoever drinks of this water [from the world] will thirst again…”
- How many times have we said – if I could only have THIS – I would be happy…
- And when we get what we wanted – happy for a moment – then we want more!
- No matter how many times we drink from the water of the world – thirsty again!
- John 4:14 – “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst.”
- We were not created by God to be fulfilled by the things of this world…
- We were created by God to know Him – worship Him – John 17:3
- And only when we use our life for the purpose God intended for it…
- Worshiping and getting to know our Lord – will we find we are satisfied!
- 3rd – TEACH because they are PROUD… vs. 4
- PROUD – typhoō (perfect / passive) – 3x in NT – to be filled with smoke…
- The picture is of someone who is puffed up / arrogant – but with NO substance!
- In PRIDE assuming they do NOT need the Lord – they can do it ourselves…
- In PRIDE forgetting that EVERYTING they have comes from the Lord…
- PROUD because – in the end – they refuse to put their faith in the Lord!
- 4th – PROUD because they KNOWING NOTHING… vs. 4
- KNOWING NOTHING – to understand – from the root word to be established…
- A person is PROUD because they think they know EVERYTHING…
- But they are not ESTABLISHED in the Word of God – so they know NOTHING!
- Romans 1:22 – “Professing to be wise, they became fools.”
- I am amazed by the WISDOM of the world – go to school for 20 years / to get a good job…
- So we can make a lot of money – nice house and car – then retire with a nice income…
- Working hard all our life to try and get all the things we want – then die – foolish!
- The WORLD teaches us to strive after riches – that do not last…
- Instead we should strive for eternal riches that come through living our life for God!
- 5th – Questions caused by being OBSESSED with MONEY… vs. 4
- OBSESSED – only here NT – to be so consumed on something – it becomes a sickness…
- Because they KNOW NOTHING – OBSESSED with QUESTIONS and ARGUE over WORDS…
- Their QUESTIONS and ARGUMENTS bring:
- 1 – ENVY – wanting – not being content with whatever we have!
- The idea we deserve what others have – is rampant in our society…
- If someone else has something – even if we cannot afford it – we need it!
- 2 – STRIFE – 9x in NT – five of those times it is TIED to ENVY – ENVY brings STRIFE!
- If we live in ENVY – we will compete with others to prove we are better…
- Showing our clothes / job / cell phone / etc. are as better than everyone else – STRIFE!
- 3 – RevelingS (plural) – blasphēmia – STRIFE leads us to curse or abuse the name of God!
- God promises to provide for all of our NEEDS – not necessarily our WANTS…
- When we ENVY – we are saying God has not given us what we NEED…
- ENVY will take our eyes off the Lord – and put them on the world!
- James 3:16 – “Where envy and self–seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
- 4 – EVILS SuSPICIONS (plural) – only here NT – assume something is true without evidence!
- What are we assuming – that we need to have LOTS of MONEY to be HAPPY…
- If the answer truly was MONEY – then we should be able to see examples
- Yet we look to those who have MONEY – and they are NOT content!
- 6th – The result of being OBSESSED with MONEY… vs. 5
- 1 – USELESS WRANGLINGS – only here NT – to have useless occupation / empty!
- Our job should NOT be to try to be the one who has the MOST STUFF!
- If we do – we will WASTE all our time working for MONEY – which is EMPTY!
- 2 – CORRUPT MINDS – (perfect / passive) – to have a destroyed and ruined mind!
- This PERFECTLY describes so much of the world today – they are RUINED…
- Their minds have been corrupted by an OBSESSION with MONEY!
- 3 – DESTITUTE of TRUTH – (perfect / passive) – to be ROBBED of the TRUTH!
- As a result of their OBESSION – they have been ROBBED of the TRUTH…
- Life is about a choice where we spend ETERNITY – and because they love MONEY…
- They are ROBBED of the greatest riches – a relationship with Jesus!
- 4 – SUPPOSING GAIN is Godliness (present / active) – assuming wealthy equals Godly!
- There is a movement in Christianity called the Word of Faith…
- Teaching if we only have enough FAITH – and SPEAK it – God has to do what we say…
- This flows into what is called the PROSPERITY Gospel – God wants us to WEALTHY!
- Philippians 3:18-19 – “They are enemies of the cross of Christ. Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite… all they think about is this life here on earth.”
- The Gospel is NOT about getting rich – a better life here and now…
- If we are looking for temporal rewards in return for our obedience to Christ…
- We might very well be disappointed – God promises us tribulation here – John 16:33
- The rewards for serving Jesus are far greater – they are eternal – it is about heaven!
- 7th – From such WITHDRAW … vs. 5
- WITHDRAW – (imperative) – to shun / flee from / depart / stay FAR away…
- We are COMMANDED to have NOTHING to do with those who are OBSESSED with MONEY…
- It is a poison that can easily worm its way into our hearts – and tear us away from Christ!
- Romans 16:17 – “Note [mark] those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and AVOID them…”
- 1st – TEACH and EXHORT these things… vs. 2
- 3rd – The truth about MONEY… vs. 6-10
- 1st – Godliness with CONTENTMENT… vs. 6
- CONTENTMENT – 2x in NT – to be CONTENT with what we have…
- Do NOT miss the contrast – those OBSESSED with MONEY – teach wealth is Godliness…
- But GREAT GAIN – is living a Godly life – being CONTENT with what we have!
- Our circumstances are arranged by God – we are where He wants us…
- Yet most of us do not accept what the Lord has given to us – we want more!
- Solomon tried everything – looking for happiness – Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
- But Solomon learned instead it was all vanity – like chasing after the win!
- Looking for happiness – answers in MONEY – is chasing the wind…
- It is not about chasing something that is hard to catch – nothing there to catch!
- There is nothing wrong with having MONEY – the problem is when MONEY has us…
- The richest man is not the one with the most MONEY – it is the one who is content…
- The poorest man is not the one with the least MONEY – it is the one who wants more!
- How can we be CONTENT…
- II Corinthians 9:8 – “God is able to make all GRACE abound toward you, that you, always having all [contentment] in all things, may have an abundance for every good work…”
- It is by the GRACE of God that we can LEARN to be CONTENT with what He gives us…
- And then – no longer OBSESSED with MONEY – we are free to SERVE HIM!
- And we find we have GREAT GAIN – eternal rewards – as we ABOUDND with good works!
- 2nd – CONTENT – because we will take nothing with us… vs. 7
- We brought nothing into the world – naked the day we were born…
- And they day we die – we CANNOT take anything with us!
- Ecclesiastes 5:15 – “People who live only for wealth come to the end of their lives as naked and empty-handed as on the day they were born.”
- There is an old saying – he who dies with the most toys wins…
- But the truth is – he who dies with the most toys – is just dead!
- When we were born – we had nothing – when we die we will bring nothing with us…
- So even if we had all the possessions – money in the world – it does not last…
- That does not mean we are not to work hard – it means we work hard for God…
- Strive after the eternal riches that come through living your life for God!
- 3rd – CONTENT with food and clothing… vs. 8
- We are to be CONTENT with food and clothing (both only here NT) …
- There is a BIG difference between NEED and WANT…
- We all have a LOT of WATNS in life – but the question is do we NEED it…
- Apparently – the ONLY things God says we NEED – are food and clothing!
- Pretty much everything else in life appears to fall into the WANT category!
- Luke 12:22 – “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on…”
- That is not to say the Lord might not BLESS us with some of our WANTS…
- John 15:7 – “If you abide in Me… you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done.”
- As we ABIDE in Jesus – are in tune to Him – we can ask for anything we WANT and receive it!
- But often in life we WANT selfish things – and God does not give them!
- James 4:3 – “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
- 4th – CONTENT because those who DESIRE to be rich… vs. 9
- The DESIRE for money – (money is not the problem) …
- There are a lot of RICH people who are completely sold out for Jesus…
- Because they are not living for the money – they are living for the Lord!
- But if our main concern in life is making MONEY – we are going to have trouble…
- Because we think getting RICH will solve all our problems…
- It does not solve problems – it is the SOURCE of our problems!
- FALL – empiptō – to fall among robbers…
- Same root word used in – Luke 10:30 – good Samaritan fell among thieves…
- The word carries the idea of coming upon something unpredictably…
- If the Samarian would have known about the thieves – would have gone a different way!
- Into TEMPTATION and a SNARE / TRAP…
- What is the TEMPTATION / SNARE – our WANTS / LUSTS…
- FOOLISH and HURTFUL LUSTS – wants that do not even make sense (foolish) …
- DROWN men destruction and perdition (sin) – wants that sink us – ruin our lives!
- If our main concern in life is getting FOOLISH STUFF – we are going to have trouble…
- To get the latest toy / best car / prettiest house – all of which are WANTS…
- We will get lots of UTANG and – then DROWN in debt trying to pay it back…
- We will compromise our MORALS to get an extra PESO – TRAPPED in sin!
- All because we thought having MONEY would solve all our problems!
- But we did not have to FALL – we KNOW the dangers of DESIRING MONEY!
- Hebrews 13:5 – “Do not love money; be satisfied with what you have…”
- 5th – CONTENT – because the LOVE of MONEY… vs. 10
- LOVE of MONEY – Phil-argyros – only here in NT – literally to LOVE silver…
- Is the ROOT of ALL EVIL – kakos – the lesser of two NT words for evil (poneros) …
- Which is why many translations add the word – kinds (not in the Greek) …
- Loving money is not THE EVIL – but it certainly can cause all kinds of EVIL!
- Some have STRAYED from the FAITH…
- STRAYED (passive) – to lead away from the truth into error…
- In GREEDINESS (active) – to stretch in order to get something that is out of reach…
- PIERCING with many SORROWS – to impale with consuming grief!
- Too many people have walk away from the FAITH – for money!
- The problem is people make MONEY their god – instead of Jesus!
- We cannot dedicate our lives to MONEY and possessions – and to the Lord…
- We waste our life on possessions that do not last – rather than on eternal rewards!
- If we desire more MONEY – we are missing the greatest riches of all – Jesus!
- Luke 6:24 – “No one can serve two masters… he will hate the one and love the other… You cannot serve God and [money]…”
- 1st – Godliness with CONTENTMENT… vs. 6