1 Timothy 6: Great Gain

“⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” -1 Timothy 6:6-10

Contentment by itself is inadequate. I can be happy living on the streets and no change of clothes, but without God my contentment would serve no purpose. That’s why Paul’s final chapter to 1 Timothy teaches “godliness with contentment is great gain.” Both are required to serve a Christ-like leader.

Contentment simply means to live satisfied with enough to make it through life. Paul defined contentment as having adequate food and clothing (I’m guessing if he serve in Detroit or Moscow, he would have included shelter. Paul tended to hang out in warmer environments.). Home ownership, a yacht, new car, or money in the bank were not on the list.

Interestingly, however, money was not was Paul called evil. It was the love of money Paul called evil. Those who pursue money are those who give in to sinful practices that compromise character.

Godly contentment can be found, but it is costly. We must give up to grow up in the Christian life. If we are willing, God’s Word calls it “great gain.”

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Dillon Burroughs is the author and coauthor of numerous books and is handwriting a copy of all 31,173 verses of the Bible at HolyWritProject.com. Find out more about Dillon at Facebook.com/readdB or readdB.com.