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1 Timothy 61 Timothy 6:1-21(1) Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.

I. Servants: The word “servants” indicates slaves, be they voluntarily or otherwise, and there were both. Slavery was common back then. Sometimes, it was a voluntary act. Paul really made no distinction here; thus, it is irrelevant to his message. What he said here is also applicable to those of us who have employers over us. We are simply to treat them with honor in order “. . . that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.”

There’s nothing worse than a slothful servant or a lazy employee. It’s even worse when that employee spends his time on break witnessing for Jesus and then milks the clock for all its worth or milks his break times. Those who are unbelievers see this, and they blame all Christians, or, at worst, they blame God. Paul said not to do this; work hard; be an example of the believer, as he told Timothy earlier.

(2) And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.

II. Now, there are those occasions when, as an employee, you find yourself working for a company and your employer is a Christian. I have found that in those cases, there are Christians who wind up feeling contempt for their believing boss because they think that because they are both Christians, the employer, because of his faith,

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should not expect as much out of them. This is not the case. Paul said because they are brethren, don’t despise them; “. . . rather do them service.” In other words, work harder because they are “. . . beloved [and] partakers of the benefit. These [are the] things that we should teach and exhort.”

(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;

III. According to godliness: There are always going to be those who teach quite the opposite of what Paul taught here. They think that because they are Christians and they are “in the Kingdom,” they should be treated with privilege or special circumstances. I have known men like this. As an employer, they try to use your Christianity against you. This is just wrong. Paul said that “if any man teach otherwise, and [does not] consent to wholesome words, even the word of [Jesus], and to the doctrine which is according to godliness . . ,” he knows nothing.

a. Paul has used the word “godliness” several times now and has really tried to drive the point home. The implication is that, as Christians, we should be exemplifying those things that are godly traits. When a man or woman’s life is being directed by the Holy Spirit and they are continuing in His Word, then their outward life will manifest a godliness that others will acquaint to their relationship with the Lord; thus, Jesus is glorified. To any man who teaches otherwise, Paul said in verse 4 . . .

(4) He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,

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(5) Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

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IV. Gain is godliness: I want you to take a look at verse 5, and I want to give you two perspectives on this verse. The first one is evident, and I want to quote it from the BBE. It is translated this way:

“Bitter talk of men who, being evil in mind and dead to what is true, take the faith to be a way of making profit.”

One of the best examples of this in our day is the false doctrine of prosperity teachers who promote and really tap into the inherent greed in man’s nature and then convince him that because he is begotten of God, he is, therefore, a “king’s kid,” and God wants him to have nothing but the best “Stuff”—the best house, the best car, the best-paying job, and your best life now. The list of these false teachers, both locally and internationally, would be too long to mention. Suffice it to say, they also have some of the largest and fastest-growing churches in America. That, my friends, is sad.

There is also another perspective, which is a Jewish perspective. I want you to look at verse 5 again. Paul said that these “. . . men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, [suppose] that gain is godliness. . . .” The word “supposing” comes from the Greek word “nom-id′-zo,” which means “to properly do by law.” With that in mind, turn with me, if you will, to Matthew 19, and let’s start with verse 24.

Matthew 19:24-26(24) And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.(25) When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?(26) But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

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You see, even the disciples at that time, in their minds could not separate a person’s wealth from piety. What I mean by that is that they believed (and some do still today) that a person’s wealth was, indeed, a blessing from God, but it was because of how well they kept the law. Thus, the disciples were astonished when Jesus said that this was not the case. Their statement was then “Who then can be saved?”

There are many today who still believe that God blesses according to performance—be they Jew or Gentile. There is nothing further from the truth. God blesses you not according to your obedience or performance but according to Jesus’ obedience and performance. Because you have put faith in Him, you are in the beloved; you are now in the family; and you are a joint heir with Christ—be you rich or poor. Paul went on to explain in verse 6 . . .

(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.

Death is a great equalizer of mankind. I can personally attest to this statement of Paul’s because I worked for almost a year for a local funeral home as a hearse driver. Never once did we go to the cemetery pulling a trailer.

(8) And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

We need to be satisfied with food and clothing, because the pursuit of more will never be enough.

(9) But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

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V. The foolishness of riches: Everyone loves a rags-to-riches story. Everyone loves to hear about the poor guy who had nothing and then winds up with all the money in the world because life is absolutely happy, and his life is totally fulfilled. Oh, if that were the truth. The fact is that those who pursue it and eventually achieve it, more often than not, wind up miserable and sometimes dead. It reminds me of a story of a lottery winner. He was a good Christian before he had anything. He hit the lottery and wound up a multi-millionaire, gave a huge sum to the church, was very benevolent, but it also led him astray. He ended his life with a shotgun and the statement that he wished he had never won. Then, of course, verse 10 . . .

(10) For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Notice it’s not money that’s the root of all evil, but the love of it because those who covet after it, err from the faith and bring upon themselves many sorrows.

(11) But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

VI. Follow after: One of my favorite verses in the Bible is found in the book of Matthew.

Matthew 6:33(33) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Many times, when people read these verses, they read into it a list of things to do in order that they might obtain righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. Paul seemed to clarify

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how we might obtain these very things in 1 Corinthians. Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 1:29-31.

1 Corinthians 1:29-31(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.

You see, what Paul was telling Timothy was to seek or to follow after Christ, who is our righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. These are all attributes of Jesus. This is why we should seek after Him. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me . . .” (Matthew 11:29). When you learn of Jesus, the Holy Spirit will use that to conform us into the image of His Son.

Romans 8:29(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

(12) Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

VII. Where’s the center: You see, my friends, it comes down to what is the center of your life. If it is money or the pursuit of riches, then, according to Paul, you are going to be a miserable person. If Jesus is at the center of your life, then you are truly going to be rich; that is, your life will be rich in the things that actually matter. You will find fulfillment. So, the key is to have Jesus in the center of your life; to follow after Him, for He is your righteousness; to follow after Him, for He is godliness; to follow after Him, for He is your sanctification.

Romans 8:29

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(29) For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

(13) I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

When Jesus was before Pontius Pilate, Paul said that He “witnessed a good confession.” What was that confession?

John 18:33-37(33) Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art thou the King of the Jews?(34) Jesus answered him, Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me?(35) Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done?(36) Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.(37) Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.

So, Paul charged Timothy before God and Jesus Christ and told him in verse 14 . . .

(14) That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:

VIII. What was the commandment? Paul told Timothy to “. . . keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, [and to keep it] until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” What was that commandment? To seek after righteousness and godliness; in other words, as I said before, to keep Jesus in the center of your life. Remember Matthew 6:33, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things [will] be

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added unto you.” Since Jesus is the righteousness of God, then we are to seek Him first—to keep Him in the center.

a. Two plains: It has been said that man’s life exists on two plains: the vertical and the horizontal. The vertical plain is representative of your relationship with God, and, in that, it is the axis upon which your life revolves. If your relationship with God is out of balance, then your relationship with your fellow man will be out of balance, which is the problem in the world today. People try to have well-balanced lives. They are struggling and striving to have well-balanced lives, and they want to have a balanced relationship with other people. They are striving constantly to find this balance in relationships. In fact, the whole psychology industry is a multi-billion-dollar industry today because people are trying to find balance. The very reason for imbalance and the reason why their relationships are out of balance is because their relationship with God is out of balance. Thus, because the vertical axis of their lives is off center, everything else is off center.

Make God the center: What Paul told Timothy here is revolutionary in its scope because if God is truly the center of your life and your pursuit is His righteousness and godliness, then you will be a person who is truly rich and fulfilled. Your relationship with Jesus Christ will affect every other relationship in your life. If your relationship with God is balanced, then your relationship with others should be balanced. In fact, even in the Old Testament, we are told in Proverbs 16:7 . . .

Proverbs 16:7(7) When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.

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So, the key is to make sure that your relationship with God is in balance through Jesus Christ. If that is the case, then every other relationship—be it with people or possessions—will be in balance, also.

(15) Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;(16) Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

IX. The only true God: You see, when Jesus returns, He is going to show who the true and only God is. In the first chapter of John, verse 18, we are told . . .

John 1:18(18) No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

That is; Jesus has made Him seen. At this present time during this dispensation of the grace of God, we take this revelation—this manifestation that Jesus has presented to us of God—by faith, based upon His inerrant Word. But there is coming a time, my friends, when Jesus shall appear and shall remove all doubt and will show, in person, who is the only true God.

a. False gods: I would venture to say that one of the most prevalent false gods worshipped today is the false god of wealth. For many, many people, it is the very center of their lives; they are consumed by it. Make no mistake, my friends; you do not have to possess wealth to worship it. In fact, I heard it said by a very famous preacher one time that the worship of this false god—the god of wealth—is probably more endemic in poor people than it is in the wealthy because the poor often live under the

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illusion that wealth is the solution to their problems. Most wealthy people already know that this is not true, but the poor people are not yet convinced. So, the love of money can actually be stronger in a person who has none that in the one who has much. Mammon is not a true god. When Jesus appears, He will show us who is the true God, the “only Potentate, King of kings, and Lord of lords.”

(17) Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

X. Warn the rich: Timothy was to warn the rich of this world; that is, Christians, who the Lord has blessed financially, that they be not highminded; that is, to pat themselves on the back for all that they have done to create their wealth, for it is God who giveth us the power to get wealth. Paul also told him to warn them that after they have obtained it not to trust in the uncertainty of riches but to trust in the living God because one never knows. One day you can be rich, and in a very short period of time, you can be destitute. The stock market crashes that have happened in our history have proven this all too real. If you are trusting in God, then no worries. For the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21).

a. God gives us all things: I have always thought this was an interesting portion of the verse that Paul just seemed to throw in there. “God gives us richly all things to enjoy.” And “all” means what, my friends? Now, there are those preachers and teachers who, upon reading this verse or teaching it, will go to great lengths to convince their hearers what is not included in the “all.” They will quickly begin to quote the law as a means to happiness.

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“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1), and so forth—the whole time knowing that the Apostle Paul said that the Old Covenant was a schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ (Galatians 3:24). We must never forget that the New Covenant is based upon better promises, and the first better promise was that of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out on the day of Pentecost. Now, when a truly born-again, Spirit-filled believer is living his life and is feasting regularly on the Bread of Life, which is the Word of God, he truly may enjoy all things because his delight is in the Lord, and his heart is set on the Kingdom, and he is seeking after His righteousness. Thus, he needs no rule—no law—to direct his actions, “For it is God which worketh in [us] both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).

(18) That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;(19) Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Storing up for the future: There is an interesting parable that Jesus told that many people have a hard time understanding.

Luke 16:1-9(1) And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.(2) And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.(3) Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.(4) I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.(5) So he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?

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(6) And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.(7) Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.(8) And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.(9) And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye [die], they may receive you into everlasting habitations.

So, what was He talking about? At this moment, we have the opportunity of laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven. We will not always have this opportunity. The day is coming when we will die. After we die, there is no further opportunity to lay up an eternal heavenly store. That opportunity is only now while we are here.

Jesus said to make use of unrighteous mammon. You see, your money is worthless in heaven. It’s not worth a whole lot here, but it is absolutely worthless in heaven. The only good that money serves on this side of eternity is in using it for the Kingdom so that we might lay up an eternal store in heaven. So, Paul told Timothy to charge them that are rich that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute to the needy, to help those who are in need, in order that they may lay up for themselves a store in heaven, a good foundation against the time to come, that they might enter into that eternal Kingdom. In fact, in Matthew 6:20, Jesus said,

Matthew 6:20(20) But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

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So, the eternal is more important, my friends. There is nothing more absurd for the Christian who has money than to simply keep it stored up in the bank, in stocks, in cd’s, and have it to be of no use to the Kingdom of God. It is much better to store up riches in heaven.

(20) O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

False science: Every time I read this verse, I think of the ridiculous theory of evolution, a science that is falsely so called. One of the most interesting books written on this subject was written by Dr. William Fix. The book was called The Bone Peddlers. In it, he exposed the fallacies, fraudulent claims, and the fabrication of evidence that this false science has used in order to bolster their position. The interesting part about it is that Dr. Fix was not a believer; he was a devout aetheist. So, avoid “profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.”

(21) Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana.

Some have erred: There are those in the church today, my friends, sitting in pews and standing behind pulpits who are professing this false science, and, in essence, declaring God’s Word a lie. Paul said they “have erred concerning the faith.”