Great Gain in Contentment – 1 Timothy 6:6-8
Higgins Lake Baptist Church
Kevin A. Pierpont
1/18/04
A man became envious of his friends because they had larger and
more luxurious homes. So he listed his house with a real estate
firm, planning to sell it and to purchase a more impressive home.
Shortly afterward, as he was reading the classified section of the
newspaper, he saw an ad for a house that seemed just right. He
promptly called the Realtor and said, “A house described in
today’s paper is exactly what I’m looking for. I would
like to go through it as soon as possible!” The agent asked
him several questions about it and then replied, “But sir,
that’s your house you’re describing.” (Source
unknown)
Have you ever gone out a bought something you really wanted and
maybe you really couldn’t afford it? I mean you had yourself
convinced that you really needed this thing. So you go out and buy
this thing. And a strange thing happens a week or two later. You
find you are hardly using it. Or soon afterwards you find you have
regrets about buying this thing.
It wasn’t many weeks ago we were celebrating a time of
thanksgiving together. I hope you took some time to reflect on the
many blessings in your life and I hope you thanked your Heavenly
Father who has given them to you. I hope as you did so, you had a
sense of contentment with what you’ve been given.
I also hope that during the Christmas season you weren’t
disappointed with what you received or didn’t receive as a gift.
You know don’t you that Christmas is so much more than giving and
getting gifts?
We arrive today at the point in 1 Timothy where Paul addresses
the topic of contentment in 1 Timothy 6:6-8. And in verse 10 Paul
says the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and
in the context of this passage this has direct application to those
who are teachers or preachers in the church but it also has a much
broader application to every believer. So how do we address this
problem of the love of money? We can find help today as we look at
1 Timothy 6:6-8.
6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
There’s an old saying that goes like this,
“As a rule, Man’s a fool
When it’s hot, He wants it cool.
And when it’s cool, He wants it hot,
Always wanting What is not.”
(Bits & Pieces, June 22, 1995,
p. 5)
There is a lot of truth in that little saying. It’s easy to
complain and always desire something different than what we have.
We say the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
and yet we struggle with the reality in our own lives of that
little saying. Your car seems pretty nice until the neighbor gets a
new one or you bring your new car home from shopping to discover a
ding in the passenger door.
How easy it is to be discontent when we are trained for
discontentment. We are constantly bombarded with advertising urging
us to buy the latest and greatest and soon what we do have seems
inadequate.
There is another saying that says, “There are two ways to be
rich. One is to have all you want. The other is to be satisfied
with what you have.” Certainly the thought that we are rich when we
are satisfied with what we have is quite similar to what Paul is
saying in verse 6. It is great gain for us when we are marked by
godliness with contentment. John Piper has said…
“Godliness that overcomes the craving for material wealth
produces great spiritual wealth. So what verse 6 [in 1 Timothy 6]
is saying is that it is very profitable not to pursue wealth.”
Contentment is an important quality that we should strive for in
our lives as Christians. In this passage, contentment is in the
context of our material goods, our possessions.
Paul also addresses the issue of contentment in Philippians
4:12.
12 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. (NASB)
Paul knew what it was like to have great needs and he knew what
it was to have more than enough. He learned the secret of being
content in both situations. How can we say the same of ourselves?
How can we be content even when things are tight? And how can we be
content when things are plentiful?
Hebrews 13:5 also addresses the issue of contentment when it
says,
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be
content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I
leave you; never will I forsake you. (NIV)
It’s clear that the love of money can lead to discontentment.
It’s also clear that God will care for us. He will never fail
us or forsake us. That should be all we need to know to cause us to
live contented lives. What does our financial standing matter when
we contemplate the fact that God has promised that He will never
leave or forsake us? Even if we have little of this earth’s goods,
we can take comfort and rest satisfied in the knowledge that God
will never fail us and He has promised never to forsake us.
Back in 1 Timothy 6:6 again it says godliness with
contentment is great gain. Paul makes a point of saying that it
is of great benefit to us to practice godliness. In true Godliness
there is contentment and great gain. But don’t mistake what
I’m saying for the health and wealth message some would
preach. The gain I’m talking about is not necessarily great
financial gain. It’s not increased personal possessions.
Listen to this passage again from the NASB,
But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied
by contentment.
Some were using religion as a way to profit financially. But
what Paul is saying is that true gain is had in contentment that
comes from real Godliness not some fake godliness for the means of
personal gain.
And verse 7 emphasizes the reason we should be content.
7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is
certain we can carry nothing out.
This verse sounds much like the passage found in Job 1:21,
21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And
naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken
away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.”
We come into this world with nothing and when we die we won’t
take anything with us. The point of Paul’s argument for contentment
is that we came in with nothing and we’ll depart with nothing so
why ruin our time here by constantly striving for more. We can
spend all our days acquiring material possessions, but in the end
those possessions are worthless to us.
The only thing that matters is our eternal destiny. Have we
accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior? Do we know that when we die
we will spend eternity with Him? Or are we living as if today is
all that matters? Are we pursuing riches on earth while neglecting
heavenly riches?
Matthew 6:19-20 says,
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where
moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; 20 “but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
It is kind of pointless to store up treasures here on earth
isn’t it? In our passage in 1 Timothy 6:7, it’s plain that we
aren’t going to take it with us. Since this is true it is certainly
to our benefit to lead Godly lives and be content with what we
have.
If we are pursuing godliness in our lives, not living for the
here and now and how much material good we can accumulate, then it
is gain for us. We have seen in verse 6 that it is beneficial for
us to pursue godliness with contentment. We saw in verse 7 that
contentment is essential because we aren’t going to take any
earthly goods with us anyway.
Now look at verse 8 to see what Paul states should be the basis
for our contentment,
8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be
content.
Paul says that if we have Godliness with contentment then when
we have food and clothing we will be satisfied. That is pretty
basic, isn’t it? We don’t need a certain model of car, a large bank
account or a brand new home to be content. We can be content if we
have the basics.
We have been blessed in this country. Most of us have far more
than just food and clothing. Piper says about this,
“… we can be content with the necessities of life because
the deepest, most satisfying delights God gives us through creation
are free gifts from nature and loving relationships with people.
After your basic needs are met money begins to diminish your
capacity for these pleasures rather than increase them. Buying
things contributes absolutely nothing to the heart’s capacity for
joy. There is a deep difference between the temporary thrill of a
new toy and a homecoming hug from a devoted friend. Who do you
think has the deepest most satisfying joy in life, the man who pays
$100 for a fortieth floor suite downtown and spends his evening in
the half-lit, smoke filled lounge impressing strange women with ten
dollar cocktails, or the man who chooses the Motel 6 by a vacant
lot of sunflowers and spends his evening watching the sunset and
writing a love letter to his wife?”
It’s so easy for us to lack contentment in our lives when we are
confused about what truly matters. Something that’s helpful to
remember is how Jesus came to earth having left the splendor of
Heaven to live a very humble life. He is our ultimate example of
contentment.
Luke 9:57-58,
57 Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that
someone said to Him, “Lord, I will follow You wherever You
go.” 58 And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of
the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His
head.”
It’s rather humbling to contemplate the riches that Jesus gave
up to come to earth to die for us. While here He lived a simple
life. He lived without luxuries that many of us enjoy. Yet, how
often are we discontent with what we have? We sang a few weeks ago
the Christmas carols that focused on the humble birth of our
Savior. Here are the words of the 3rd verse of the hymn
“Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne.”
The foxes found rest
And the bird its nest
In the shade of the forest tree;
But Thy couch was the sod,
O Thou Son of God,
In the deserts of Galilee:
O come to my heart Lord Jesus;
There is room in my heart for thee!
If you struggle with contentment, whether it’s contentment with
much or contentment with little, remember the humble circumstances
in which Jesus lived on this earth. We need to follow His example
and be content in whatever our circumstances, however humble they
may be. We can rest content in the fact that God will meet all of
our needs as Philippians 4:19 clearly tells us,
19 And my God shall supply all your need according to
His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
John MacArthur says,
“The Bible then not only identifies contentment as a virtue but
speaks of contentment as a command. You are to be content with
whatever you have. You are to be content with food and clothing.
You are to be content with your wages. You are to be content
because you understand that an utterly and totally and infinitely
and supernaturally resourceful God will never leave you or forsake
you. Contentment is a virtue, contentment is a command. Frankly,
most people don’t experience it. Most Christians don’t experience
it, obviously, to the degree that God desires us to. We tend to be
a very discontent people. And I have this sort of personal theory
that the more you have the more discontent you become. If that is
true, then this must be one of the most discontent societies in the
history of the human race. We are called to contentment. We are
called to be satisfied. We are called to say I have enough. Most of
us don’t experience that. Paul did. Paul was a satisfied man. He
was a contented man.”
How are we doing in this area of contentment? Are we happy with
what we have? I think one very clear indication of our contentment
is if we are thankful for what we have. If we are discontent, we
will complain and grumble about our circumstances. But if we are
truly content, we will be praising our Heavenly Father for all that
He has given us.
M.R. DeHaan said,
A young girl whose father was a chronic grumbler said to her
mother, “I know what everybody in this family likes. Johnny likes
hamburgers, Janie likes ice cream, Willie likes bananas, and Mommy
likes chicken.” The father, irked because he had not been included
in the list, asked, “What about me? What do I like?” The innocent
little one replied, “You like everything we haven’t got.
Are you like that? Do you like everything you haven’t got? Or
have you learned to be content with what God has given you? Can you
say, “if I have food and clothing, I will be content with
that?” When it comes down to what truly matters for eternity,
there isn’t much that we need.
Dave MacCasland shared the following account that really brings
this point home about what really matters…
“The airline had mangled Debbie’s luggage. Then her purse
disappeared. Instead of entering the airport through an enclosed
corridor, she stumbled off the plane in the pouring rain. She was
drenched, far from home with no money, no identification, and no
dry clothes. Under normal conditions Debbie would have been
furious, but that night it didn’t matter. She had just survived the
crash of Flight 1420 in Little Rock, Arkansas. “When I walked off
that plane,” Debbie said, “I walked off with nothing, then I
stopped and thought, I have everything.” She had suddenly
realized that her life was more important than all she had
lost.”
We live in a day when many have not learned the secret of
contentment. There is always something bigger and better waiting.
People work hard to acquire more and more stuff. But when it comes
right down to it, if we have the basics, we have all we really
need.
And what we need instead of a focus on our own needs is a
Kingdom focus, a focus on eternity. If we keep our focus on
eternity instead of the here and now, we can be content with what
the Lord has given. Things become clearer when looked at in the
light of eternity. What will it matter if I always had the latest
car or the nicest house if I was too busy to witness to my
neighbor. What do all those things amount to if I’m always
too busy keeping them up to spend time with my children pointing
them to Christ?
The most important ingredient in contentment is found in Jesus
Christ. If we know Him as our Savior and Lord, we can lead
contented lives.
Maybe your life is suffering today from a lack of contentment.
Maybe you haven’t trusted Christ as your Savior? If not, that is
the first thing you need to do to find contentment in life.
For those of you who have trusted Christ, is your life marked by
contentment? Are you thanking God and praising Him for what you
have? Or is it possible you are dissatisfied and wanting more?
If you find yourself always trying to get more or you find you
can’t seem to be content, I want to encourage you with a
simple truth that so many Christians overlook.
The simple truth is that you need to put God first in your life.
When you put God first in your life He will take care of you. How
does this apply to our contentment, our possessions, and our
money?
Let me ask you, how do you view giving to God and His work the
Church? Do you find it difficult to give anything to God’s
work? Does it seem like you never have enough after the bills are
paid?
Early in our marriage Carolyn and I learned an important lesson
about giving. I made some poor financial decisions that we are
still paying for – no pun intended – and we always felt
like we never had enough to give to God’s work. We seemed to
struggle to pay the bills and to come up with what we needed to
live on.
And you may have made some poor financial choices that have you
in a place of financial difficulty. And you may not think that you
can put God first in your finances. But I want to share a Biblical
principal with you that is totally contrary to what an economist or
financial advisor would tell you. Here it is; Give to God
first.
You might say, “I can’t afford to give money to the
Church I can’t afford to tithe, I can hardly pay the bills, I
never have anything left.” I know it doesn’t make
sense. In our human wisdom it makes no sense at all. But if you put
God first He’ll take care you.
Give to God first. Take 10% of your paycheck and give it to God
before you pay any bills and He’ll do some amazing things
with the other 90%. He’ll help you make wise financial
decisions that will make that 90% seem as if it’s more than
the 100% you started with.
Early in our marriage we weren’t faithful about giving
just 10% (and 10% is just a starting point – some of us can
and should give more than 10%) we never seemed to have enough. But
one day Carolyn and I sat down and committed ourselves to giving at
least 10% of all we earned to God through giving to the local
church. And since we started doing that we have never gone without
– much to the contrary. We have always been able to pay the
bills, we have always had food and clothing and a place to live and
cars to drive. Sometimes not the greatest cars and the nicest
clothes but He has always provided for us. What God has done with
our finances has been a miracle. He would take the 90% after we had
given and make it go so much further than the 100% was going before
we gave.
This may not make sense on paper but we can’t afford to
overlook the supernatural power of God to provide in our lives and
solve problems we think we can’t handle and make 90% go
further than we thought it could. I’m not saying you will get
rich if you give to God’s work. I’m not saying all your
problems will go away if you give to God first. And I’m not
saying this for the sake of the church. I’m confident the
Lord will supply for every need in His church.
Let’s understand something. A lack of contentment is sin.
A lack of contentment is a just as crippling as other sins in the
life of a believer. What we need to understand is that we
can’t expect to overcome this sin in our lives without
God’s help. We can’t afford to overlook the
supernatural help that God will give us over the sins we struggle
with. And God will give us that supernatural help when we put Him
first and we go to His Word and faithfully apply His Word to our
lives and when we humble ourselves before Him in prayer and we ask
for His wisdom and guidance and divine assistance with the sin in
our lives.
There’s a dangerous tendency to lack contentment in our
lives in our marriages, in our children, in our jobs. We must learn
to put God first. Were going to see next week some of the dangers
of the pursuit of riches and what happens when we don’t put
God first.
Is it a struggle for you to be content? Confess the sin.
Take steps to put God first in your life. Ask God for direction and
provision and wisdom from His Word. This is a truth that applies to
all our sin not just a lack of contentment.
Let’s keep a future perspective, an eternity perspective
on the days God gives us here on earth. Let’s strive to live lives
that are marked by contentment. Those you desire to see turn to
Christ will notice because contentment is an attractive quality.
Contentment will cause you to be a thankful and happy person. A
lack of contentment will lead you to misery and ungratefulness.
Your contentment can help lead others to Christ. Your lack of
contentment can lead others to turn from Christ.
How do others see you? Do they take notice a true contentment in
your life? There are others watching you to see if you are content.
They may not put it in those words but others want to see if this
Jesus truly makes you happy?
What’s sad is I think many people are pursuing contentment and
coming up short because they don’t pursue contentment with
Godliness; they don’t even try to put God first. If your life
is marked by contentment it will bear testimony to the work that
Christ has done in you.
Put God first in every area of your live—only He can give
true contentment.
Kevin is a husband, dad of eight, pastor and blogger from beautiful Higgins Lake, Michigan 
