RICHES OF GOD’S CHILDREN
1 Timothy 6:6-12 But 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 raiment let us be therewith content.
Be content with food and clothing.
Flee these things.
If only more children of God had Paul’s perspective when it came to material things! To be content with food and clothing, knowing that we came into this world with nothing and will be taking nothing with us when we leave, is a great treasure. With contentment comes peace. When our mind is not stressed with dissatisfaction, it can then be free to think on the things of the Lord and even to have creative ideas that He may give. Contentment is not apathy. Apathy is -Want of feeling; an utter privation of passion, or insensibility to pain; applied either to the body or the mind. (Webster’s 1828 dictionary) To be content does not necessarily mean that you will not do things in life that may improve your situation, but it is a state in which you can have peace without striving for the wrong things and the wrong reasons.
While the Bible does not say that it is a sin to be rich, or that we should not use our abilities in wise ways that will bring in the best profit, yet, being wealthy should not be the main goal of a Christian. For as Paul continues on this subject, he states that those who will be rich- (to “will,” i.e. (reflex) be willing: - be disposed, minded, inten…..) - fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
But he also gives the reason for this. It is because that the love of money is the root of all evil. Now, the term ‘love of money’ here means – avarice (Strong’s) which Webster’s 1828 Dic defines as – “An inordinate desire of gaining and possessing wealth; covetousness; greediness or insatiable desire of gain.” This is more than just enjoying having plenty. It is, apparently, something that preoccupies your mind.
Many Christians believe that God’s children should be prosperous. To support this, 3 John 1:2 is sometimes referred to. This is where John was speaking to Gaius, who he loved when he told him this - 3 John 1:2 Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. However Paul’s words to Gaius didn’t stop there. He went on to say - 3 For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth. 4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. 5 Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;
6 Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church….
The word ‘Prosper,’ in these verses, comes from the Greek word – euodoo – and means to help on the road, i.e. (passively) succeed in reaching; figuratively – to succeed in business affairs: - (have a) prosper (- ous journey).
So, what is prosperity, really? Prosperity is defined by Webster’s 1828 Dic. As - Advance or gain in any thing good or desirable; successful progress in any business or enterprise; success; attainment of the object desired;
To prosper then, is to advance or gain in anything good or desirable. And Paul told Timothy that godliness with contentment is great gain. This indicates that contentment is something to gain or prosper in. So, it is easy to see Paul wanting Gaius to advance and be successful in walking in the truth, testifying of the truth, and doing faithfully whatsoever he did concerning the brethren and strangers. It is true that prosperity can include advancing in business or enterprise, but do we really see Paul addressing business or finances when speaking here to Gaius?
If Paul said that godliness with contentment is great gain, and prosperity is gain, then we might say that great prosperity is prospering in godliness and growing in contentment in Christ. Learning to be satisfied in doing the will of God, having the heart of God, and being content in walking with Him, in Him, and doing His will is a great thing!
Unless you inherit material wealth, it often takes a lot of thought and time to acquire it. This may include years of study to get degrees, perhaps hands on training, and then once the job or career is achieved, that is to be the means for this wealth, comes the years it takes to earn it and all the time and thought that goes into that. Then too, if you do acquire the wealth, it can be so easy to get whatever you want, that you may find yourself either not asking God’s will, or if you do ask, there’s the great possibility of thinking your strong desire for a thing is His approval, or of being so distracted with your desires that you miss His voice, because you now have the ability to get what you want without asking.
Paul makes known that those who would be rich, which may be those who greatly desire wealth, whose thoughts are preoccupied with gaining it to satisfy an insatiable desire, while always wanting ‘more,’ can easily fall into a snare. A snare in the sense Paul is speaking about is “a trap (as fastened by a noose or notch); figuratively a trick or stratagem (temptation): - snare” [Strong’s]
He tells the man of God to flee these things and instead to follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and meekness. These are the things we should desire. Can you imagine what the believer’s life would be like if he spent half as much time in the Word of God, reading it, studying it, and listening to the Holy Spirit as He opens his understanding, as is often spent in preparation for careers for monetary gain?
But that is not all. Paul instructs to fight the good fight of faith. We are to be warriors of God who fight the fight of faith, not of satisfying ungodly lusts that war against our souls. 1 Peter 2:11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
We are to fight this fight and lay hold on the goal that matters. Eternal life! This is what God has called us to! In fact, being a good soldier requires focus and expertise. Paul told Timothy this - 2 Timothy 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. A soldier who is in war, must focus on the job at hand. And, Children of God, until the Lord comes to call us to Himself, we will be at war. We will need to have the armor of God on, and we need to be honing our skills in the use of our weapons.
Matthew made known where the Christian’s focus should be. It should be on seeking, first and foremost, the kingdom of God which is the place where God rules.
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
No man can serve two masters. Serve – “to be a slave to…” [Strong’s] How many times has a person felt like they were a slave to their job, even if it was a job that barely served to meet the basic needs of life? If you can use the same amount of time that you use to do a job that produces little, in a way that will produce a greater profit, and still bring honor to God, that can be wisdom. Yet, above all, we should seek the rulership of God and His righteousness, to grow in relationship with Him, to know His voice, and be busy about doing what He calls and directs us to do. In this there is profit that money can never buy. And if, in so doing, we find ourselves not overtaken in material riches, we will always be taken care of by our Lord.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Paul himself was a tent maker by trade. (Acts 18:3) Apparently, he did spend some time at his trade, perhaps to earn enough to help support him in his travels. He may have learned this skill from his father or some other means as a young man, and he had to have put in the time it took to do so. Once the skill was mastered, he would have that knowledge wherever he went. Yet, after he was born-again, the work of the ministry, coming and going as God led him, came before this occupation. So, although he had a skill by which he could earn money, Paul knew how to behave during times of having plenty and during times of being without some of the basics of life, because he knew that in following the Spirit of God’s leading, he had to deal with both situations at different times.
Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Paul knew how to abound which according to the Greek means - “superabound (in quantity or quality) be in excess…” [Strong’s]. This is having far more than enough. We might say that Paul knew how to have excess without being puffed up in pride, and he also knew how to be abased. (“to depress; fig. to humiliate (in condition or heart): abase, bring low, humble (self)” [Strong’s] He knew how to be in a humble situation that others might look down on. There were times when God instructed him to be in a situation where he found himself hungry, and temporarily suffering need. He knew how to behave when he had to wait for God to provide, which He would do, right on time, and to see God supply his needs when he could not do so for himself. He was fully able to make it in either situation through Christ who strengthened him in the hard times and met all of his needs right on time. A person who can have confidence in God when they are in need and do not have wealth on hand to meet their own needs, and who can be filled with joy in the knowledge that God will surely meet every need on time, is an amazing witness of the power of God to sustain us and give us peace in the middle of every storm!
Clearly God expects men to provide for their families And, since they must do this, it is good to use wisdom. Being wise and watchful, to work in a way that will bring a good profit can be a good thing, as long as getting more and more, more than is necessary, does not become an addiction and such a preoccupation that the relationship with God and the work of the ministry is crowded out or becomes secondary. If we see our talents, acquired skills, etc. as tools with which to use for good rather than becoming a slave to them for wealth’s sake, and if we have given our lives, even our bodies as living sacrifices to God, then we might not be as apt to let wealth become a god that rules us.
In this day and age, even in the Church world, being content with the necessities of life can be looked down on. And yet Paul instructed Timothy to do just that. 1 Timothy 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.
It is one thing to be willing to use our knowledge and abilities to make improvements in our living conditions and another to never be satisfied, never be content, to be obsessed with always wanting more. Even if you like expensive things, and may even have some ideas for increasing your income, can you, in the meantime, be content with having enough? And is your greatest joy and goal to be doing what God wants you to do, in the conditions He provides?
If you have been born-again, then remember that you are a son or daughter of the Almighty God who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the God to whom belongs all of the earth and the fullness thereof. You are His child, and as a Father, He will, out of the abundance of His love, give you what you need and what is best for you, moment by moment. You do not need to seek wealth that already belongs to your Father.
A man can be rich in all the things of the Spirit and Word, in love, health, godly relationships, and enjoying the goodness of the necessities of life, while another can be rolling in wealth and starving in their heart and spirit.
There are those who may not like the wisdom in Proverbs that says - Proverbs 23:4-5 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
If this is in the Word of God, it is for our good.
Solomon was granted great wealth when he did not ask for it, but rather asked – 1 Kings 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad….
And Jesus said this. -
Luke 9:23-25 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Jesus left all the glory of Heaven to give His life for us. Now let this mind be in us – Philippians 2:5-95 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ: 6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Philippians 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
If you do this and are willing to seek first the Kingdom of God, the place where He rules, and to obey all these instructions that He gives, and you are still able through wisdom and ingenuity to prosper financially, so be it. Or if God chooses to bestow wealth on you, so be it. Thank Him and be careful to follow His voice. For even Solomon, the man of wisdom, after he became rich, fell into the snare of the enemy, and learned that his own wisdom and his own wealth gave him no peace or purpose in life. These things did not give him the godliness and contentment that are great gain.
Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
18 That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Timothy was told to charge those who were rich – he did not say those who were seeking riches – but those who were rich – not to be highminded and not to trust in uncertain riches. Surely there were those who were already rich when they learned of God’s salvation. And surely there would be those whose employment would bring them wealth. But those who were rich, were to put their trust in the living God, who is the one who gives us richly (copiously: - abundantly ….) [Strong’s] all things to enjoy, not in their material things. These were to be ready to share with others and to be rich in good works. God gives us all things to enjoy, including the air we breathe, the beauty of nature, and our precious each others.
Matthew 19:23-26 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
25 When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
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