July 31, 2005
"Words, Wants and Wallets"
A Call to Faithfulness—Part 7
1 Timothy 6:3-10
If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.
—1 Timothy 6:3-5
1. Words
A. Lookout for the words that deny Jesus Christ.
...there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies... and in their greed they will exploit you with false words...
—2 Peter 2:1,3
"The fount of inspiration is not now within the Book, and with the Holy Spirit, but within man's own intelligence. We have no longer, 'Thus saith the Lord;' but, 'Thus saith modern thought.'"
—C.H. Spurgeon
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. —2 Timothy 4:3-4
B. Lookout for the words that cause arguments and conflicts.
...but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth...
—1 Timothy 6:4-5
"When men are not content with the words of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the doctrine which is according to godliness, but will frame notions of their own and impose them, and that too in their own words, which man's wisdom teaches, and not in the words which the Holy Spirit teaches, they sow the seeds of all mischief in the church."
—Matthew Henry
C. Run to the words of Jesus because they never change.
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
—Isaiah 40:8
"Over the span of life, the Word can be tested time and time again and its truths will stand tall as our culture's fascination with the subjective proves itself to be hollow and false."
—Ravi Zacharaias
D. Run to the words of Jesus because they are life-changing power.
For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
—Hebrews 4:12
Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.
—Matthew 11:28-30 (Message)
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.
—John 6:35
2. Wants
...men who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
—1 Timothy 6:5-8
A. Want to be rich? Know what rich means.
Rich means adding contentment to your faith.
B. Want to be content? Know what contentment means.
Contentment means grub and garb!
For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.
—1 Timothy 6:7-8
Jesus said, "...I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
—Matthew 6:25 (also Luke 12:22-23)
3. Wallets
But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
—1 Timothy 6:9-10
A. Lookout for loving living large (the love of money).
But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is at the root of all kinds of evil.
—1 Timothy 6:9 (NLT)
Your greedy luxuries are a cancer in your gut, destroying your life from within.
—James 5:3 (Message)
Money will buy a bed but not sleep; books but not brains; food but not appetite; finery but not beauty; a house but not a home; medicine but not health; luxuries but not culture; amusements but not happiness; religion but not salvation; a passport to everywhere but heaven.
—The Voice In the Wilderness, quoted in Discipleship Journal
C. Lookout for loving luxury over Lord.
...and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
—1 Timothy 6:10b
Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after.
—1 Timothy 6:10b (Message)
You can't worship two gods at once. Loving one god, you'll end up hating the other. Adoration of one feeds contempt for the other. You can't worship God and money both.
—Matthew 6:24 (Message)
"Make all you can; save all you can; give all you can."
—John Wesley
Lifework
When it comes to words, being a Christian doesn't mean I pitch my thinking out the window. No Christian can follow Christ and throw his mind into neutral. What gear is your mind in?
The wants of riches and contentment can be completely misunderstood if we allow the world to dictate the meanings. Are you rich according to the world or according to God? Are you content according to the world or according to God?
And what about your wallet? Where are you in making all you can, saving all you can and giving all you can?
The bottom line: go back to Jesus Christ. It's Jesus who holds the truth; it's Jesus who meets every need; it's Jesus who is far richer than anything on earth; it's Jesus who will raise you up to be with Him forever. Do you know Him? Do you need to get re-acquainted with Him?
For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.
—John 6:40