Overcoming the Root of All Evil -- 1 Timothy 6:3-16

Introduction

Everybody wants to get ahead in the world. We want to win the games in which we compete, we want the promotions at work, we want the best grades in school. It’s ingrained in human beings to strive to be the best.

And there’s nothing wrong with ambition, as long as that ambition is properly channeled. The passage we look at today shows that to be true. Ambition that is centered in pursuing and knowing the will of God must always be our first ambition. We can strive to get ahead in life, but in a godly way with a Christ-like passion and manner.

Background

Timothy was a young man that Paul took under his wing while on Paul’s first mission trip to Europe. Paul wrote two letters to Timothy that we have in the Bible, both letters filled with advice on how to be a better pastor and disciple in a world of opposition and challenges. Though the letters are relatively short, they are filled with excellent advice on walking with Christ and living life in general.

In the passage today, Paul warns Timothy about people who follow false doctrines. The false doctrines result in conflict and turmoil, and the motives for pursuing such false doctrines are just as wrong as the doctrines are. In contrast, Paul reminds Timothy of the importance not just of being sound in doctrine but in having the proper motives for the things we do.

Central Truth: The key to truly great gain is found in sound doctrine, godliness with contentment and the pursuit of righteousness.

To have truly great gain:

1. Follow sound instruction (3-5)

I learned a long time ago that people have a tendency to believe someone as long as that person seems sincere and certain of what is being said. As we’ve learned in the last 20 years or so in our country, if something is said sincerely enough and often enough it will become accepted as truth. It’s what Steven Colbert calls truthiness.”

The speakers of truthiness find something that sounds right, and begin to espouse that belief. They don’t let facts get in the way of their story; in fact, such people will seek to discredit the truths, facts and realities that refute the truthiness message.

Paul is speaking about such people in vs. 1-5. These people not only preach false doctrine, but they disagree with sound doctrine coming from Christ Himself. Paul describes such people as conceited and ignorant, understanding nothing. Instead of heeding the call to be an ambassador of reconciliation, the false teacher seems to go out of his way to stir up controversies and strife. And not only does he strive to do so, he or she has a morbid fascination for such things. It is the growing ambition of such people to dig constantly deeper into the insignificant things that stir up evil desires and feelings such as envy, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction.

And the reason they do this is that they use it for financial gain. Paul says such men and women think godliness will result in monetary gain. Much like the Rich Young Ruler and those who believed that riches were a sign of God’s favor and blessing, these people go about stirring things up with the hope and plan that such strife will result in being paid more and more. After all, if a person is charging for their “knowledge” on such matters, it only benefits them if there is a constant need for their services. Keep stirring the pot and the need for more “guidance” will always be there.

But Paul reminds us that true gain comes through sound doctrine. It is only when we earnestly seek and do the will of the Father through His Son Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit that we find true peace and true contentment. Sound doctrine seeks to bring people together under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is a ministry of reconciliation and truth. This leads us into the next part of the passage.

1. Seek godly contentment (6-10)

Having written about the dangers of following false doctrine and seeking riches, Paul now shows us the better way with the opening statement of “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (v. 6).

The godliness Paul writes of is the opposite of the false teachers in the earlier verses. A godly person is the one who follows the sound doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ and listens to godly teachings. Rather than having a morbid fascination for controversies and quarrels about words, the godly person wants to bring others into a closer fellowship, united around the same Father, the same Son and the same Holy Spirit.

The contentment comes in realizing that all we have is a gift from God. Each day we live, each breath we take, is a gift from God. The food we eat, the clothes we wear, the shelter we find is all from God who knows our needs before we ask Him. Paul’s point is that when we are walking in close fellowship with God, then everything else falls into place and we can be content with what we have. Once we come to this realization, then we are ahead in the game, and we find ourselves with greater gain. The pursuit of the kingdom must always come first, and everything else will be added to it (cf. Matthew 6:33).

Having established the how we gain when we seek God first, Paul goes back to the dangers of wanting to strike it rich. It’s too easy to be caught up in the pursuit of wealth, to listen to the siren song of riches will answer all our problems. If we follow this pursuit, just as if we follow any temptation that comes from Satan, we find ourselves doing things we know are not right, saying things we know aren’t necessarily true, wanting things that are not really ours.

In the NIV, v. 10a is interpreted as, “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Other translations simply state the love of money is the root of all evil.” Whether it’s the root of all evil or all kinds of evil, the love of money must be shunned by the Christian world. And it needs to be noted that it is not money that is the root of all evil, but the love of money. Recall last week in Matthew 6:19-24 that we were told we cannot serve God and money, for we will come to love one and despise the other. When our first love becomes money, then it becomes an idol. If we embrace the love of money, we will convince ourselves that money will meet all our needs, will answer all our questions. We come to rely on money and not on the God who saves us through His Son and indwells us with His Holy Spirit.

When we put the love of money over our love for God, then we forget that godliness with contentment is great gain. Once asked how much money was enough, John Rockefeller is said to say, “A little bit more.” The love for money becomes the task master and we will do whatever it takes to achieve that goal. We are never content, we are never satisfied, we always want more.

1. Pursue righteousness (11-16)

If we want to be where God wants us, we must shun the love of money, and we instead we must pursue righteousness. Paul’s words in these verses remind us that our faith must remain strong, must be our only pursuit.

Here Paul is writing directly to Timothy about how he is to conduct his personal life. This is not written to the people in general. Nonetheless, the advice given to Timothy is excellent advice for us all.

The instructions suggest the need for spiritual athleticism. We are to run from the false doctrines and the allure of the love of money, and running toward righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. We are to fight the good fight of faith, grasping on to eternal life.

Eternal life is not just the hope of future things, but the realization that we are in Christ, Christ is in the Father and Christ is in us (cf. John 14:20) and that the Father and Son abide in us (John 14:23). The eternal life is what we experience today as we walk in obedience to the Father’s will. We obey not to gain God’s blessings, but out of our love for Him and our faith in Him. As a result of what Christ has done for us, we are imbued with righteousness & godliness. We come to Christ by faith, not works, and the Holy Spirit grants us His fruit, including the characteristics of love and gentleness.

Paul concludes this passage with the assurance that Christ is coming again and that we must remain faithful until that time. This knowledge leads Paul to words of praise to God the Father. Here Paul emphasizes the holiness of God by reminding us that God stands alone against all creation, that God is Other and as such is worthy of our praise and our faith and our trust.

Conclusion

Over the last three messages, we’ve seen that earthly riches can keep us from the kingdom of God, and that we must choose whether we will serve God or money, whether we will set our hearts on the treasure stored above or the temporal treasures of earth. Today we see that the love of money can destroy us, drawing us away from God and away from His will. Our calling is that we must pursue righteousness, fighting the good fight with sound doctrine, holding to the faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, embracing the eternal life that is a gift from God through His Holy Spirit. The things of God are always to be preferred, for it is only in obedience to Him that we will find true riches and true meaning.