1 Timothy 6:6-8 “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.”
In this section we want to discuss the blessing of being content and the danger of being covetous. In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul also confirms to us what our Lord Jesus has taught us, i.e. that God will supply our basic needs in this life and if those needs are being met then as believers, we should be content. However, if our basic needs are not being met then something has gone wrong and we cannot therefore be content. And so if believers find that their basic needs are not being met then they need to take stock of their lives, because there is something that they are doing, or not doing, that is preventing God from meeting their needs, for God cannot lie and He has said that He would supply all of our needs.
Hebrews 13:5 “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you not forsake you.”
We have seen in the previous section that God’s view of our being rich is that we will always have a full supply and that we do not experience any lack. And so if our basic needs are being met, then as believers, we should learn to be content with that. Where many believers get themselves into trouble is when they see others around them having more than they do, and so they begin to covet. The above quoted passage of scripture counsels us as believers, to be content with that which we have and not to covet that which we do not have. Because when we do that we are saying to God, that we are not satisfied with that which He has given us and that we want more. When believers step outside of contentment and they step into covetousness, then they step outside of God’s provision and they open themselves up to all sorts of pain and heartache.
Luke 12:15 “And He said to them, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”
When our Lord Jesus went to the cross for us, there were a number of blessings that He purchased for us. One of those blessings was divine health, for the scripture says that by His stripes we were healed (1 Peter 2:24). And so for those saints who choose to believe this scripture and appropriate it for themselves; they can and will experience walking in divine health. Once one is walking in divine health that’s as far as you can go, for you cannot get any healthier than to walk free from sickness and disease. Another of the blessings that our Lord purchased for us when He went to the cross is that He became poor so that we could become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). And so in the same manner, for those saints who choose to believe this scripture and appropriate it for themselves; they can and will experience walking free from lack. But I want you to notice from the above quoted passage of scripture that our Lord warns us in this area, for unlike the area of divine health, once all our needs are met there is always the temptation to obtain more. Our Lord calls this covetousness and believers need to guard themselves against this practice.
1 Timothy 6:3-11 “If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, (4) he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, (5) useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. (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. (9) But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. (10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (11) But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul also confirms to us our Lord’s warning in this area. For He tells us plainly that we are to be content with having our needs met, and that we should avoid the temptation of wanting to be rich. This passage clearly contrasts God’s view of riches with those of the world, for it is the world that loves money and is never satisfied with that which they have. Paul teaches us that believers that desire riches as the world does will be tempted to stray from the faith through greed, for they become deceived into thinking that godliness is a means of gain. So what does the apostle Paul mean when he says that some suppose that godliness is a means of gain? He is talking about those who teach that there are certain biblical principles, which if applied, will make the believer rich in worldly terms. And so you see those ministries catering to those in the church who have a love for money. Invariably it is only those who teach such false doctrine that become rich however, because they persuade many in the church to donate to their ministries or buy their materials. But the individual saints who support their ministries never become wealthy themselves.
Matthew 13:22 “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture our Lord Jesus teaches us that riches in this life are deceitful, for they choke the word in the life of the believer and they thus become unfruitful in the kingdom of God. The reason that riches in this life can be deceitful is because although the believer may be wealthy and have all they could possibly desire in this life, they do not realise that spiritually they become unfruitful and are therefore wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked in God’s kingdom (Revelation 3:17). And so we can see from the scriptures quoted in this section that there can be no doubt that for believers to seek after riches in this life is very foolish indeed.
James 4:1-3 “Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? (2) You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. (3) You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle James teaches us the difference between asking God to meet our needs, and asking Him for riches. Clearly from this passage the inference is that when we ask for our needs to be met, that God will supply those needs. But it is also clearly stated that God will not answer prayer requests that ask for riches, for those requests are not spiritual in nature but rather for the gratifying of our fleshly desires. And so we once again see the difference between God’s view of our being rich in this life and the carnal view of being rich, and how those views are completely opposite to each other. Clearly we have established in this section that believers are to walk in contentment and avoid walking in covetousness.
Michael E.B. Maher
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