How to Live in God’s House, Part 8
In our message, HOLDING UP THE GOOD CONFESSION (1 Tim. 6:3-16), we are reminded about false teachers who contradict and disagree the “sound words… of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Tim. 6:3 NET). The book of First Timothy (and the rest of the Bible) are “wholesome words” that bring spiritual health to a Christian- when heard and applied- because they promote life and that life is found in Jesus Christ who is “the way, the truth, and the life” (1 Tim. 6:3; John 1:14; 14:6). That is, the Bible is “the doctrine which accords with godliness” helping God’s children “know… Jesus Christ [better who] is [Himself]… eternal life” (1 John 5:20).
Paul here, like a physician, diagnoses the characteristics of false teachers who stand in opposition to Scripture. They are “proud” … puffed up with inflated egos as well as “know… nothing” of the true meaning of what God says on the issues they teach (1 Tim. 6:4a). Their words, in opposition to Scripture, actually make Christians sick spiritually when they are listened to (i.e. the word “obsessed”- Grk noséō, in verse 4 means to ailment or disease). The fruit of such delusions, of course, is bad: “quarreling, malicious talk, evil suspicions, and constant friction” (1 Tim. 6:4b NET). And the idol of these false teachers is also revealed here- wealth or money (1 Tim. 6:5; Eph. 2:1-2; 1 John 5:19, etc.). Their minds, because they “have been robbed of the truth,” also have been corrupted as they seek to exercise authority and control over others (1 Tim. 6:5 NET; 1 Tim. 1:19-20; Rom. 1:18f, etc.). These false teachers believe and teach the lie that the way to life or God is becoming rich materially (1 Tim. 6:5 NLT; Luke 16:13). But the truth is “godliness” does not give financial gain, it is in itself “great gain” or profit to those Christians to walk after the Master as they are filled with His Spirit and experience His “contentment” (1 Tim. 6:6; Luke 9:23; Eph. 5:18, etc.). The word “contentment” here means ‘self-sufficiency.’ But it is not our strength, but God in us making us whole and in need of nothing (Gal. 5:22-23, etc.). This is not something that comes naturally but must be learned in Christ, and is something the apostle Paul knew personally of: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). This is NOT what prosperity teachers declare, but the truth is the world is passing away and just as we brought nothing into it, we also can take nothing materially out of it (1 Tim. 6:7). When the Lord provides for our basic needs like “food and clothing,” with Him at the center of our life, we need nothing else (1 Tim. 6:8; Matt. 6:31-34; Ps. 23:1). When we let Him lead us, the Bible assures us it is “great gain” or profit now and also in the age to come (1 Tim. 6:6; 1 Cor. 3:13-14; Matt. 19:23-30, etc.).
The Scripture then addresses “those who desire to become rich” (1 Tim. 6:9a). An inner lack of godliness and contentment leaves a vacuum in one’s life which, for a Christian, will cause him to “fall into temptation” stumbling from the truths of the Bible (1 Tim. 6:9). This is “a snare” or trap set by the enemy of our souls to make a child of God ineffective in the race set before him or her (1 Tim. 6:9; Heb. 12:1-2). While wealth is not evil in itself, “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” that can result in a Christian living a wasted life (1 Tim. 6:10; 1 Cor. 3:15; 1 Tim. 1:19-10, etc.). We therefore are called to “flee” such things and instead “pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness” (1 Cor. 6:11; Matt. 6:24; 1 Cor. 10:14; 1 John 5:20-21, etc.). The word “pursue” here means to chase after and “flee” means to run from the love of money (1 Cor. 6:5-11, 1 Cor. 10:14, 1 John 5:21; 2 Tim. 2:22, etc.). This is also fighting “the good fight of faith” and means experiencing Jesus (i.e. eternal life) today more intimately (1 Tim. 6:12a, 19, see also 1 Tim. 4:16; John 10:10; 1 John 5:20, etc.). Christians have already been “called” by grace through faith the moment they believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord when they “confessed that good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Tim. 6:12, etc.), but He wants us to continue HOLDING UP THE GOOD CONFESSION of what we have believed- both in word and deed- throughout our lives. Holding up Jesus as our example, who proclaimed “the good confession before Pontius Pilate” in “the hour, and power of darkness” before He went to Calvary for us (1 Tim. 6:13; Luke 22:53), we are given the strongest “commandment” here in the book of First Timothy to do the same with our lives by engaging in the “fight” with all of our being (1 Tim. 6:14a). Paul reached a point at the end of his life when he knew he had arrived (2 Tim. 4:7) but he also did not take that for granted before his departure (1 Cor. 9:24-27 vs. 2 Tim. 4:8, etc.). The Lord calls us here to walk closely with Him so we are doing this now and “until [His] appearing” for us (1 Tim. 6:14b; 1 Pet. 2:11-12; 1 John 4:4; Rom. 12:1-2, etc.). Then and only then will the struggle be over (1 Tim. 6:12; Eph. 6:10-12; 1 John 1:9; Gal. 5:16-18; Gal. 2:20, etc.).
The timing of the Jesus’ return for His bride, while it can occur at any moment, is also known only to the Lord (1 Tim. 6:15a; Acts 1:6-7; Mark 13:32, etc.). He is the “only Potentate” Being with no rival- “the King of kings and Lord of lords” who “alone has immortality” (1 Tim. 6:15-16a). All other creatures were made by Him, but He alone exists apart from all things and dwells “in unapproachable light,” in a realm where no human eye has ever seen, nor ever will- apart from Him revealing Himself to us through the sacrifice of His Son (Gen. 3:15; John 3:16; 1 Tim. 6:16; Col. 1:15-16 NLT, etc.). To Him alone is all “honor and everlasting power. Amen” (1 Tim. 6:16b). *For more information on these truths from the Bible please see SBFC’s August 17, 2025 message above.