What is godliness? "God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16).
True godliness is God-likeness as in the above portion, and in Eph. 5:1 linked up with Eph. 4:32. Christians are to be followers (literally imitators) of God—be God-like or godly, ever giving ourselves up to God for others, as Christ did on the cross—of course excepting what only Christ could do—making atonement. But our godliness, our walking in love, is to have no lower standard than this. The Holy Spirit too in the first epistle of John teaches the same standards as to us Christians loving one another in chapter 4:16. Then godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim. 6:6-8.)
Godliness not only has "promise of the life that now is," but also "of that which is to come" (1 Tim. 4:8), and both are "gain." So godliness with contentment is great gain. Where there is not this "contentment," the heart is not satisfied—not resting in the joy of communion with the Father and the Son.
Satan knows this well and tries to rob us of this joy by stirring up covetousness. So we are exhorted in Heb. 13:5, "Let your conversation {conduct as a Christian} be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." And again, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." (1 Tim. 6:7-10.)
But what am I to be content with? Food and clothing. Hear too what our Lord teaches as to this in Luke 12, and what are we to consider? We are to consider the ravens, and the lilies, and how He feeds the one and clothes the other (vv. 22-30).
What is covetousness? In Scripture there are different words in the Greek, all translated by the same English word "covet" or "covetousness."
Five Greek words for "covet" and "covetousness" are found in the New Testament. In only two scriptures (1 Cor. 12:31 and 1 Cor. 14:39) is the word used in a good sense, and here only the word "zeloo" (to be zealous for) is used. By far the commonest word is "pleonexia," meaning "the greed for more," or "greed for gain."
Of the other three words "philargurus" or "love of silver" is found in Luke 16:14, Heb. 13:5, and 2 Tim. 3:2. In 1 Tim. 6:10 it is translated "love of money." "Epithumeo" or "fixing the mind on" is used in Acts 20:33, Rom. 7:7 and 13:9. In 1 Tim. 6:10 it is "oregomai" or "extending the arms for."
In Luke 12:15-20 it is "greediness -for gain." And in 1 Cor. 5 we are told to put away, not only a fornicator, or drunkard, or railer, as a wicked person, but one greedy for gain, a covetous person. Does not all this show how hateful greediness for gain is to God? It is idolatry (Col. 3:5). How 'it `"fobs God of His proper place!
And how it robs the soul of the great gain of godliness with contentment, and the joy of the Father acting a father's part to those who are separate from any unequal yoke with unbelievers! Some lines come before me that illustrate the above, and I pass them on to the reader: