Godliness With Contentment Is Great Gain

From: Christian Truth: Volume 31

• 3 min. read • grade level: 9

What is godliness? "God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Tim. 3:16¹⁶And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:16)).

True godliness is God-likeness as in the above portion, and in Eph. 5:1¹Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (Ephesians 5:1) linked up with Eph. 4:32³²And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. (Ephesians 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. 6:6-8⁶But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. (1 Timothy 6:6‑8).)

Godliness not only has "promise of the life that now is," but also "of that which is to come" (1 Tim. 4:8⁸For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. (1 Timothy 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. 13:5⁵Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 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. 6:7-10⁷For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. ⁸And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. ⁹But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 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. 12:31³¹But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31) and 1 Cor. 14:39³⁹Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. (1 Corinthians 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 16:14¹⁴And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. (Luke 16:14), Heb. 13:5⁵Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. (Hebrews 13:5), and 2 Tim. 3:2²For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (2 Timothy 3:2). In 1 Tim. 6:10¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10) it is translated "love of money." "Epithumeo" or "fixing the mind on" is used in Acts 20:33³³I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. (Acts 20:33), Rom. 7:7⁷What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. (Romans 7:7) and 13:9. In 1 Tim. 6:10¹⁰For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:10) it is "oregomai" or "extending the arms for."

In Luke 12:15-20¹⁵And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. ¹⁶And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: ¹⁷And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? ¹⁸And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. ²⁰But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (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. 3:5⁵Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: (Colossians 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:

Click here to show subject links in the text for more information.