1 Timothy chapter 6. Let as many
servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy
of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine be not blasphemed. and they that have believing
masters let them not despise them because they are brethren,
but rather do them service because they are faithful and beloved,
partakers of the benefit these things teach and exhort. If any
man teach otherwise and consent not to wholesome words, even
the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which is
according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting
about questions and envies of words whereof cometh strife. whereof cometh envy, strife,
railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt
minds and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness,
from such withdraw thyself. But godliness with contentment
is great gain, for we brought nothing into this world and it
is certain we can carry nothing out. In having food and raiment,
let us be therewith content. But 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. For 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. But thou, O man of God, flee
these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith,
love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith,
lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called and hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses. I give thee charge
in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ
Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession,
that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until
the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which in his times he
shall show, who is the blessed and only potentate, the King
of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling
in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath
seen nor can see, to whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen. Charge them that are rich
in this world that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain
riches, but in the living God who giveth us richly all things
to enjoy. that they do good, that they
be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate,
laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the
time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. Oh, Timothy,
keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane
and vain babblings and oppositions of science, falsely so called,
which some professing have erred concerning the faith. grace be
with thee. Amen. Now this passage of scripture
here as Paul writes to Timothy begins with something as Brother
Thomas had taught us last time he taught and then today reiterated
concerning the role of servants to their master. And as he ably
pointed out, we don't really have that relationship today
specifically as they did in those days when servitude as someone
who was either sold themselves into slavery, became an indentured
servant, or in some fashion became servants in that way. And, of course, as he specifically
speaks, which under far more dire circumstances perhaps than
we would be in our day, yet nonetheless we are to give servitude to those
who are our employers. And we are to serve them. not
as though we were serving them, but as though we were serving
God. And that's the fashion in which our mind should be when
we perform any task of work. If we work, if we're self-employed
and we go into, someone hires us to perform a service to them,
to build a house or cut the lawn or lay some bricks or do whatever
it is we do, we're not doing that task primarily for them. But we keep in mind that we're
primarily doing that task as unto the Lord. As He's given
us that task, and He's called us to it, and we are to do whatever
we do as unto the Lord. Do it heartily, not as unto men,
but as unto God. Now that's a difficult thing.
It's impossible to do in the flesh. And a man can resolve
to do that every day, but he will fail in doing that in a
perfect manner. But we are, as the children of
God, called by the Spirit to strive unto that end. And it
is a delightful thing as we remind ourselves of that. And we do
desire that. May the Lord help us. Let as
many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters
worthy of all honor, that the name of God and His doctrine
be not blasphemed. And of course we understand in
that, that as the Lord has put order in society and in all things,
there is a pecking order. you know, whether we like it
or we don't. I mean, it's like our leaders.
Now, there are many things that our earthly leaders, as far as
our presidents and congressmen and all of these things, there
are many things that they do that are not pleasing to us. And that doesn't mean we have
to be happy with what they're doing, but it does mean, as the
Lord has ordained them as our leader, he could have put anybody
in there you know as not. I often hear men say, well, he's
not my president. Well, God saw fit to give him
to you as your president, whether you like it or you don't. Whether
you agree with him or you don't, he is still that one whom God
has placed in that position, and he has a certain respect
that we are to give unto him as that office holder, because
the Lord is the one who controls those things. And there again,
he didn't call us to be happy about it, but he did call us
to give that honor, not hypocritically. but in truth, that the word of
God, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
Now, you know, we think of blasphemy as somebody saying words that
they should not or using the Lord's name in vain, but the
doctrine of God can be blasphemed when men disregard such plain
and simple instructions as that. And then he says, they that have
believing masters, let them not despise them. You know, the thought,
sometimes people say, oh, well, you know, I'm working for Brother
So-and-So, and we're brethren in the Lord. And so, you know,
he told me to go and do this job that I didn't really like
to do. And so, you know, why did he
do that? I mean, he's my brother in the
Lord. Well, it doesn't make any difference, you know. If man's
a brother in the Lord, even more so, ought you give respect unto
him. And don't despise him because
he is. Now I can see this, how this
might have been very in the position of those who were in servitude,
slaves, so to speak, to give their master, who was a believing
master, when they're thinking, well, you know, he should set
me free. or he should pay me more because I'm a brother in
Christ. You know, we don't despise a
man because he is our brother in Christ, because he has been
put in a certain position, but because they are brethren, rather,
to do them service. Now, if you're going to do a
good job in that which God called you to, for the heathen and those
that have no regard to the Lord, how much more so I want you to
be mindful that you do that unto the brethren. Because surely,
you know, they are our brethren in the Lord. Rather do them service
because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
And we do need to be reminded of those things and exhorted
to those things because we are all self-centered. And we're
all thinking about what benefit something is to us. But the Lord
said, look not on your own things, but on the things of others.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
We are to esteem others not just equal to ourselves, but the scripture
says, above ourselves. as brethren in the Lord. And
may the Lord give us a mind to be of such. These things teach
and exhort. We are to be exhorted. If any
man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even
the words of our Lord, and to the doctrine which is according
to Godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing. If you don't agree with
this, guess what? You are are walking on tenuous
ground because you claim to know something that you don't. You
think you know more than what the Lord has taught us to be.
He's proud knowing nothing. Man that does not agree with
exactly those things. But doting about questions and
strifes of words wherein cometh envy, strife, railings, evil
surmising, perverse disputings of men, of corrupt minds, destitute
of the truth. Now that's the way of the world,
is it not? And it ought not to be named
among God's people. We're not to be striving about
words to no profit, to be seeking to prove our point at all times
at the expense of our relationship to one another. And this is especially
true among brethren. Now we're not always going to
see eye to eye on perhaps doctrinal matters or perhaps on matters
of practice and things that we do, but there is a way in which
we are to come about doing those things. It's not through strife
and railing and denigrating one another and seeking to embarrass
one another or to tear one another down, but rather to build one
another up in the most holy faith. Now he says that men, that those
that would despise this teaching are the same as those who think
that gain in this world is what we're after. You know, the servant
that thinks that he's not gonna do a good job because he's a
servant and his master ought not to make him do these things,
he's looking for what? Gain. See, when the scripture
speaks about gain, It's not always talking about money. Now indeed,
that is the most clear form of gain that we have, is money. But you can seek gain and esteem
among men for your own sake. Now it is a good thing to seek
that men would esteem you highly for Christ's sake. That's a good
thing. But for his glory, that the things
you do might be esteemed in their eyes as good things. But it's
not the same as when you're seeking that gain for yourself. And so
he said, withdraw yourself from those that think that gain is
godliness. Now here again, I believe he's
specifically speaking about the gain of the things of this world.
Because he goes on to say, but godliness with contentment is
great gain. See, walking in the way of God,
being obedient to Christ is a gain in itself. Now, when I was growing
up, we were taught that we ought to do things for the Lord in
order to gain a reward. Now, that's kind of a offhanded
way which actually leads men to consider that gain is godliness. You know, we're not striving
here in this world to do the things that the Lord has called
us to in order that we might gain something in the sweet by
and by. That's not what our call to be. Our call is to be servants of
the Lord because that in itself is our delight. And so that's
what he says. Godliness with contentment is
great gain. You see, walking in the way of
God, if a man has the Spirit of God in him, that's reward
in itself. The reward is not what we desire
to get from doing the Lord's will. Doing the Lord's will is
our delight. That is the thing that causes
us to gain and be in those things that make us happy, for lack
of a better term, that give us pleasure to walk in the ways
of the Lord. And he says, we brought nothing
into this world. It's certain we can carry nothing
out. So having food and raiment, let
us be there with content. Now, how many of us actually
think that in our mind at all times? We know that that's true,
do we not? I mean, it is that thing we desire
to be of such a mind. We brought nothing into this
world, it's certain we can carry nothing out. I'm not sure that
everybody believes that. I heard a story about a man that
wanted to be buried with his money. I mean, he loved it so
much that he wanted to be buried with it. So his wife agreed to
it. And so when he died, and she made sure, you know,
that his wishes were carried out. And so later on, her children
said, well, Mother, I mean, Why did you put all that money in
the coffin with him? She said, well, I didn't put
the money in there since I wrote him a check. So some men, they would desire
so much, the gain of this world is almost as if they think they
can carry it with them. Brethren, the Lord gives us the
things of this world, not so that we might consume it upon
our own lust, but that it might be a blessing not only to us,
but to those with whom we come in contact with. And so it's
certain that we cannot carry this with us, having food and
raiment therewith be content. What more do we need? than the
basic necessities of life. I mean, what do we need with
many riches? What are we gonna do with them?
But they that will be rich, and he says this as a word of warning,
they that will be rich fall into temptation. And a snare, and
to many foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction
and perdition, for 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. Now that's
pretty self-explanatory, is it not? They that will be rich fall
into temptation. Because the more that a man gets,
the more that he wants. It's like the farmer that said
he didn't want all the land, he just wanted what was next
to his. And so it is, you know, there's no end. As Solomon said,
there's no end to gain. I mean, you know, because you're
never gonna be satisfied. You're never gonna come to a
place where you're happy with what you have. And if you do,
you become as the man whom the Lord used in the parable who
said, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. I've got many goods
laid up for many years. Now, you know, our society places
a great premium on having to take care of yourself in your
old age. And well, should a man, because
the scripture does indicate that it is wise for a man to have
some consideration of the future. and to lay aside things for himself,
but not to the extent I don't believe that is counseled in
our society. It's become a thing that a man's
supposed to have up enough so he can just live the life of
luxury for the rest of his days and have no concerns about anything
but just go through life without it. You know, the love of money
is the root of all evil. And they that will be rich fall
into temptation and a snare. Let us take heed to it. Well,
many as the man who became wealthy enough that then he could go
off and just do whatever he wanted to and he kind of let spiritual
things slide, or at least he thought they were spiritual things. He thought he had an interest
in them. Because I believe this is true, that the man who is
of the Lord, is not going to be overcome with these things.
But there are those who are overcome with them. And we give warning
to all of the children of God that you be not found among them.
But thou, O man, flee these things. Run from them. Just like Joseph
ran from Pharaoh's wife when she presented to him that which
no doubt His flesh considered to be a thing that was lovely,
but yet he fled by the grace of God and so is that we are
to flee from these things that look so tantalizingly good. The
riches of this world, who doesn't want to win the lottery? I mean,
that'd be great, wouldn't it? You've sat around and thought
about it. What would I do if I won the lottery? Well, the
first thing you gotta do is buy a ticket. But flee from these things because
they are not those things that help us. Flee after these things
because here's what we're to seek after. Righteousness. Now what is righteousness? I
think in this context of what he's speaking here, he's speaking
about righteousness in our daily walk. That's what we're to seek
after, to walk in the light of the gospel, even as he has laid
out for us here, that these things would be found in us. Now we
know that our righteousness before God is never in those things
that we do. And we don't ever promote righteousness
as a means whereby we would make ourselves pleasing in the eyes
of God. But we do desire that men would walk righteously before
other men. Fair in your dealings in all
things in life as you deal with other men. Knowing that you have
a heavenly father. that you would desire to please
Him. Godliness. So follow after righteousness,
godliness. That is to be found walking in
the way of God. Now it's one thing to have the,
to walk righteously in this world as men see. See men looked at
the Pharisees and they saw them as righteous men. And in outward
things they were. And there was certainly nothing
wrong with their outward righteousness. The problem was that they relied
on their outward righteousness as that which made them acceptable
to God. It was not wrong for them to
tithe mint, anise, and cumin. That was not wrong. The Lord
said they ought to have done these things, but not to have
left the other undone. So the problem is, you know,
as men would walk righteously in this world, which is not a
bad thing, is that they come to rely on it. But godliness
has to do with that which is in the heart. See, godliness
doesn't have anything to do with those who are out there. You know, we might do things
that make other men think highly of us, but our desire is to walk
godly for the Lord. That godliness will be in our
heart. That we would hide the Word of
God in our heart. We might not sin against Him.
That our mind and heart would be in tune with His faith. Without faith, it's impossible
to please God. And part from the gift of faith,
we would never have any. But you see, all that we have
is by faith. I mean, what we're gonna do this
morning as we come to remember the Lord's death, till he comes
again, that is an activity of faith. It is not in itself faith,
because the faith is that which we rely upon. That's our faith. Christ is our faith. But we desire
to walk in faith, that is, confessing that to ourselves and unto the
Lord and to men. And love, follow after love,
that is, charity towards all men, but primarily to the brethren. See, we're counseled. Now, it's
an easy thing to love those we love. You know, I mean, that's
not a difficult thing. I mean, it is in some avenues
and ways, but we love those whom we love, but the Lord has instructed
us to love one another. And there's an activity of love
involved in that, as the Spirit of God works in us. That which
is true love, that agape, in fact, that's the word that's
used there, is agape. And we've all heard that, you
know, that's that self-giving love. that which denies itself. And then he says patience. Now patience, my mother, and
I've shared this before, my mother used to have a saying, she said,
patience is a virtue, possess it if you can, it is seldom in
a woman and it's never in a man. And she usually used that to
point out my father's impetuousness or, you know, when she thought
that he should have been a little more calm in dealing with something. And certainly there is that type
of patience that is needful for the children of God. We ought
to be a patient people. Because, see, patience in dealing
with others is kindness, is it not? And kindness is a thing
that some of us have a real struggle with. But kindness and patience
of that sort go hand in hand. But the patience I think that
he's speaking about here, while patience in that way is definitely
a needful thing, but it is in perseverance. See, love hopeth
all things, believeth all things, endureth all things. Patience
doesn't give up. Patience continues on. The patience
of the saints is Christ. Is it not? I mean, we wait upon
Him. We expect all that we have to
come from Him. He is our patience. And so it
is the patience of God's people is to be in that continued walk
in these things, the very things that He's talked about here.
Not, well, we did it good today. You know, ain't that the way
we do? A lot of times we do something and we get so proud of ourselves
because we were, maybe we were patient with somebody, or we
acted in love toward somebody, and we get to thinking how good
we did on that. And what happens? Pride goeth
before a fall. Pretty soon we're, you know,
back because we did not persevere in that which God had given us
to consider, that all of those things that we have come from
Christ. Meekness. Humility. Now there again, some
people are more naturally given to humility. But you know, humility
is not specifically a thing which is outwardly observed. Moses
was the meekest man on the earth. Now if you looked at Moses, you
might not have thought that to be the case. But I think what
that had reference to was the fact that he was meek before
God. You know, he humbled himself before the Lord. May we be such
a people that walk in meekness. Now, we're gonna stop right there,
because that's a good place to stop. But we are to walk in these
things. Let me read verse 12, and then
we'll stop. Fight the good fight of faith.
Lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast
professed a good profession before many witnesses.