Jesus, we turn our eyes to you.
What does that mean?
What does that look like from day to day?
!
We turn our eyes to you.
Really, the essence of what that song is emphasizing is that those who believe in the gospel will fundamentally be different in how they live.
That doctrine will lead to life.
That training and teaching, that the things that you believe about God will shape the way you live in this life.
And so when we talk about the gospel, we're not just talking about that gospel that is going to change us and save us for some future day.
That when I finally pass from this life to the next, this guarantee that I'll be with God in heaven someday.
That is true.
But the essence of what the gospel does for us is that it changes day by day.
It changes life in the moment.
In the present.
And not just changes life in the here and now, but changes it for the days and weeks and months and years to come until we go to be with Jesus someday in heaven in the future.
Fundamentally, the gospel will change every aspect of life.
And so we come this morning to 1 Timothy chapter 6.
And I would encourage you to open your Bibles with me, please.
1 Timothy chapter 6.
If you're using the Pew Bibles, it's on page 993.
They're in front of you.
And I would encourage you to see this for yourself.
If you don't have a Bible, use that Bible.
And if you don't have one, that now belongs to you.
That's our gift to you.
We would encourage you to take that home and make that your own so that you can have it for yourself.
But seeing the scripture, our commitment, our confidence is in the word of God to shape our lives.
This past week, I was reading a study and surprised, actually, in reading some of these statistics, that the American workers are more content than ever.
That word contentment, we're going to kind of get to that in our sermon today, our passage today.
But American workers, it says, are more content than ever, according to the Conference Board of Job Satisfaction.
The report finds improved satisfaction across all the 26 indicators that they will look at in the workplace.
So that over 62% of the workforce, U.S. workers, are satisfied in this year.
It's up from the previous year, 60% the previous year.
Satisfaction has now surged for two consecutive years, rising in many different areas.
Job satisfaction has been rising steadily over the last decade, in particular, where it hit an all-time low in 2010.
During the Great Recession.
Job satisfaction, it says, was up across the board.
Especially in areas that relate to things like work-life and balance.
Things like workload, or performance reviews that are given at the end of every year.
Or health plans and bonus plans and education and job training that's available.
Also increases because of the flexibility now in the job of being able to work from home,
or work in the office, and the flexibility of that.
About 7 in 10 say that they're satisfied with the respect that they have in the workplace,
and the co-workers that they are working with.
I was surprised to see these statistics.
But while it paints a rosy picture of the job market,
we also come to understand that contentment and satisfaction are temperamental.
Contentment and satisfaction can be fickle things, can't they?
These compensation packages, these health cares, and job security, and training, and flexibility.
What would life look like if those things were taken away?
How much contentment, how much satisfaction would there be?
How do you suppose that satisfaction would change if those things were stripped away?
You see, satisfaction and contentment are temperamental words.
They fluctuate.
They come and go.
They tend to be based upon the circumstance or the situation.
They're driven by experience.
They're driven by external factors.
But what if contentment and satisfaction were independent of circumstances?
What if they rested squarely on an unchanging foundation?
What if contentment was bound up in something that could not be touched?
What if satisfaction could be found in something that would not be diminished?
Something that would not be tarnished?
Something that was never at risk, would never be in jeopardy?
What would that do for us individually?
How would that begin to shape the way we respond in life?
If we had a satisfaction that would not be diminished,
that could not be touched,
that could not be influenced by outside factors?
That's what I think the Apostle Paul is getting to in our passage today.
He's getting really to the heart of what the gospel is meant to accomplish for us.
It's really meant to help lead us to stability,
to confidence, to security,
that of course is only found in Christ through the gospel.
We find that here in our passage in verse 6,
chapter 6, verse 6,
where it says,
Godliness with contentment is great gain.
And that has been kind of the summary statement, as it were, of this letter.
We've seen this time and time again,
that the course of life,
the way in which we live,
our godliness, as it were,
is bound up in our doctrine,
our contentment,
the things we believe.
So that if we believe the right things,
they will lead to the right behavior.
That our doctrine will influence the way that we live,
both for good or for ill.
John Piper has said this,
in kind of describing this,
he says,
God is most glorified in us
when we are most satisfied in him.
God is most glorified in us
when we are most satisfied in him.
And so he speaks to this issue,
this issue of contentment.
That when we set our eyes on him,
as Paul says in Colossians chapter 3,
set your eyes on things above,
not on the things of this earth.
Because that's where Christ is.
And if your confidence is bound up,
in what you know about Christ,
it will settle your heart
and help lead you to satisfaction
and will help lead you to a life of godliness.
The kind of godliness that we're going to look at
in our passage today.
The gospel has staying power
as it joins our satisfaction to God himself.
It has staying power.
What you believe about God and the gospel
will change the way you live
because it fundamentally changes what you believe.
It's independent of circumstances,
independent of welfare,
independent of prosperity,
independent of position.
Because our satisfaction is not locked up in this world,
but our satisfaction is locked up,
bound up in God and the gospel.
And so we're going to talk about this morning
from our passage,
the apostle Paul is going to lay out
some areas in which the gospel affects everyday life.
It changes the way we live
because it changes the way we think.
So if you're there with me
in 1 Timothy chapter 6,
look as I begin in verse 1.
Again, there on page 993.
It says this,
Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants
regard their own masters as worthy of all honor
so that the name of God and the teaching
may not be reviled.
Those who have believing masters
must not be disrespectful
on the ground that they are brothers.
Rather, they must serve all the better
since those who benefit by their good service
are believers and beloved.
Teach and urge these things.
The apostle Paul will begin here in chapter 6
to instruct Timothy
in how he is to inform this church,
how he is to teach this church.
And he wants Timothy to understand
in this church to understand
that the gospel will change the way they work.
The gospel changes our work.
It changes our work in some various areas.
He begins with one of the most difficult situations
that we're familiar with.
Even in difficult work environments,
the gospel has power to change the way
we respond to our employers
and especially here,
the way that these slaves
will respond to their masters.
In typical fashion,
the apostle Paul tackles a difficult issue.
He leaves no room for exception.
And so as the apostle Paul
will talk about this difficult situation,
he'll raise the bar
to talk about maybe the hardest job environment
so that anything is less than that
and it's covered.
So Paul wants to help these slaves
understand that the gospel
will shape the way
that they relate to their masters.
It says,
let all who are under the yoke.
Paul addresses this difficult work environment
and he leaves no exceptions.
Let every one of you respond this way.
Those who are under a yoke
is a phrase that's used throughout the scripture
to address,
not necessarily an abusive situation,
although some of those abusive situations
took place in the first century,
but to express this yoke of bondage
describing somebody who was under submission,
under authority,
under service to another individual.
Even Christ will use this of himself
where he says in Matthew,
take my yoke upon you
for my yoke is easy
and my burden is light.
And so those of us
who have come by faith to Christ
also will take on a yoke.
And so in Christ's example,
it's not the kind of leadership
that is oppressive,
but the kind of leadership that is kind.
It is a yoke though
because we submit ourselves to his authority.
So the Apostle Paul is relating
to both positive and negative situations
of this yoke.
But then he relates to bond servants
and this word bond servant
is the word slave.
Of course,
in our own history,
slavery was reprehensible.
But slavery in the first century
and even moving back in history,
it was not so much the same
as what we're familiar with.
There were something like 60 million slaves
in the Roman Empire.
And so the Apostle Paul,
in dealing with this,
was dealing with a significant issue.
We even read in the book of Ephesians,
and Colossians,
and even the letter
that was written to Philemon,
we recognize that this was
a pervasive issue in the first century.
But in order for us to really understand
what the Apostle Paul is referring to here,
we need to settle our hearts
and recognize what slavery was
in the first century.
In many cases,
slavery really was just binding
oneself to a master.
It was really,
in some cases,
the only means of survival
for those who did not have property,
those who didn't have vineyards
or trees or livestock.
This was the only way
for them to find employment.
We see this clearly
in the parable of the prodigal son,
where the prodigal son,
he spent all of his inheritance,
he lost all of his friends,
and now a drought would come
on the land around him,
and he was desperate.
It indicates that he was
clinging to survival.
And in that case,
we find from Luke chapter 15,
verse 15,
that the prodigal goes out,
he hires himself
to one of the citizens
of that country.
Literally,
he joined himself
to that citizen.
And so as a means of survival,
because he had no property
of his own anymore,
he had expended his funds,
he found a way of survival
that essentially was finding
permanent employment
with a master
by joining himself
to this landowner.
This was a way
for people living
in the first century
or in ancient Israel
to pay their debts,
to care for their families,
by contractually
binding themselves
to an employer
for a period of time.
Never to be more
than six years
as was bound up
in the law.
That would come
with certain benefits.
The benefits of a master
who was obliged
to their servants
financially.
Often providing them
a place to stay,
some food to eat,
a wage to care
for their family.
It was essentially
the job security
of the day.
We see this
throughout the Old Testament.
And specifically,
we see it in Ezra
and Nehemiah
where there were
some abuses
that were taking place.
But some of the best
heroes of the Bible
that you and I
both know
were slaves.
Think about Joseph
in particular
who was sold
by his brothers
into slavery,
into Egypt.
But in that instance,
Joseph would become
a prominent individual
in Potiphar's house.
So that we find
in Genesis 39,
verse 6,
that thus he left
all that he had,
speaking of Potiphar,
in Joseph's hand,
and he did not know
what he had
except for the bread
which he ate.
So they had
some level of authority.
They were often
made part of the family.
There were opportunities
for them to exert
authority and leadership
within the realm
and sphere
in which they've been placed.
Another instance,
of course,
of slavery
we looked at this summer
was Daniel
who, because of conquest
of Israel,
was taken with his friends
to Egypt
and there he was
a slave in Babylon
and also in Persia
but rose to power
that God allowed him
to rise within the ranks
and to be useful
in that situation.
Slaves in the New Testament
are seen
throughout the scriptures
and in the Gospels
in particular.
We read in Luke chapter 7
the centurion
who, because of his servant
or his slave,
he sends out to Jesus
because he's concerned
about his health.
In Luke chapter 7 verse 2
it says,
he was sick
to the point of death
and was highly valued
by the centurion.
Centurion cared for him.
We see this quality
of his life.
We see the testimony
of how things tended
to operate
in the first century
where slaves
were given authority
and leadership
within the home.
And then we also
recognize in the parables
that Jesus spoke.
In Matthew chapter 25,
this parable of the master
who goes on a long journey
and he stewards
the inheritance
that he has
to each of these slaves
that he has
and he gives them
each a talent
to manage.
To one,
he says,
he gives five talents.
To another,
he gives two talents.
And to the final one,
he gives one talent.
A talent, by the way,
was worth 20 years
of salary.
So to kind of do
the calculation
for you
at a minimum wage,
about 20 years' salary
is around $400,000
or so.
So this was a significant
sum of money
that was entrusted
to these servants
to manage.
Jesus,
in another parable
in Luke chapter 12,
will talk about
a master
who sets his estate
in the hands
of his servants
and then also goes away.
This was a typical response
in that first century.
In Galatians chapter 4,
we come to understand
that there was often
a situation
in which slaves
were accepted
as part of the family.
In Galatians chapter 4,
it says,
I mean that an heir,
as long as he's a child,
is no different
from a slave,
though he is the owner
of everything.
Slaves would often be
made part of the family,
enjoy the same status
and the same benefits
of the oldest son.
But here we find
that a slave
is treated with dignity,
just like the oldest son.
He was often regarded
as part of the family.
So in many respects,
this kind of service
was simply a guarantee
for employment.
Of course,
slavery wasn't always
as good
as these situations.
Peter will address
the harmful,
unjust situations
in 1 Peter chapter 2,
verses 18 to 21,
when he says,
Servants,
be subject to your masters
with all respect,
not only to the good
and gentle,
but also to the unjust.
For this is a gracious thing,
when mindful of God,
one endures sorrows
while suffering unjustly.
For what credit is it
when you sin
and are beaten for it,
you endure?
But if when you do good
and suffer for it,
you endure,
this is a gracious thing
in the sight of God.
You see,
slaves were often mistreated.
And in this situation,
the instruction
that Peter will give
to these slaves,
those who are treated
in a way
that is unjust,
now they have
an opportunity.
Now they have
the golden opportunity
to help their slave owners,
their masters,
to see something significant.
And that's where we come
in verse 21.
For to this you have been called,
because Christ suffered for you,
leaving you an example
so that you might follow
in his steps.
When you are treated
in a way that's unjust,
when you are treated
in a way that's unkind,
when you are treated
in a way that you don't deserve,
you have the opportunity
to maximize the brilliance
and the wonder of the gospel,
to point to the security
that eclipses
all other securities,
the object of your affection,
the stabilizing force
of your confidence
that comes from God
in the gospel.
And you get to model
that gospel in front
of those who are treating you
in this way.
You get to show them
who Christ is.
Not just to tell them
what Christ has done,
but to show what Christ has done
through the way that you live.
Of course,
Christ was the object
of the greatest injustice.
And as we decide,
as those who are treated unfairly,
to respond in a way
that points to Jesus
and our security in him,
we have the opportunity
to let people see
who Jesus is.
So,
make sure
that in your work situation,
even if it's difficult,
that you point to God.
But also,
Paul moves on,
it is a decision
that we make as well
to honor God
through our life.
He says that again
in verse 1,
Do you see what's at stake here?
Do you see
what the object
or the purpose
for our living
in even difficult work situations
is meant to point to?
What's at stake here
is so that the name of God
and the teaching
may not be reviled?
The gospel is at stake.
The word here for regard
is in the present middle imperative.
It means this needs to be
a present
and continuous part of your life.
And the fact that it's in
the middle case
means that it's something
that you need to choose
to do yourself.
No outside pressure
is going to make this happen
appropriately.
You need to choose
on your own
to regard your masters
this way.
Be in an opinion.
Consider to think.
Refers to this object,
objective criteria,
not an internal feeling.
It's not driven
by how you feel
about your master.
It's driven
by what you believe.
The truth that guides
the way you live.
Regard your masters
as worthy of all honor.
Now that's a bold statement,
wouldn't you say?
Paul issues this command
that is independent
of the situation.
Regardless of who
these slaves might be,
regardless of how
their masters treat them,
the command is issued
to every single one of them.
Regard your masters
this way,
with all honor.
It's a decision you make.
It's a choice,
a test of your faith.
It helps people
understand who you trust.
It helps people
recognize
who has your back.
Ultimately,
it points the direction
on where your faith lies.
For those who are believers,
you can trust the Lord.
He will ultimately reward you.
He will preserve you.
He will magnify himself
through you.
He may use these
very challenging circumstances
to amplify your testimony
in a very hard place.
The name of God
in the teaching,
may that be the focus
so that it is not reviled.
This is a gospel issue.
And all of Paul's instruction
throughout 1 Timothy
has been about the gospel.
How we treat our boss,
like I said,
has gospel implications.
And we see that
not only in 1 Timothy,
we see that
throughout the New Testament.
Titus chapter 2,
verses 9 and 10
says this,
Slaves,
bondservants,
are to be submissive
to their own masters
in everything.
They are to be well-pleasing,
not argumentative,
not pilfering,
but showing all good faith.
So that in everything,
they may adorn
the doctrine of God our Savior.
Does that sound familiar?
This word adorn
is the word cosmeo.
Does that sound familiar?
Cosmeo, cosmetic.
This is the word
that we get, cosmetics,
or to beautify ourselves.
And so in a work situation,
when you are responding
to your boss,
your employer,
in the right way,
you dress up,
you make beautiful,
you adorn the gospel
through your life.
Now by being argumentative,
not by taking from your company
the things that don't belong to you,
but showing good faith
so that in everything,
you might beautify the gospel.
You might say,
service with a smile.
That's what God has called us to.
We find ourselves,
you find yourself like me at times,
saying,
that's not fair.
Or,
I feel so unappreciated.
Or,
I feel so overworked.
I feel so taken advantage of.
I don't have to take this anymore.
You find yourself saying that?
I wonder
if maybe God is giving you
an opportunity
to adorn the gospel of God
through your attitude,
through working heartily,
as he says,
as Paul says
to the church of Colossae,
work heartily
as to the Lord
and not to men.
Knowing that your labor
is for the Lord.
Recognize who you're really
working for.
It's not the boss
that you see
that's right in your
front window,
as it were.
But,
it's the heavenly Father
that you're representing,
you're trusting
through your life,
through your attitude
to adorn the gospel of God,
to make God look glorious.
If we find ourselves saying
each of these things,
this is not fair.
We need to remember
that this presents
a gospel opportunity for us.
And in this way,
whether we are a slave or free,
the Apostle Paul says
in Ephesians chapter 6,
we have this responsibility.
This responsibility.
But then,
if things couldn't get
any harder,
now the Apostle Paul
turns to verse 2.
And now,
he raises the stakes.
Notice,
verse 2,
those who have
a believing masters
must not be disrespectful
on the ground
that they are brothers.
Rather,
they must serve
all the better,
since those who benefit
by their good service
are believers
and beloved.
Teach and urge
these things.
You see,
this is our decision
in the gospel
to bless our brother
in Christ.
Now,
those of you
who have worked
for a believing
employer,
a manager,
and you have been mistreated,
you will understand
the difficulties of this.
Because,
in our minds,
we think,
well,
he should know better.
Obviously,
I should be treated
a certain way.
We have the same standard
in the scripture.
So,
why is he treating me
this way
with injustice?
That he knows better.
Or maybe,
you say,
well,
he's a believer.
So,
I can kind of slack off.
I can just kind of
come in when I want to.
Because,
as a believer,
he's going to forgive me.
He's going to kind of
let this go.
Whichever end of the spectrum
you find yourself on,
you need to realize
that in the gospel,
we have a responsibility,
especially,
to bless the body of Christ,
our brothers,
our sisters in Christ,
because of our commitment to God,
and because of the unity
that we enjoy,
the family relationship
that we enjoy,
because of what Christ
has accomplished for us.
In this situation,
our responsibility increases,
not decreases.
The seriousness is greater,
not lesser.
The question
that must
have been
on the minds
of these slaves
is,
how can I live
this way
and be treated
like this
from
a brother in Christ?
Depending upon
your work situations,
maybe you can identify
a little bit.
when I was
living in Illinois,
I had moved,
our family had moved
out of the secular workplace.
I had become a pastor,
was there for four years,
and then there was
a transition period
where we were waiting
for God
to open up
the next opportunity.
And so,
God did open up
an opportunity for me
to work
at an engineering firm
that was local to me,
and it just so happened
that the man
who owned this company
was a Christian.
And not only
was he a Christian,
but he was a pastor
in town,
by vocational pastor.
And so,
as you can imagine
in my mind
and in my heart,
I thought,
well,
what a great opportunity
this is
to bless
another believer
and to be treated
well by him.
He hired me.
He made big promises
about how he's going
to take care
of my family.
But almost from
the moment I started,
he tried to make life
as miserable as possible
so that I would resign.
My salary was less
than what I made
as a college student
working as an intern
at a local engineering company.
It was less than I made
before I got a degree.
It was less than I made
before 13 years
of experience
as an integrated
product team lead.
In the two years
that I worked
at this engineering firm,
he refused
to give me vacation
and refused
to give me
any sick leave.
There were no
medical benefits.
There was never a raise.
And while all my
co-workers
got bonuses
at the end of the year
for whatever reason,
he decided
to overlook me.
As you can imagine,
it was hard.
But he was my boss.
And this was a golden
opportunity for me
to embrace
and adorn
the gospel.
And God
instrumentally used
that in my life
to not only help
to shape the way
I responded
in very hard things,
but also to recognize
that God is faithful.
That I didn't have
to depend
and lean
on a boss
to take care
of my needs
because God
was able
and faithful
to do it.
And to go
into work
and to try
to wear
the right attitude
and to work
with all my heart
and work diligently
from start to finish.
There were struggles,
of course,
that you can imagine.
And it's hard
not to gripe
and complain.
But each of us,
I would guess,
at some point
or the other
in life,
will have this
kind of opportunity.
embrace the opportunity
for the sake
of the gospel.
Adorn the gospel
of God.
Be one
who is faithful
not to bring
reviling
on the name
of God
in the teaching
of the gospel.
Adorn the gospel
well.
So not only
does the gospel
shape the way
that we work,
but the gospel
will change
our teaching.
That's what we turn
to next
in verses 3-5.
It changes
our teaching.
It says here
in verse 3,
if anyone teaches
a different doctrine
and does not agree
with sound words
of our Lord Jesus Christ
in the teaching
that accords
with godliness,
he is puffed up
with conceit,
he understands nothing,
he has an unhealthy
craving for controversy
and for quarrels
about words
which produce envy
and dissension
and slander
and evil suspicion
and constant friction
among people
who are depraved
in mind
and deprived
of the truth,
imagining that godliness
is a means of gain.
You see,
the gospel will change
your teaching.
Not only will it change
the teaching
that you listen to,
but it will change
the kind of teaching
that you give.
All of us
at some point
or the other
are in teaching
counseling situations.
Maybe in your own family
as parents are instructing
and teaching your children
or maybe as friendships
or co-workers
and you have opportunities
to provide some counsel
and instruction
on how to live.
Make sure that your teaching
is aligned
with the gospel.
How do we know?
Well, first of all,
it's a teaching
that leads to spiritual health.
A teaching that leads
to spiritual health.
That's what we see here
at the very beginning here.
If anyone teaches
a different doctrine
and does not agree
with the sound words
of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the teaching
that accords to godliness.
This sound teaching
that he's referring to
is the Greek word
that relates to hygiene,
to wellness,
to health.
It's a medical term
that helps us understand
the quality of teaching
that points to soundness
and health,
spiritual health
in individuals.
Not the kind of teaching
that's different.
this different doctrine.
This is what the Apostle Paul
begins his letter with
in his instruction to Timothy
in chapter 1, verse 3.
He says,
I urged you
in chapter 1, verse 3,
when I was going to Macedonia,
remain in Ephesus
so that you may
charge certain people
or persons
not to teach
any different doctrine.
That's the same word.
Make sure
that your teaching
aligns with the Bible.
Make sure
your teaching
is in accord
with the gospel.
The right response
of slaves
to their masters
will motivate them
to live a certain way
and rather than moving
in a direction
that would repel
and resist
their masters,
they're learning
to submit
and adorn the gospel.
In this case,
we're transitioning now
to what seems
to be
a new thought here,
but we recognize
there's a couple
of connections
that are taking place.
The first connection
we see
is this reference
to teaching.
At the end of verse 2,
teach these things.
And now at the beginning
of verse 3,
if anyone teaches
a different doctrine.
So while it may seem
like these are
different thoughts,
somehow they relate
to one another.
The second relationship
that we see
is this reference
to the gospel.
In verse 1,
so the name of God
and the teaching
may not be reviled.
Then in verse 3,
the teaching
that does not accord
with sound words
of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the teaching
that accords
with godliness.
We've seen
throughout this letter
that this godly teaching
is synonymous
with the gospel.
So whether you're
teaching others
or being taught,
take note
of the content
of your doctrine.
Don't listen
to the kinds
of teachers
who are going
to soften
the hard truths.
Those hard truths
that would tell
those slaves
to resist
their unjust masters.
Those teachers
that would instruct
their slaves
to run away
from their masters.
Don't listen
to those kinds
of teachers.
It's not in accord
with the scripture.
It needs to agree
with the scripture.
It needs to agree
with sound teaching.
This agreement
is to come near,
to seek association,
to join.
It's the kind
of teaching
that is coupled
with sound teaching.
These healthy words.
Paul's addressed
sound teaching
throughout his letter.
He wants Timothy
and he wants this church
to recognize
the significance
of teaching
and how it leads
to right living.
Sound teaching
is the only way
to enjoy
sound living.
Teaching that accords
with godliness
is the only way
to get to God.
If you want to enjoy
spiritual life,
if you want to enjoy
a relationship
with God,
you need to listen
to the right kinds
of teaching
that will direct
your hearts,
your lives
to him.
And of course,
this has been
the consistent testimony
of this letter
that good theology
produces
good behavior
while bad theology
produces bad behavior.
We saw that
in chapter 3,
verses 14 and 15
where Paul says,
I hope to come
to you soon,
but I'm writing
these things to you
so that if I delay,
you may know
how one ought
to behave
in the household
of God,
which is the church
of the living God,
a pillar and buttress
of the truth.
The apostle Paul
wants us to understand
how intertwined
these two concepts are.
You have to know
the right things
so you can live
the right way.
And eventually,
what you believe,
whether good or bad,
is going to leak
out of you.
It's going to show up
in your behavior.
So then in chapter 5,
verses 24 and 25,
he says this,
the sins of some people
are conspicuous
or they're obvious,
going before them
to judgment,
but the sins of others
appear later.
So also good works
are conspicuous.
or obvious
in even those
that are not
cannot be hidden.
What you believe
about God,
the doctrines
that you hold to,
will eventually show up
in how you live.
And so as we look
around the landscape,
especially of the leaders
who seem to teach
so faithfully,
who seem to teach
so powerfully,
and then all of a sudden
the bottom has fallen out
and they've been exposed
in some way,
it demonstrates
that there's been
a flaw somewhere
in their believing,
in their theology.
Make sure
your theology is sound.
Make sure
that you're teaching
and listening
to the right things.
So what are the marks
of sound teaching?
Well,
it also impacts
the way we live.
We see that
in verses 4 and 5.
Especially in verse 5,
we see,
he is puffed up
with conceit.
He understands nothing.
He has an unhealthy
craving for controversy
and for quarrels
about words
which produce envy,
dissension,
slander,
and evil suspicion.
And constant friction
among people
who are depraved
in mind
and deprived
of the truth,
imagining that godliness
is a means
of gain.
Theology does impact
the way you live.
It shows up
in how you behave.
And so what are
the marks of it?
What do you notice
of the kinds
of teachings,
the kinds of doctrines
that are divergent?
Well,
it's going to lead
to this kind of life.
The kind of life
of one who
likes controversy,
likes to argue
about words,
likes to ask
the kinds of questions
that are somewhat
superficial
and irrelevant,
that want to
parse out
the things
that really don't matter,
that are unrelated
really to the gospel.
They want to
demonstrate
that they are
the smartest person
in the room.
They love,
they have this unhealthy
craving for controversy.
They love it
when people are all
revved up
and they've got them going.
And then,
of course,
in the wake,
of their teaching,
they leave
those around them
full of envy
and dissension
and slander
and evil suspicion,
this constant friction
among those
who are depraved
in mind
and deprived
of the truth.
They show
where their true heart is.
They are depraved.
They're depraved.
And this is
the word
for
to destroy utterly,
to be corrupt.
They're depraved
in their mind.
They're deprived
of the truth,
which means,
is the word
to steal
or to rob
or to deprive.
They assume
and they posture
themselves
as those who
have it all together,
who know all the truths.
But they demonstrate
through the collateral
damage of their life,
they really don't know
anything about the gospel
because the gospel
is meant
to produce
the kind
of fruit
that we see
in Galatians 5.22.
the fruit of the Spirit
that is love
and joy,
peace,
patience,
kindness,
goodness,
faithfulness,
gentleness,
and self-control.
Rather,
what you see
as the marks
of their life
are those
works of the flesh,
those enmity
and strife
and jealousy,
fits of anger,
rivalries,
dissension,
divisions
that we see
in the passage
preceding Galatians 5.22.
These teachers
show
what is really
on their hearts
and minds.
They demonstrate
they really have
no affection
for the gospel.
This is the telltale sign
that we see
throughout the Old Testament
or throughout the New Testament
of false teachers.
This love of money.
Thinking that
working for the gospel
in some way
is supposed to lead
to some benefit
for them.
This gain,
this luxury
they're supposed
to experience.
This means of gain
we see there
in verses 4 and 5.
But in 2 Peter 2,
verse 3,
Peter will address
those who are
false teachers
this way.
He says,
in their greed
they will exploit you
with false words.
Their condemnation
from long ago
is not idle
and their destruction
is not asleep.
The hallmark
of those
who are false teachers
will be their obsession
with money.
And as we saw
back in this passage
and we saw
in 2 Peter,
those same kind of
hallmarks are true today.
In the health,
wealth gospel
and maybe even
in your own
teaching and instruction
and encouragement
to those around you
that point to
the product
instead of pointing
to Christ.
Don't follow
their divergent teaching.
Don't listen
to those
who cause friction.
Don't give heed
to those
who are unsatisfied
with their income.
Don't follow
after those
who pursue
dishonest gain.
And finally,
in verses 6 to 10
we find the gospel
changes our perspective.
It changes
our perspective.
And we spent
some time
talking about
contentment,
talked about
godliness.
Let me just
wrap this up here
by reading this
and providing
some brief comments.
Godliness
with contentment
is great gain.
For we brought
nothing into this world,
we can take
nothing out
of this world.
But if we have
food and clothing,
with these
we will be content.
But those
who desire
to be rich
fall into temptation
and into a snare,
into many senseless
and harmful desires
that plunge people
into ruin
and destruction.
For the love
of money
is the root
of all kinds
of evil.
it is through
this craving
that some
have wandered
away from the faith
and have pierced
themselves
with many pangs.
Do you see
the dangers
that the Apostle Paul
is drawing out here?
The wonder
and the security
that we have
in contentment
coupled with godliness?
Godliness
with contentment
is great gain.
While those
false teachers
are looking
for the gain
that would come
in a monetary way
or a physical way,
there is gain
to be had
in living a godly life.
But not the gain
that you might expect
here in this world.
It's better.
It's deeper.
It's greater.
It's more secure.
It's the gain
of having
relationship
with Jesus.
Of having
sins forgiven
that only comes
through faith
in Christ.
those of you
who have
enjoyed
the benefits
of this gospel
that we've been
talking about,
you know
that it requires
us to come
to a place
of recognizing
our own sin.
Of knowing
that all have sinned
and come short
of the glory
of God.
Every one of us
has committed
offenses
against God
big and small
and because
of those offenses
we are
deserving
of condemnation
and judgment.
Romans 6.23
says,
the wages
of sin
is death
but the gift
of God
is eternal life
through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
And so we enjoy
the benefits
of what Christ
has come to do.
He paid
for our sin
on the cross.
He erased
the debt
for those
who come to him
in faith
asking forgiveness
for their sins
and recognizing
that only
Jesus can pay
for those sins.
He died
he rose again
to give us
new life
a hope
of a future
with God
that only comes
through believing.
Believe
on the Lord
Jesus Christ
and you'll be saved.
So if we confess
with our mouth
that Jesus is Lord
if we believe
in our heart
that God raised
Jesus from the dead
we'll be saved.
And then
it leads us
to this life
this opportunity
for contentment.
Contentment
we can enjoy
because the perspective
of our life
has changed
and there's new hope
now.
There's new confidence
now.
As Paul will describe
in Philippians chapter 4
verses 11 to 13
he says
not that I'm speaking
of being in need
for I have learned
in whatever situation
I am to be content.
I know how to be brought low.
I know how to abound.
In any
and every circumstance
I have learned
the secret
of facing
plenty
and hunger
abundance
and need
I can do
all things
through him
who strengthens
me.
The apostle Paul
has learned
the beauty
the key
to making it
through this life
and he does that
one way
through faith
in Christ.
So when things
are good
when things
are bad
when life
is hard
when life
is good
when he has
plenty
when he has lack
when he is
experiencing
the pleasure
of people's
welcoming embrace
and those
who are pushing
him out of town
he has learned
that he can trust
in Christ
he can do
all things
through Christ
who strengthens him.
That is
the key
to the Christian life
and the alternative
that the apostle Paul
presents here
in verses 9 to 10
is a horrible fate.
Those who fall
into temptation
he says
into a snare
many senseless
and harmful
desires
this love
for money
drives them
and it's not
that money
is evil
in itself
that God
has allowed us
to enjoy
the benefits
of money
so that we
can share
like Christ
we find
in 2 Corinthians
chapter 8
that though
he was rich
it says
he became
poor for us
so that we
through his
poverty
might be rich
and that's
the pleasure
the benefit
that we
have
when we
make
money
we have
plenty
it gives us
the opportunity
to steward
that money
and to share
with others
to do otherwise
is what we find
here at the end
we have this craving
and as it leads
some away
from the faith
it pierces them
with many pangs
may God help us
to learn
the secret
to contentment
to understand
the significance
of what God
has given to us
and to allow
the stabilizing
force of Christ
strengthening
in our life
to help us
adorn the gospel
wherever we are
God we thank you
for
thank you for
the word
that we've read
this morning
and God
as we evaluate
our lives
we know
that there are
some areas
we need to grow
we pray
that you would
help us
as we relate
to our managers
our bosses
our employers
help us
to adorn the gospel
in a way
that makes
much of Jesus
and Lord
as we
are instructing
others
as we're listening
to teaching
help it to be
the kind of teaching
that accords
with godliness
the kind of teaching
that even
makes life
hard
so that Christ
can be exalted
even through
difficult situations
and Lord
I pray
you would help
us to be content
help us to learn
the secret
of godliness
along with
contentment
that what
we believe
in terms
of faith
will lead us
to behavior
that points
to Christ
and God
I pray
that you'd help
us to do that
faithfully
in Jesus name
amen
God bless you
have a great week
miracle
Thank you.