In last week’s passage, Paul addressed the false teachers’ view that godliness was a mean to financial gain. Those false teachers were partly right; godliness does lead to gain, but not in the way they expect.

See what Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:6-8:

The false teachers were partly right. Godliness does lead to gain. And Paul’s next statement stands in stark contrast to that faulty view. There is great gain, or profit, in godliness, when it is accompanied by contentment. What does contentment mean? Simply this: we are to be satisfied with what we have and not seek after material gain. Contentment pairs nicely with godliness.

The irony is in the fact that Paul was striving against a Stoic philosophy, and one of the favorite virtues of the Stoics was self-sufficiency, or the ability to rely on your own inner resources. Paul has already addressed this idea in Philippians 4:11, where he makes a strong case that true contentment isn’t self-sufficiency, but Christ-sufficiency.

Paul’s point here is to point out the fact that relying upon Christ is the only way to combat our own greed, as well as that of the false teachers that Timothy was facing.

Paul gives Timothy two reasons why contentment should accompany godliness, and why that is such an advantage, or gain.

Reason Number 1

We can take nothing with us when we die. That makes material wealth irrelevant. Greed is irrational. Why make such a fuss over stuff that makes no difference at all in the end? We brought nothing into this world at birth, and we will take nothing with us when we leave it at death. This is reflected in Job 1:21: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart.” Greed and materialistic tendencies simply make no sense at all.

Reason Number 2

If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Some argue that this again reflects Stoicism, and yes, it does. But it also reflects the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 6:24 and Luke 12:16-21, where he condemns greed and materialism. In other words, godliness is not something to draw material gain from. But true godliness comes with contentment. If we have what we need to live, the essentials, such as food and clothing, then we have all we really need. The rest is just extra, really.

In the end, what Jesus said underlies this teaching very clearly: Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and everything else will be taken care of as well.

What does it take for you to be content? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.