How to Develop the Virtue of Contentment

By Bro. Allan O. Wong

YA Monthly  Fellowship

November 10, 2010

1 Timothy 6:6-11:

Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, ⁷for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. ¹¹But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.

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a prop in 2009.. Anyone remembers what's in this?

Before v. 6, Paul was talking about the false teachers who were using religion as a means of gain. There are some undeniable things that characterize a false teacher. First, he teaches doctrines contrary to biblical teachings. Character wise he is proud, puffed up and quarrelsome. But there is one thing that is more obvious than these two: the love of money. It can be used to describe unbelievers or believers. So basically, an unbeliever may look the same with a believer outwardly. But what should set them apart is the true nature of the heart. Look at some principles here:

1.      Outward piety or religiosity does not produce contentment.

2.      God’s will for us is to be both godly and contented.

3.      Contentment consists of satisfaction with the basic necessities of life.

4.      A discontented life is a symptom of love of money.

5.   There is great gain in godliness with contentment. The word “great” is the Greek megas meaning exceedingly abounding. These are exceedingly abounding gains because they can be converted to heavenly rewards.

How do you achieve that kind of attitude? In other words, how can you have contentment? Paul gives us a twofold answer here.

Positively, you must have a compelling eternal perspective of things. Look at what Paul says in vv. 6-7.  There then lies the secret of Paul. Paul has a compelling eternal perspective of things that is why he is contented with whatever comes his way.  It is compelling because Christ is the center of Paul’s life and ministry. You must be convinced fully that eternity without Christ is nothing.

This brings us to the second answer. How can you have contentment? Do not desire to be rich.

Do not desire to be rich for obvious reasons. “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” Why is this so? Why is money destructive? Verse 10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.” Compromises, theft, murder, adultery, envy, anger, all kinds of evil, name it, the love of money can be at the root of these evils. In other words, if you love money, you are declaring war against God Himself. That is the ultimate reason why money does not bring the ultimate joy. That is the reason why it is destructive.

First John 2:15-17:
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. [Listen to John’s reason why we should not love the world] ¹⁷And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 

How do you fight against the desire to be rich? First, flee from it. Do not entertain worldly thoughts. Do not imagine being rich or having this or that thing. Passionate sins should not be entertained. Elsewhere, Paul also says, “Flee from sexual immorality.” You don’t play with passionate sins. Sexual sins, love of money. These are sensual sins and God says, “flee from them.

Secondly, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. To pursue means, as the Word Dictionary says, “To follow or press hard after, to pursue with earnestness and diligence in order to obtain, to go after with the desire of obtaining.”  In other words, seek first God’s kingdom and His righteousness and occupy your mind with that.

Do not therefore neglect your relationship with Christ. Bring that first love. Cultivate a love for Him again.

Recommended Reading: Money, Possessions and Eternity

(Note: This message is a condensed version. If you would like to have a copy of the complete message, please e-mail us thru sdg.youngadults@gmail.com.)