Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

I Timothy 6

What can I learn from this chapter?

• … Everything about the good life.

Honor Masters

I Timothy 6:¹ Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.

I Timothy 6:² And those who have believing masters, let them not despise them because they are brethren, but rather serve them because those who are benefited are believers and beloved. Teach and exhort these things.

Error and Greed

I Timothy 6:³ If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the (teaching) doctrine which accords with godliness,

I Timothy 6:⁴ he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,

I Timothy 6:⁵ useless wranglings (constant friction) of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.

I Timothy 6:⁶ Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

I Timothy 6:⁷ For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

I Timothy 6:⁸ And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

I Timothy 6:⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

• Perdition is the place for Judas and the Antichrist. Both are called a “Son of Perdition”. (John 17:12, 2 Thessalonians 2:3)

• The Bottomless Pit is an abyss that lusts for the things of this world but cannot be satisfied. It is like trying to fill one hole by digging a second hole. Enough is never enough and more than enough is utter emptiness. Nothing fills the pit except God; not riches or power, fame or beauty, intelligence, charisma, pleasure or popularity or anything else man may desire, to be satiated. Contentment comes from being full, and fullness from eating from the Tree of Life, which is the source of Life, Jesus. We are encouraged to “eat His flesh and drink His blood” when He says:
  
  
• “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world … I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” … And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body … “, then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood (dam) of the new covenant, which is shed for many (A-dam-s).”

I Timothy 6:¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Humor:

A man was fishing in the ocean when his fishing hook caught a cork wedged in the neck of a bottle. He reeled the bottle in quickly and proceeded to remove the cork wondering if there might be any special treasure inside. Sure enough, a genie appeared but explained that times were tough; he could no longer give three wishes; but, he still could still give him one wish; so please, the genie urged, take your time and make sure your one wish covers all your desires in life.

The man took the genie’s advice and thought hard about it before announcing his decision. He asked to be worth one billion dollars!

The genie smiled, nodded his head, and Poof! The man became an ATM machine.

The Good Confession

I Timothy 6:¹¹ But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

I Timothy 6:¹² Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

I Timothy 6:¹³ I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate,

I Timothy 6:¹⁴ that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing,

I Timothy 6:¹⁵ which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only (Sovereign) Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

I Timothy 6:¹⁶ who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.

Instructions to the Rich

I Timothy 6:¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

I Timothy 6:¹⁸ Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.

• Stephen Kaczor
  
  There was a farmer who grew excellent quality corn. Every year he won the award for the best grown corn. One year a newspaper reporter interviewed him and learned something interesting about how he grew it. The reporter discovered that the farmer shared his seed corn with his neighbors. “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with your neighbors when they are entering corn in competition with yours each year?” the reporter asked.
  
  “Why sir,” said the farmer, “Didn’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the ripening corn and swirls it from field to field. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will steadily degrade the quality of my corn. If I am to grow good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn.”

• So it is with our lives… Those who want to live meaningfully and well must help enrich the lives of others, for the value of a life is measured by the lives it touches. And those who choose to be happy must help others find happiness, for the welfare of each is bound up with the welfare of all…

I Timothy 6:¹⁹ storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Guard the Faith

I Timothy 6:²⁰ O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and (empty chatter) idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge—

I Timothy 6:²¹ by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith.

Grace be with you. Amen.

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• A difference, to be a difference, must make a difference.

• Ecclesiastes 5:10 He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. (with self-imposed emptiness)
  
• The Hebrew word for man being made in the Image of God is H6754 ṣelem: meaning –
  mere, empty, semblance (figuratively):
  
  In this sense, man’s an empty outline. Without God, he is full of emptiness, but with God, man’s “cup runs over” and bears fruit (a godly abundance) because God fills him with His semblance (aura, appearance).

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