“Godliness with contentment is great gain.”

1Tim 6:6

Many people are missing out on these three blessings – 1. godliness, 2. contentment and 3. great gain.

The world is full of discontentment. The noisy expression of their discontent does not make people happy and it even intimidates others, contravening the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have them do to you.”

“‘All things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the teaching of the law and the prophets.”

Jesus Christ in Mat 7:12

To put it simply, they have fallen foul of the simple rule: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”

1. Godliness

Godliness is ‘God-likeness’ and it is the result of the Holy Spirit of God taking up permanent residence in the Christian believer 1Cor 6:19. They have a new spirit and begin to take on the character of Jesus Christ, Whose Spirit they have received. They are not yet perfect because they are ‘work in progress’. The Holy Spirit will ‘get them there’. Where? They will finally have the image of God’s Son perfectly developed in them, the character of Jesus Christ Himself Rom 8:29. Can you improve upon that? Happy people indeed!

2. Contentment

The godly have a contentment that the world does not have. They have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom 5:1. They have peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom 14:17. They can sleep easy in their bed at night, although too many of them are persecuted by the ungodly and are in prison and desolating circumstances. However, the apostle Paul was there before them, and he sang praises to God at midnight in his prison Act 16:25, and even in spite of their temporary afflictions, the godly find contentment in ‘the hope of glory’ Rom 5:2 and Col 1:27.

Multitudes of aggressive, discontented teenagers and their older mentors might want to reconsider where they can find true peace and happiness to calm their discontented spirits. Instead of being ungrateful for the clean water they enjoy, sanitation and modern medicine, the variety of food, experiences and hobbies they can enjoy, they fall into that unhappy category that the Bible describes as “unthankful, unholy” 2Tim 3:2. How much better to have godliness with contentment? It is great gain.

3. Gain

Profit is good. Many ignorant people think profit is bad and that making a profit is wrong. Whole areas of politics and social behaviour are controlled by the wrong idea of profit. People need to study the Bible better.

Profit at the unjust expense of others is wrong. Jesus used the profit motive to explain and correct one’s priorities.

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mk 8:36-37.

The Lord Jesus Christ

The apostle Paul had met people who thought “Gain is godliness” 1Tim 6:5. They had it the wrong way round – the cart before the horse.

Better still

Godliness is great gain, and there is more to come. “The best is yet to come.”

Update:

10 Oct 2022: it seems that many workers are not getting a good sleep and young people need Government help.