Daily Devotional

A Ministry of the Kerwin Baptist Church

September 18, 2019

by Pastor Hawtree

BIBLE READING: I TIMOTHY 6

3 If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness;
4 He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings,
5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.

“HE IS PROUD”
Pride is the root of most of our problems. It causes so many issues. Whenever anyone begins to move away from the Word of God, it is always because of pride. Pride, thinking they know more than anyone else. Pride, thinking that they can rely on their own intellect and strength. Verse three teaches that any doctrine that is based on the word of God is always based on godliness. It is not based on popularity, culture, or what is accepted, but according to godliness. Anyone that teaches something other than that, is not based on the Bible.

“KNOWING NOTHING”
When pride sneaks into our life, we think we know a lot, when really, we know nothing. According to this passage, an individual like that has a lot to say, uses a lot of words, creates a lot of confusion and misguidance among people, but really knows nothing. The Bible calls it “perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds”.

“SUPPOSING THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS”
There it is. That is how twisted our minds can get if we are not careful. We begin to think that we are godly because we have become successful. Or we begin to think we are godly because we have accomplished something of great magnitude. This is what God says, “godliness with contentment is great gain”. So, gain does not equal godliness. Contentment is a sign of godliness.

Are you content today? Has pride began to twist your mind and you’re beginning to think that God has not blessed you because you don’t have more things. God has blessed us no matter what we have. One of the greatest of God’s blessings is contentment, and that only comes when we are close to the Lord and living with godliness as our goal. This passage says to withdraw yourself from anyone that lives according to this prideful philosophy. That’s good advice for us today.