Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
1 Timothy 6:1-21 Godliness

1 Timothy 6:1-21 Godliness

Last updated on: May 26, 2015 at 3:31 pm by Jim Erwin

1 Timothy 6:1-21 Godliness 2015-05-26T15:31:15-05:00 Jim Erwin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

1 Timothy 6:1-21 Godliness

“All who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters to be worthy of all respect, so that God’s name and His teaching will not be blasphemed.” (1 Timothy 6:1, HCSB)

This is the guiding principles for this chapter. While some scholars see this section connected to the previous chapter about widows and elders, I sense that Paul is developing a final theme. As we have studied through the book of 1 Timothy, Paul’s emphasis has been on promoting what is Godly. In contrast, at times, he has shown what is ungodly.

All through the book, Timothy has been told to encourage and teach. What has been the theme? Godliness. We have talked about a Godly mission, Godly prayer, Godly submission, Godly leaders, Godly servants, Godly teaching, and Godly honor. Now we turn to what makes these things Godly. What makes something Godly, instead of any other quality? Paul answers that question and then gives us three challenges that can prevent us from being Godly.

GODLINESS – ITS DEFINITION

The quality of doing something assigned to God’s name. Something is Godly because it manifest God’s name in it. So godliness can be defined as devotion to God which results in a life that is pleasing to him.

We are Godly people only if we live a life that is pleasing to God. The world makes us worldly because it teaches us to live a life that pleases the world.

EXAMPLE: HONORING MASTERS (1 Timothy 6:1-2)

Paul gives us the example of honoring masters because it illustrates how we are to be godly. Honoring our Earthly masters brings us closer to Godliness because we learn to submit to an authority God has made. God has made authority figures in our lives as an example of how to please Him. He has given us masters, parents, elders, and government authorities to teach us to be Godly. That happens because we learn to follow God’s directions. We learn to please Him by submitting to the authorities He has placed over us.

However, there are challenges to being Godly. Paul lists four such challenges which are common to everyone who wants to be Godly.

FOUR CHALLENGES TO GODLINESS

1. FALSE TEACHING (1 Timothy 6:3)

“If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness,” (1 Timothy 6:3, HCSB)

A teaching that does not promote Godliness is inherently false. The problem is that people will teach more about what they want than what God wants them to teach. God’s goal in your life is to become more like Christ. The teaching that you receive must make that happen.

The result of false teaching is false behavior. They include the following:

“he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has a sick interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions,” (1 Timothy 6:4, HCSB)

This leads to the second challenge to Godliness.

2. GREED

“and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain. But godliness with contentment is a great gain.” (1 Timothy 6:5–6, HCSB)

Godliness includes contentment. The opposite of contentment is greed. The second challenge to being Godly is greed. The world teaches false behaviors. The most difficult behavior for the Christian is materialism. Many people think that Godliness will get you money and success. However, that is a prosperity gospel that is false.

REASONS GREED IS UNGODLY

1. God provides enough of what we need.

“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.” (1 Timothy 6:7–8, HCSB)

2. Love becomes misplaced.

“But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:9–10, HCSB)

God tells us to love Him. He wants us to derive pleasure from Him – that is the definition of Godliness. Instead, the world tempts us and traps us to derive happiness and pleasure riches.

3. Greed can keep you away from God.

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.” (1 Timothy 6:10, HCSB)

Greed can make people stay away from God. Loving money can take you away from the faith. Instead of finding satisfaction and pleasure in God and His church family, one finds satisfaction elsewhere.

3. GIVING UP (1 Timothy 6:11-16)

In this last section, Paul encourages Timothy to not give up. He calls it “fighting the faith.”

“But you, man of God, run from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the faith; take hold of eternal life that you were called to and have made a good confession about in the presence of many witnesses.” (1 Timothy 6:11–12, HCSB)

Paul tells Timothy to avoid other things and turn to the good fight of faith. If you are going to fight the good fight of faith, then you need the right weapons.

Previously, the false teachers were using wrong weapons. These weapons destroyed people. They included:

1. False doctrine (1 Timothy 6:3)

2. Disputes and arguments (1 Timothy 6:4)

3. Envy, slander, quarreling, evil suspicions (1 Timothy 6:4)

4. Disagreement (1 Timothy 6:5)

5. Godliness as a path to material gain (1 Timothy 6:5)

6. Love of money (1 Timothy 6:10)

In contrast, Paul tells Timothy about the right weapons – positive weapons which God gives us to fight the good fight of faith:

1. Righteousness

2. Godliness

3. Faith

4. Love

5. Endurance

6. Gentleness

With these offensive weapons, one fights the good fight for the faith – for Jesus. When weapons are being used against you, you want to give up. But to overcome giving up, we have to keep teaching.

“In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you to keep the command without fault or failure until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Timothy 6:13–14, HCSB)

What is the one command in this passage? It is to teach and encourage those from the Word of God. It refers back to 1 Timothy 6:2, 1 Timothy 4:11, and 1 Timothy 1:3-5.

The one command is to keep teaching, with the goal of increasing their love. Paul is teaching Timothy to be persistent. It will take time to keep this one command. It will take practice, diligence, and strength.

It is not easy to keep teaching to people who may not listen. It is not easy to keep teaching to those who won’t obey. However, just as God encouraged the prophets to keep the one command, we are called as pastors to continue in our effort.

4. FOCUS (1 Timothy 6:17-21)

The final challenge to Godliness is focus. These challenges layer on top of each other. False teaching leads to greed, which leads to giving up, and therefore a lack of focus.

“Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17, HCSB)

Focusing on God leads to being Godly. This leads to good works.

“Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share,” (1 Timothy 6:18, HCSB)

Good works lead to storing up true riches in heaven:

“storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real.” (1 Timothy 6:19, HCSB)

Paul reminds Timothy to avoid certain behaviors. These behaviors prevented Timothy from focusing on what he needs to leave a Godly legacy.

“Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding irreverent, empty speech and contradictions from the “knowledge” that falsely bears that name. By professing it, some people have deviated from the faith. Grace be with all of you.” (1 Timothy 6:20–21, HCSB)

Paul ends the letter with a reminder of what to avoid. He wants to remind us to be Godly by not bearing a false name. We are called to bear the right name. Again, we have the danger of leaving the faith because we are not representing God the right way.

We have to learn to guard what we have been taught. We need to work at staying faithful to Godliness.

Previous Post

May 25, 2015

The Holy Spirit Gives Different Gifts to Benefit the Church

Next Post

May 27, 2015 Leviticus 23:15-22 Making the Holidays Holy Days Again

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 1 Chronicles 1 Corinthians 1 John 1 Kings 1 Peter 1 Samuel 1 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Chronicles 2 Corinthians 2 John 2 Kings 2 Peter 2 Samuel 2 Thessalonians 2 Timothy 3 John Acts Advent Amos Book Review Colossians Comics Culture Watch Daniel Deuteronomy Ecclesiastes Ephesians Esther Exodus Ezekiel Ezra Galatians Genesis Guest Post Habakkuk Haggai Hebrews Hosea Humor Inspiritational Isaiah James Jeremiah Job Joel John Jonah Joshua Jude Judges Lamentations Lectionary Lent Leviticus Link Love Luke Malachi Mark Matthew Micah Movie Review Nahum Nehemiah Numbers Philippians Political Watch Prophecy Watch Proverbs Psalm Revelation Reviews Romans Ruth Science Watch Sermon Series Sermons Simple Thoughts Song of Solomon Titus Top Ten Uncategorized Video Review Zechariah Zephaniah

Select a Month May 2026 October 2025 September 2025 June 2025 February 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 April 2024 March 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 June 2023 May 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 January 2022 June 2021 January 2021 October 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2009 June 2008 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 October 2006 September 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does Paul say happens when we are baptized into Christ Jesus?

Select your answer to see how you score.

We receive the Holy Spirit We become children of God We are saved We are baptized into his death