1 Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled. 2 Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.
Teach and urge these things. 3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But 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. 10 For 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.
(ESV)
STOP! Think a little 🤔 What is God saying to you?
- What is the writer saying?
- How do I apply this to my life?
We are all equal in Christ. Paul said in Galatians 3:28 that there is no slave or free. But the reality is that there are different roles and positions and they still require that we serve those over us with adequate honour. A slave was not to disregard their master because of their freedom in Christ because that behaviour would bring disrepute to the name of God and the gospel. Instead, a servant was to serve his master better because he knew he was serving a brother in Christ who would receive the benefit of his good service. Our freedom in Christ should never be used to usurp positions of authority. Instead, we should submit more willingly and view our work as for Christ himself (Col 3:22-23) knowing that our service to others will bring them benefit and give God glory.
Paul returns to the issue of false teachers. Only the sound teachings of Jesus Christ lead to true godliness. The ideas of man void of God’s truth cannot lead to godliness. In fact the false teachers seem to be peddling godliness but as a means to personal financial gain. But true godliness coupled with contentment is great gain. We brought nothing into the world when we were born and we will take nothing out of the world when we die. No amount of accumulated wealth will be of value to us when we die. Only the treasures we store up in heaven through work in godliness will be of any value in eternity. Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and ultimately into ruin and destruction. It is the love of money that is the root of all kinds of evil and ultimately leads many away from the faith. When we learn to be content with God supplying our needs, and not necessarily our wants, that we are best able to reach godliness. What do you need to change to have a godly view of money and to be more content?