S51P4- Notes on godliness: it seeks true treasure
1 Timothy 6:4b-7
He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.
These plans were rather meticulous. He had lived a life of luxury for quite some time, and he knew that eventually it would end. It was not something that he could accept easily, so he decided that he would not accept it at all. It began with the funeral services. He would spare no expense to have the biggest service in the nicest venue with the most exotic flowers and the best music. He arranged for the most expensive casket and began designs for the largest mausoleum in the state. When that time would come, his greatest treasures would be put to rest by his side for him to enjoy eternally. Everything seemed to be done perfectly. What he failed to understand was that none of this could serve him at all once that time would come.
There is a type of gain that the world seeks and that God instructs us to eschew. It is the gain of the ungodly person that is the subject of the beginning of this passage. This is what one seeks who twists the word of God for his own purposes. This is what one seeks who has the sole desire of using God for personal material gain. The godly one, on the other hand, understands that the things we can hope to gain through God are spiritual treasures that last. We can put a price on houses and cars and fine clothing. We can put a price on antiques and luxury vacations and yachts. We cannot put a price on the contentment that God makes available to us regardless of our material wealth. The irony is that this free gift has the most value of all.
The treasure that is sought and found by the godly is the state of being completely satisfied with God alone. It forgoes the quest for any temporary treasure that one day will amount to nothing as it fades away when those things of true value continue to last. It is the age-old trap of the world to be consumed with all of the things we think we need that cannot do us any good beyond this world. If we are to have a measuring rod for those things that truly matter, let it be this. The value that we find in anything can be measured only against what it brings us in light of eternity. Father, continue to give us the wisdom to seek those things of true value that are the allure of the godly.