1 Timothy 6:6-8 But godliness with contentment is great gain.… I. I AM TO EXPLAIN GODLINESS. This consists in two things. 1. It consists in a godly heart. Godly signifies godlike. Those who have a heart after God's own heart are godly, and bear His moral image, in which man was at first created, and to which every renewed person is restored by the special influence of the Divine Spirit. The Spirit in regeneration enstamps the moral image of God upon the heart, which consists in righteousness and true holiness. There is nothing in which men so nearly resemble God as in a godly heart. 2. Godliness implies not only a godly heart, but a godly life. All men will live according to their hearts. (1) A sincere consecration of themselves to God. Those who mean to live a godly life, give themselves away to God in an everlasting covenant, never to be forgotten. (2) The godly not only devote themselves to God, but pay a sincere and habitual obedience to the intimations of His will. II. THAT THIS GODLINESS WILL PRODUCE CONTENTMENT. 1. Godliness leads those who possess it to realize that God always treats them as well as they deserve. They live under an habitual sense of their unworthiness in the sight of God. 2. The godly are sensible that God always treats them according to their prayers, which reconciles them to the Divine dispensations towards them. 3. That it leads men to live by faith in the perfect wisdom and rectitude of the Divine government. The godly believe that the hand and heart of God are concerned in all the events which actually take place. III. THAT GODLY CONTENTMENT WILL PRODUCE GREAT GAIN; or rather, that godliness with contentment is great gain. 1. That godly contentment gains all the good in this world. Those who are contented after a godly sort, enjoy all the things that they possess, and they actually possess as much as they desire to possess; which affords them complete contentment. The contented person is in just such a situation as He, all things considered, desires to be in. 2. That those who possess godly contentment, gain not only this world, but the world to come. Contentment here prepares them for contentment there. Godliness here prepares them to enjoy godliness there.Improvement: 1. If godliness produces contentment, then those have reason to doubt of the sincerity of their religion who do not derive contentment from it. 2. If godliness produces contentment, then none can be contented who are destitute of godliness. 3. If godliness be so gainful as we have heard, then none can be godly too soon. 4. If godliness be so gainful as we have heard, then there is no danger of being too godly. 5. If godliness be so gainful as has been represented, then the godly have good reason to pity the ungodly. 6. If godliness be so gainful as has been represented, then the godly ought to do all they can to lead others to be godly. Godliness is benevolence, and benevolence wishes well to all mankind. (N. Emmons, D. D.)We brought nothing into the world. — Parallel Verses KJV: But godliness with contentment is great gain. |
    |