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1 Timothy 6:3-21: How to be Content

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Paul ends his letter to Timothy talking about contentment. Seth and David discuss how contentment isn't saying "no" to things but begins with accepting God as a generous giver.

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How Godly Contentment Produces Great Gain: Understanding Paul's Teaching on Money and the Gospel

Show Notes

In this episode, David Bowden and Seth Stewart wrap up their study of First Timothy by exploring Paul's powerful conclusion about false teachers, money, and true contentment. The passage in 1 Timothy 6:3-21 reveals that the false teachers causing division in Ephesus were ultimately motivated by financial gain, using a distorted form of "godliness" to enrich themselves. This leads Paul to give Timothy—and all believers—a radically different vision of what it means to pursue gain in a way that honors God.

The False Teachers' Ungodly Godliness

Throughout First Timothy, Paul has been addressing false teachers who imposed strange rules derived from a misreading of the Old Testament, perhaps advocating vegetarianism and forbidding marriage as pathways to spiritual enlightenment. But now Paul exposes the rotten core beneath their teaching: they imagined that godliness was a means of financial gain. Their doctrine did not produce godliness but rather pride, controversy, quarreling, envy, dissension, slander, and constant friction. These outcomes reveal the bankruptcy of what they were teaching.

This raises a puzzling question: how could anyone look at people producing such obvious ungodliness and consider them spiritual leaders worth following? The answer resonates uncomfortably with our own age. Division and anger sell. Whether in first-century Ephesus or on modern social media, polarizing voices that claim insider knowledge and stoke controversy can gather large followings. The demonic strategy has always been to leverage cultural relevance and secret knowledge into profit, convincing people they are the truly enlightened ones while their opponents are the enemy. This dynamic plays out not only in political echo chambers but also in certain corners of Bible study, where endless speculation about end times prophecy or claims about hidden Hebrew meanings create engagement and, ultimately, revenue.

True Contentment as Grateful Reception

Paul pivots from exposing the false teachers to offering Timothy a radically different framework: "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). But what does contentment actually mean? The common understanding treats contentment as a kind of stoic detachment—the ability to say no to desires, to be satisfied with less, to embrace minimalism. This is a negative posture, defined by what one refuses rather than what one receives.

Paul's understanding of contentment operates differently. Earlier in the letter, he had already established that everything God created is good and should be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth (1 Timothy 4:4-5). Contentment, then, is not primarily about wanting less but about recognizing God as the generous giver of all things. In Philippians 4, Paul describes learning to be content whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. His contentment was not dependent on having little but on trusting the God who gives strength in every circumstance.

This reframes contentment as a yes posture rather than a no posture. When believers understand that everything they have comes from a generous God, they are freed to enjoy gifts fully rather than feeling guilty about them. A contented person can receive a feast with thanksgiving just as readily as simple fare, because the giver matters more than the gift. The false teachers' discontentment drove them to leverage religion for money. True contentment, rooted in knowing God as giver, produces the opposite fruit.

Why the Love of Money Poisons Everything

Paul's famous statement that "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:10) connects directly to Jesus's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount about treasure and the heart. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. If the heart is set on money, it will produce the kind of ungodliness Paul catalogued earlier—envy, dissension, slander, and suspicion. Money makes a terrible god because it operates purely on transaction. It cannot give freely; it only exchanges. It promises more than it delivers, and its demands escalate over time.

More subtly, the love of money poisons one's capacity to understand the Gospel itself. When money becomes the framework for understanding provision and value, everything becomes transactional—including one's relationship with God. The false teachers could not comprehend grace because their thinking was shaped by earning and exchange. They believed godliness was something to leverage for gain rather than a gift to receive. This is why Jesus spoke so frequently about money: not because wealth is inherently evil, but because monetary thinking is fundamentally antithetical to the grace-based logic of the Gospel. You cannot buy salvation. You cannot earn God's favor. It is given by a generous God to those who receive it with thanksgiving.

Instructions for Those Who Have Wealth

Significantly, Paul does not tell wealthy believers to immediately divest themselves of everything. Instead, he commands them not to be proud or to set their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly provides everything to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17). Wealth itself is not the problem; misplaced hope and pride are. The wealthy are instructed to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thereby storing up treasure for the future.

This advances Jesus's teaching by making it concrete: how do you actually store up treasure in heaven? By giving your earthly treasure away. Generosity is the inevitable overflow of godly contentment. When someone is convinced that everything they possess is a gift from God who will continue to provide, holding things loosely and sharing freely becomes natural. Gifts are always more enjoyable when shared. The person who hoards a fine bottle of wine to drink alone has missed something essential about what gifts are for. Contentment does not diminish enjoyment; it actually increases it by freeing people from the anxiety of accumulation.

Jesus as the Model of Generous Contentment

Jesus himself perfectly embodies what Paul teaches here. As God, Jesus owned everything—there is no square inch of the universe that does not belong to him. Yet he was rich in good works, generous with his power in healing and compassion, and ultimately gave his very life for others on the cross. He was content with the riches of heaven to such a degree that he gave them all away. And what did his generosity gain him? Far more than he gave up. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross and is now seated at the right hand of God, enthroned in power forever. Godliness with contentment truly is great gain, and Jesus proves it.

This has profound implications for how believers should view their own giving. Jesus knew that after being generous, the Father would be exponentially generous in return. There is nothing anyone can give away that will not be returned a billionfold simply by being in God's presence forever. At the end of Revelation, the invitation goes out to come and buy—but the price is nothing, because everything in the new creation is a gift. God's generosity never runs dry. He is a giver who provides increasingly good things for free. Money, by contrast, is a cruel provider that extracts more while delivering less, subject to inflation and depreciation. Only God can truly satisfy.

Fighting the Good Fight as a Man of God

Paul concludes by charging Timothy to flee the love of money and instead pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness (1 Timothy 6:11). The final virtue on that list is striking: gentleness. This is the word Jesus used to describe himself—gentle and lowly in heart. The capstone of fighting the good fight is not aggressive confrontation but Christlike gentleness.

Paul calls Timothy "man of God," a title reserved in Scripture for figures like Moses, David, Elijah, and Elisha—leaders specially chosen and gifted by God to lead his people. For a young, frequently ill, perhaps timid pastor feeling out of place among older leaders, this affirmation must have been powerful. Paul was not merely giving instructions; he was calling Timothy up, reminding him that his authority came not from his own qualifications but from God's deposit in him. Timothy had made a good confession at his ordination, just as Jesus made his good confession before Pontius Pilate. Both confessed the same truth: Jesus is King, and he is coming again. If Jesus and Timothy confess the same reality, Timothy can persevere with confidence.

The letter ends with a doxology celebrating the God whom no one has ever seen or can see—an echo of God's words to Moses when Moses asked to see his face. After that encounter, Moses's face radiated glory, validating his authority to lead Israel. Similarly, Timothy's encounter with the risen Jesus validates his authority to lead the church in Ephesus. He has seen the one who cannot be seen, made the confession that Jesus made, and now carries the calling of a man of God. That is more than enough to fight the good fight until Jesus appears.

Transcript

David: [upbeat music] How do we have godly contentment that changes our hearts?

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: This goes back to everything we've been saying. Receive-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... the gift of the gospel.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Understand that the gospel's a free gift of grace, and it will change your heart, and then it will not produce all kinds of evil, but all kinds of godliness.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: I mean, that's amazing.

Intro: [upbeat music] Welcome to the Spoken Gospel podcast. Spoken Gospel is a ministry that's dedicated to speaking the gospel out of every corner of scripture. In Luke 24, Jesus told his disciples that every part of the Bible was about him. So each week, hosts David and Seth work through a passage of scripture to see how it's all about Jesus and his good news. Let's jump in. [upbeat music]

David: Well, welcome everyone to the Spoken Gospel podcast. Thank you so much for joining us. We are finishing up First Timothy today.

Seth: Yeah.

David: How's that, how's that sit with you, Seth?

Seth: It sits with me mighty fine.

David: Mighty fine.

Seth: Uh.

David: It is well with your soul.

Seth: It is w- yeah. I have enjoyed First Timothy.

David: Yeah.

Seth: It is... It's not our first epistle to go through.

David: No.

Seth: But it, verse by verse, is it our first epistle?

David: Oh, I don't know. I honestly don't know.

Seth: Um-

David: It's embarrassing.

Seth: It's, it's [laughs]... We do this a lot, I guess.

David: [laughs]

Seth: 180 episodes-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... published now.

David: It's not, I guess it's not the worst that I don't remember.

Seth: Uh, but it, it's like a different skill set than, like, talking about the narrative, uh, the storyline-

David: Right

Seth: ... the characters of some of the Old Testament things-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... that we've done a lot of in the past.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Um-

David: So i- it's- it's nice to be landing this plane.

Seth: It is nice to be landing this plane.

David: Uh, there's been some awesome moments.

Seth: Yeah.

David: But, uh, yeah. Okay, so First Timothy, we've been talking about there's these false teachers, and they are imposing some rules that they've been getting from misunderstanding the Old Testament, maybe trying to get back to some weird version of the Garden of Eden where everyone's vegan and no one-

Seth: Yeah. [laughs]

David: ... gets married. Um, and that's the pathway to godliness. But really underneath it, they've been crooks, and they were in it for the money maybe.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And there's all this brokenness and disunity and factions.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And Paul's writing to the pastor there, Timothy-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... and telling him how to persevere in all of this tumultuous stuff, and his main bit of advice has been, "Guard your life and your doctrine."

Seth: Yeah.

David: "Be godly and just teach truth."

Seth: Yeah.

David: And that's kind of... Is that... Uh, I wasn't prepared to give that summary, but-

Seth: You did a great summary. You're not the normal the summary guy.

David: No, I'm not.

Seth: Yeah. [laughs]

David: But I thought that I wanted to give a whack at it there.

Seth: Yeah, that's-

David: Okay

Seth: ... that's basically what's been going on.

David: Okay.

Seth: Uh, and you can kinda feel from the way that Paul lands the plane here in, uh, First Timothy 6, that he's been waiting to talk about the underlying motivation for all this false teaching-

David: Oh

Seth: ... which is these false teachers are in it for the money.

David: Okay.

Seth: They, uh, have a godliness. They consider their godliness as a means for financial gain.

David: I see.

Seth: So they're-

David: 'Cause we kind of inferred that in chapter five when it's like, "Hey, don't forget to pay your pastors."

Seth: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

David: "A labor is worth his wages." And we're like, I wonder if he's saying that because there's something on the line with money with the old false teachers.

Seth: Right.

David: And now we know it.

Seth: Now we know it.

David: Okay.

Seth: And he goes on for quite a while about what should a Timothy and, for our sake, a believer's relationship with money and gain and wealth look like.

David: Mm.

Seth: And so-

David: Ooh.

Seth: Yeah.

David: So we're talking about money and wealth and-

Seth: Yeah, so it's gonna be great.

David: Okay.

Seth: Yeah.

David: The money episode.

Seth: The money episode. [laughs]

David: Money. [laughs]

Seth: We don't have a lot of those.

David: We don't, yeah. Although I guess the more we get into the-

Seth: Well, yeah, the more we talk-

David: The Bible says a lot about money.

Seth: It does.

David: Yeah.

Seth: I mean, I think w- as, spoiler alert.

David: Spoiler. [laughs]

Seth: After the Book of Timothy, we'll be going into the Book of Matthew-

David: Oh

Seth: ... and Jesus talks a lot about money.

David: He does.

Seth: So.

David: I'm excited for Matthew.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Okay, anyway, so he just finished up... What was it? The, the household codes for-

Seth: So yeah, we're at-

David: ... widows, elders, and slaves.

Seth: Now we're in 6:2, and so he says, "Teach and urge these things," meaning the doctrine that I've been explaining to you this whole time.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: Teach the good news of Jesus. Help people to be r- at one and unified with one another, and anyone who teaches a different doctrine does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ-

David: Mm

Seth: ... and a teaching that accords with godliness. So he's really just taking to the mat any other way of teaching and any other authority besides what the church has passed down-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... and what the Apostle Paul's responsible to deliver, so.

David: Yeah. It's also interesting that he says, like, because their teaching doesn't accord with godliness.

Seth: Right.

David: Our teaching does accord with godliness, which is why it's true.

Seth: Mm.

David: And we kinda talked about that with chapter four a lot, where it was guard your life and doctrine. It's because-

Seth: Mm

David: ... your life should prove that the doctrine you're teaching is true.

Seth: Right.

David: And he's like, w- what they're teaching and how they're living are somehow self-contradictory.

Seth: Yeah.

David: It's unraveling and falling apart.

Seth: Yeah, that's exactly right.

David: Okay.

Seth: The- because the doctrine should produce godliness.

David: Okay, yes.

Seth: That's like the idea. The teaching you teach should produce godliness.

David: Uh-huh.

Seth: And the teaching these false teachers are teaching is producing-

David: Okay

Seth: ... ungodliness.

David: So that's a little different than what I said.

Seth: Yeah.

David: 'Cause, uh, it's that your teaching should match your life. Well, you can be teaching something false-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... and live in accordance with it.

Seth: Right.

David: But the issue is that is the teaching making you like God?

Seth: Right. That's-

David: Is it making you godly?

Seth: And the answer is-

David: That's the idea.

Seth: Yeah, if you compare 6:3 with Titus 1:1-2-

David: Uh-huh

Seth: ... he uses a very similar structure to this right here.

David: Oh.

Seth: But instead of saying, "Teaching that accords with godliness," is, like, a really l- kind of a passive translation of that, that phrasing.

David: Yes.

Seth: But it's better understood as teaching that produces godliness.

David: Ah, yes.

Seth: Like, so that's what's on the line.

David: Okay, got it. That's what's on the line. The false teacher's teaching is not producing godliness, which probably means it's producing sin, ungodliness.

Seth: Things such as-

David: Oh, boy

Seth: ... the very next verse.

David: Oh, okay. Well, there we go. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah. [laughs]

David: I wasn't praying the right thing.

Seth: Yeah, yeah. He was like-

David: Okay. Okay, so yeah, h- these people are puffed up with conceit.

Seth: They understand nothing.They have an unhealthy craving for controversy, for quarrels about words, which pro- 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.

David: Whoa. Okay. So their teaching was producing all kinds of bad stuff.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Okay.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And at the bottom of it then is because they believed that whatever this form of godliness that they've been hawking to people, they weren't even doing it for good intentions. They were doing that just to-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... gain.

Seth: Get money. So I have a question, first of all.

David: Great.

Seth: How can you have this list of, of behaviors-

David: Uh-huh

Seth: ... and even presume any type of godliness?

David: Ah.

Seth: Because what, what I was surprised by when I first read that... Before we get to contentment and money and all that kind of stuff, it's like, okay, someone who has a unhealthy craving for controversy, for quarrels, for envy, d- who's creating envy, dissension, slander, there's no way-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... that you could pretend this is godly behavior.

David: Well.

Seth: So-

David: [laughs]

Seth: ... how can you say that they imagine their godliness is a means of gain? I, I c- I don't-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... understand what, how anybody could look at that and be like, "Oh, that's-"

David: Right

Seth: ... "a form of godliness." That's-

David: Here's this envious, slanderous, quarrelsome person. They must be really godly. Let me give them money.

Seth: Right.

David: [laughs]

Seth: And they're, they're perpetuating that, and I mean, I don't understand how-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... they, they got away with pretending to be-

David: Right

Seth: ... godly if this is so self-evident.

David: Man, I don't know. Like, I wasn't ready for that question-

Seth: [laughs]

David: ... honestly. But I'll try to be somewhat middle of the road here.

Seth: Okay.

David: There, there are plenty of examples of this in today's culture, where you have loud, angry-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... divisive people who are slandering-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... other parties, bashing other people, and they get these platforms for it. And people look at them and they think that person is doing the right thing.

Seth: Like, yeah.

David: And, and maybe they claim to be Christians.

Seth: Uh-huh.

David: It's like, that's a godly person standing up for what's really true.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And then at the end of their rant, they sell you herbal medicine.

Seth: [laughs] Yeah.

David: And they're just out for the gain.

Seth: Right, right, right.

David: And it's like, this is a real thing, and-

Seth: Well, it clicks on YouTube, which gets them ad dollars.

David: Exactly.

Seth: Right. Yeah.

David: And it's like-

Seth: Okay

David: ... it's not a strange thing to see an angry, divisive person-

Seth: Right

David: ... gather a following of people who think they are on a righteous crusade.

Seth: Yeah, hate, fear, and division sells-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... really easy.

David: Yeah.

Seth: And I mean, Facebook algorithms know it too-

David: Oh, yeah

Seth: ... which is why-

David: They, they're, they push it.

Seth: That was right.

David: Yeah. [laughs]

Seth: It's like... So okay, so that's interesting.

David: Yeah. And I don't know if that's what was going on.

Seth: Well-

David: But-

Seth: ... what it makes me think of is m- I think it proves the point that I was, I was wondering if we'd get to.

David: Mm.

Seth: I've heard in some of my study that godliness could have been the false teacher's word.

David: Yeah, you've, you, you've said that be- before-

Seth: It's like it was-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... their catchphrase for what they were teaching. They-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... and, uh, 2 Timothy talks about it. They have a form of godliness-

David: Right

Seth: ... but they deny its power. So they were talking about a new way to be godly.

David: Yeah.

Seth: They knew the secret of true godliness.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: Godliness isn't what Paul says. It's actually what you can intuit for yourself. And in 2 Timothy, again, 4:3, it says the, "People like to accumulate teachers that-

David: Mm

Seth: ... appeal to their own sensibilities."

David: Right.

Seth: So godliness isn't what Paul says. It's actually what already accords with what you believe about yourself, what you intuit for yourself, what the cultural winds are already s- saying. We're the truly enlightened godly ones. We've discovered a more spiritual, spiritually sophisticated-

David: Right

Seth: ... way to be godly. Um, so-

David: It is interesting how you're describing it.

Seth: Yeah.

David: It's like the people who have fallen in line with the false teachers who are angry and divisive but were in it for the money, they start listening to them.

Seth: Mm.

David: And they're like, "Oh, we like this teaching."

Seth: Mm.

David: So they gather more people who s- are saying the same things to continue giving them what their itching ears wanna hear.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: They're creating their echo chambers.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And it's like, looks like Satan has been doing the algorithm-

Seth: [laughs]

David: ... from the beginning. [laughs] He's just like, this just looks like the-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... like the, like the Facebook algorithm-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... of the 1st century. [laughs]

Seth: We al- we've always prayed about the evil algorithms on YouTube. [laughs] We were, we were right.

David: We were right.

Seth: Yeah.

David: This... He, he never needed a computer to pull that off.

Seth: Yeah, that's interesting. There's a human element of, like, division sells.

David: Right.

Seth: There's a demonic element where people like to hear things that are contrary to God's truth.

David: Right.

Seth: There's also just the bald profiteering-

David: Right

Seth: ... motive, which is like, "Oh, we're leveraging cultural relevance, secret knowledge, and access into an elite spirituality to get rich. And when you trust us-

David: Yep

Seth: ... you're more godly."

David: Well, you, you think about-

Seth: "Not only do we get rich, you get godly."

David: And you think about some of the deep, dark holes on the left and the right side that people find themselves in, you know, where it's conspiracy theories and-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... it's secret knowledge, and it's the hidden truth behind the powers.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And that exists on both sides of the spectrum.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And it's like, that is just... It's happening.

Seth: Right. And I see that same dynamic in Bible study too.

David: Oh, you're so right.

Seth: It's like-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... oh, if we get behind the text and see what we can't really see based on the evidence.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: If we understand Roman culture better and better and better and better, we're all, all of a sudden having a conversation about Roman culture-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... and which means that Ephesians has nothing to teach us anymore about the relationship between men and women.

David: It was just, it's just another window into the history.

Seth: Right.

David: And that'd be on the left side.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Like, you know?

Seth: Yeah.

David: Yeah.

Seth: And then on the other side, it's like, but if we go really deep into the original Hebrew-

David: Right

Seth: ... and, like-

David: You'll discover that the Greek was wrong.

Seth: Right, yeah. It's like-

David: Yeah. [laughs]

Seth: ... you're like-

David: It's like, wait, hold on

Seth: ... oh, wait, wait a second. And there's ways to, like, get lost in myths about the Bible.

David: That's right. You're right.

Seth: I mean, I don't ca-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... there's a lot of YouTube videos about-

David: Totally

Seth: ... the end of times.

David: Right. The, uh, the endless genealogy.

Seth: The endless genealogy.

David: The endless revelation speculation.

Seth: Right. It's like that still happens today.

David: Yeah. And people make money off of it.

Seth: And people make a ton of money off of it.

David: Yeah, you're right. Yeah. I mean, this happens. I mean, all Seth and I think are trying to say here are this is human nature.

Seth: It's human nature.

David: Like, this is the... And it's also the work of the evil one. 'Cause I-

Seth: Right

David: ... I don't wanna just chalk it up to human nature 'cause Paul constantly talks about the demonic-... side of things here

Seth: Yeah

David: Uh, what was it? The, uh, the deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons in 4:1. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: So that's just like, it's, it's the enemy strategy has always been to polarize people, fill them with truth through anger and divisiveness, and dr-

Seth: Major on the minors.

David: Yeah, major on the minors. And he... And what does he use? How do you get somebody to lead like that? How do you get somebody to lie to people, be angry, and pull them away? You keep them well paid.

Seth: Mm-hmm. And how do you convince people to continue to listen to you? Convince them that you're the truly right ones.

David: Right. We're the godly ones.

Seth: We're the ones who are in-

David: Right

Seth: ... the right.

David: It's back at your point.

Seth: Everybody else-

David: Yep

Seth: ... is the enemy.

David: Yep.

Seth: That is the way false teachers operate. And-

David: Godliness sells.

Seth: Yeah. Right, right.

David: [laughs] Yeah, right, right, right.

Seth: Right. And so godliness is a means of gain-

David: Okay

Seth: ... for these people.

David: I mean, I guess the other thing to talk about there would be, um, that I think people would probably read, think of when they read that is, like, televangelists.

Seth: Yeah.

David: That's like-

Seth: That's like the classic one.

David: The classic-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... godliness as, as the means of gain. 'Cause a lot of times they'll distort... Not all of them. I don't wanna paint with a broad brush where it's not necessary.

Seth: Not all evangelists on television are televangelists. [laughs]

David: That's right. But-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... there are famous ones who have distorted scripture-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... to make a more palatable message or something like that, and they get huge followings, and then they sell you holy water. [laughs] You know? Like-

Seth: Right

David: ... and so that's hap- that happens there, too.

Seth: Yeah.

David: It doesn't just hap- Like, sometimes these people aren't just angry and violent and divisive externally.

Seth: Yeah.

David: You know, the people yelling and ranting, they're really nice and-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... calm and quiet. What they're teaching is false.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And they're just in it for the gain, too.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: But godliness sells is kind of-

Seth: Which is like-

David: ... an idea

Seth: ... which is an odd way to say it.

David: Yeah.

Seth: But Paul kinda picks up on this because his next line is, "No, godliness with contentment is great gain."

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: It's almost as if he's saying, "You know, they're kinda half right."

David: Yeah.

Seth: Righteousness, being on the right side of history, whatever, however you wanna say it, does sell you something.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: But godliness with contentment is great gain, which I think is interesting. What he's doing here, he's not even talking about false teaching anymore. Now he's gonna start talking about true contentment. This is why I say, like, you can tell he's been gunning for this topic for a while now.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: 'Cause, like, okay, we already know the false teachers are false. We already know what they're up to. They're teachings of demons. They're divisive. They're slanderous. Let's talk about money for a second.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Let's talk about contentment. They're in it for the money, but let's talk about how believers, Christians, you, Timothy-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... should think about gain.

David: What's interesting about this, and w- we'll jump into it, what's interesting about his tactic here is that he is practicing what he preached. He told Timothy, "Don't engage in the useless myths."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: "Don't go on their level. Don't argue with them. Just preach the truth and live it out."

Seth: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

David: And here's what he's doing. He's like, "Oh, they're slanderous. They're this. They're that. They have all these fake myths," everything like that. Next sentence, "Here's the three reasons why you're wrong."

Seth: [laughs]

David: No.

Seth: No.

David: That's not what he does. He says, "Now, let me teach you about how Jesus views money."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Right? It's like-

Seth: Right

David: ... he's practicing what he preaches. Like, "Timothy, just preach the truth, and everything will work out."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And it's like, and then he does it.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Which is really cool.

Seth: I think he's doing it in a way that kinda gets underneath everything. It's like he's preaching truth in such a way that it responds to the false teachers-

David: Right

Seth: ... without having to respond to every silly myth they come up with.

David: It doesn't get on their level.

Seth: Right. Uh, so here's the first question.

David: Okay.

Seth: He doesn't say money. He says, "Godliness with contentment is great gain." What is contentment?

David: Mm.

Seth: We've talked about godliness at length.

David: Yes.

Seth: Being like God.

David: Yeah.

Seth: What is contentment?

David: I have another question.

Seth: Okay.

David: How do those two go together? Is he saying to be content with how godly you are, or is he saying be godly and also be content?

Seth: I think the idea here is that godliness includes contentment.

David: Right. It's godliness with contentment.

Seth: Right.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Because when your godliness is uncontent-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... what does it produce?

David: Envy-

Seth: Create-

David: ... slander

Seth: ... envy, slander, dissension, constant friction.

David: Right. He's insinuating they're hawking a form of godliness.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And what's inside of that godliness? Discontent.

Seth: Discontent.

David: They're not content people.

Seth: And so what are they filling that discontent with? Money.

David: Money.

Seth: Yes.

David: Right. They're in it for the gain. Okay. But l- we're gonna have the right form of godliness [laughs]

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... that's brought forth by right teaching, and inside of our godliness is contentment.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Okay. I, I think I understand-

Seth: Understood

David: ... what you're saying right now. Okay, so then your question is, what is contentment? I'll give you, like, the pedestrian answer.

Seth: Yeah.

David: I just always feel like would be, like, the quickest response, shoot from the hip I would give is, like, contentment is being okay with what you have.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Is that, is that, like, how most people would probably think about contentment? Like-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... this is what I have, and it's enough.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: It's a I can do without-ness.

Seth: Mm.

David: Oh, I can do without that because I'm content.

Seth: Yeah.

David: I can do without that because I'm content.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And it's a, it's a, it's a no posture.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Why? Because I'm zen, and I'm content.

Seth: Right.

David: And I-

Seth: I'm detached from the ma-

David: I'm detached

Seth: ... ma- material things that I have.

David: Yeah.

Seth: I don't need more than I have right now.

David: You-

Seth: And I could probably do with a lot less.

David: Yeah. So you might, like, think of, like, a minimalist or a, um, a Marie Kondo.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Yeah. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah, yeah, yeah.

David: Okay. Okay.

Seth: I don't know if that's... I think that is a form of contentment.

David: Right. Yeah, it's like, I think if you were asking people what contentment is, they might-

Seth: Right

David: ... think that. But-

Seth: Um

David: ... maybe that's not what-

Seth: I think Paul might mean something a little bit different.

David: Okay.

Seth: Because, and this goes back to something we talked about in Timothy 4, where he pushes on this idea that these false teachers have been telling their people to not enjoy some of the things God has given them.

David: Oh, right. Don't eat meat. Don't get married. Don't make babies.

Seth: Right. And his response to that is, uh, no, God created things to be received with thanksgiving-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... for those who know and believe the truth. Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected.

David: Wait a second.

Seth: What? [laughs]

David: I think I see where you're going with this. [laughs]

Seth: Right.

David: [laughs]

Seth: So it's like what, what's interesting is that we've already been primed to start thinking about the things God provides in the context of God being a giver.

David: Gain is not bad.Is, is the category that he set up is-

Seth: Right

David: ... gain is not bad.

Seth: Right. Right, right, right.

David: Okay.

Seth: So there's financial gain leveraging a form of godliness for financial gain is bad.

David: Yes.

Seth: But being content as part of your godliness to gain the things that God gives-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... is good.

David: Right. Let me try this other- so contentment, I think most people would say is the ability to say, "No, I don't need that because I am-"

Seth: Mm

David: ... self-sufficient. Like I'm, I'm okay.

Seth: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

David: So I don't need that.

Seth: Mm-hmm. Yeah.

David: I'm good with what I have. I don't need anything else. Contentment with, godly contentment is being thankfully open to receive the gifts of God. It's a yes posture, not a no posture.

Seth: That's kind of, like, where I'm want to lean because I think in my mind, contentment is a negative reality. Contentment is minimalism. Contentment is frugality.

David: Right.

Seth: Content-

David: It's like, I mean, I would like go to my son, like, yesterday.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Okay, so yesterday we, we were like, "We need to go grocery shopping after dinner," and he wanted to play. And we're like, "Yeah, we can play after dinner." And then Megan was like, "Oh, we need to get groceries."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And, and so, "Okay, we gotta go to Aldi after dinner."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And he's like, "I don't wanna go to Aldi." And I was like, "Well, how about I give you a sucker and you can have a sucker and we'll go to Aldi?"

Seth: Yeah, yeah.

David: And he's like, "Oh, okay. That sounds great."

Seth: Yeah.

David: So he picks a sucker out that he wanted Chuck E. Cheese. It was, like, the dream.

Seth: Right.

David: The grape sucker he won at Chuck E. Cheese-

Seth: [laughs]

David: ... was the stinking dream. And then our little one, our year and a half-year-old, Eli, he's, like, never had a sucker before, but it's like-

Seth: Uh-huh

David: ... I think he's ready, so we have these, like, they're called Zollipops and they're like-

Seth: Oh, yeah. I've seen those

David: ... these dentist-friendly clean your teeth somehow suckers.

Seth: Yeah, yeah.

David: I don't know how that works. But we're like, "Oh, we could give him one too," 'cause he's freaking out that he doesn't have a sucker.

Seth: Yeah.

David: So we give Eli one, and he has one. And then Ezra, my oldest, who picked the dream sucker, the grape sucker, he starts looking at the different suckers-

Seth: [laughs]

David: ... his little brother has and just throws himself on the ground and starts crying.

Seth: 'Cause it's not the same. [laughs]

David: And I, and I, I mean, I, what I said to him wasn't this, but I could've easily said, "Just be content with what you have."

Seth: Right. Right, right, right. Yeah, yeah.

David: Right? That's the version of contentment that I have in my head is, just be okay with it. Yeah, be content.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And it's, it's a little negative.

Seth: Why... Yeah, it's negative, and why be content with what you have? Because that is what you have.

David: Right.

Seth: And you shouldn't want more than-

David: Ah

Seth: ... what you have.

David: The reason for contentment is don't want more.

Seth: Right.

David: Be okay with what you have.

Seth: Right.

David: Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Seth: Yeah, yeah. So, so-

David: It's very constricting.

Seth: It's constricting.

David: Okay.

Seth: But I th- I think it might be helpful to go to a different place Paul talks about contentment.

David: Okay.

Seth: So Paul talks about contentment in Philippians 4 as well, and here's what he says, um, in Philippians 4:11, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. And I can do this, why? Because the one who gives me strength."

David: Mm.

Seth: Paul's view of contentment allows him to be both wealthy and poor. Why? Because God is the one who gives him what he needs in the given moment. So, like, I'm trying to, like, fill out Paul's understanding of contentment because I think if I have a lot of things, if I'm a wealthy man, I'm wealthy by the world's standards-

David: Right

Seth: ... I often think contentment means, man, I should probably be do, have less in my house.

David: Ah.

Seth: I should get away of some of the junk that I have. I don't need this many of X. Like, I don't need these luxuries.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: Contentment would look like being content with less and less and less and less.

David: Right.

Seth: But Paul doesn't say that. He's actually grateful when he has much.

David: Right.

Seth: And he's content when he has less than that.

David: Yes.

Seth: Why? Because God is giving it all to him.

David: Let me try to repeat back what you're saying, and I'll try to keep myself using Timothy language. He says, "Anything can be received and it be holy if it's received with thanksgiving."

Seth: Yeah.

David: We talked about that-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... uh, earlier. And he's saying so if you are given a little or you're given-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... a lot, if you're thankful, that means you know where the gift is coming from.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And so you can be content with it because it's, you know God is good, and He's given it to you.

Seth: Yeah.

David: All things that God made are good, the little small things that-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... the minimalists love.

Seth: Uh-huh.

David: You know? [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: And the big giant feasts that the wealthy, luxurious crave.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Well, actually, they're both good things. The minimalist and the feast are both good, but you, it's all about how you receive them.

Seth: Right.

David: Right? It's like-

Seth: I think so

David: ... with thanksgiving.

Seth: With thanksgiving.

David: Knowing that they're from God.

Seth: If you have constantly in the back of your mind, "My God is a giver who-"

David: Right

Seth: ... "provides everything that I need, everything that He has made is good and for my reception to be received with thanksgiving-"

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... I don't need to leverage other people to get more.

David: Right.

Seth: I can be content because I know who God is. Contentment is always related to what's around me.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: But for Paul, it seems to be related to who God is.

David: Right.

Seth: I'm content when I know God gives me everything.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: And what is true godliness? Knowing who God is.

David: Yeah.

Seth: So one of the byproducts of knowing who God is, is being content that He gives you everything that you need.

David: Right. Yeah, I'm thinking about, like, with, like, when we hang out with our kids, it doesn't matter if we, like, drop them off at-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... Disney World, like, by themselves-

Seth: Yeah, yeah, yeah

David: ... versus if we played in a cardboard box with them. They will have a better experience-

Seth: Right

David: ... at the one that we're with them.

Seth: Yes.

David: You know? [laughs]

Seth: Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's right. That's right.

David: Like, it's like, I know that's not exactly what we're trying to say.

Seth: No, but that's, that gets something, similar to it.

David: Yeah.

Seth: And I think it's interesting, too, that he's using the same words, godly and gain.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: They mean a form of godliness for financial gain. He means true godliness for spiritual gain.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: And I think in this context what he's saying, the gain you get is a life devoid of pride-

David: Right

Seth: ... conspiracy, suspicion. Do you want that type of life?

David: [laughs] Yeah.

Seth: Do you want a life that's not dominated by the echo chamber, that's not d- dominated by theological controversy? Do you want a life that's contented?

David: Mm.

Seth: Trust that God is the one who gives all things.

David: Nice. Yeah. How do we see the gospel in this moment, where if we're looking at godliness with contentment is great gain-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... how is that fulfilled for us in the gift-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... of Jesus given to us by God, the giver?

Seth: Well, I wonder if it's helpful to read the next verse.

David: Mm.

Seth: Because Paul continues to develop this idea of godliness. We're aiming at why is it good news that we can be content.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: So godliness with contentment is great gain. Why?

David: Mm.

Seth: Because we brought nothing into the world, and we can bring nothing out of it. Why is this gain?

David: [laughs] Right.

Seth: Yeah. [laughs]

David: Yeah, it's like no matter what, y- you, you, you come in with nothing, you leave with nothing, so whatever you gain in the middle is net zero.

Seth: Right.

David: It's d- y- you're literally hoarding up for nothing.

Seth: It's almost as if he's saying, like, "Well, godliness is the way to live because God is a great giver, and besides that, contentment is just the logical posture towards human existence." Nobody brought a dollar bill when they came out of the womb-

David: Right

Seth: ... and nobody takes it to heaven with them. Like-

David: Right

Seth: ... that's just the logical way to think about life.

David: So it's actually not gain because you can't take it with you.

Seth: Right.

David: It's not gain, and yet it's great gain to have contented godliness. Why? Because you yourself are made into the kind of godly person that gets to exist with God forever.

Seth: Yes.

David: Like, you're-

Seth: Yes

David: ... forming a character that will be around God forever, and so you actually do take it with you. What do you take with you? The kind of person that can exist alongside God.

Seth: Yeah, the, the idea-

David: So that's great gain.

Seth: Right. The good news is that our lives begin to be marked by godliness, less suspicion, less slander, less division.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: But also, the good news of eternal life with a God who exists beyond the two poles of this human life.

David: Right.

Seth: Human pole one, birth. Human pole two, death. And then a whole life after that for those who believe in Jesus.

David: Right. How do you, how do you have great gain now for that life? Only contented godliness. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: Okay. That's very... Well-

Seth: And I think as we continue to cultivate an eternal perspective on material goods, our relationship with our material goods will change-

David: Mm

Seth: ... and it will help us see them in light of the eternal giver.

David: Mm.

Seth: Right? It's like all the great coffee that I enjoy and all the good things that I have in my life, contentment actually allows me to enjoy them more.

David: Mm.

Seth: And I think a lot of the times, contentment m- means enjoying things less, or-

David: Right

Seth: ... extracting, being mindful of how much pleasure we extract from things.

David: Oh, right.

Seth: Right?

David: A contented person won't get pleasure from things, because they're-

Seth: Because that would mean they would want it too much-

David: Right

Seth: ... and they would want more of it.

David: Right.

Seth: But if it's a gift-

David: Enjoy it

Seth: ... I'm actually freed to enjoy it.

David: Right, and the giver is more pleased the more you enjoy the gift.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Right, which is why Paul was able to be content when he was really well-fed, and that would seem like a juxtaposition for most people.

Seth: Right.

David: Right? It's like, well, how can you content- you were, you were a glutton, and you were wanting, and you were-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... like craving. How dare you? And he's like, "No, I was just enjoying a gift given to me by God. I was also feeling that same way when I had nothing." [laughs]

Seth: Right, yeah, and he says something similar here, "But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content." Like, he, he's playing off-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... of what he said previously.

David: Which is like a total riff on the Sermon on the Mount.

Seth: Yes.

David: Like, he is just totally riffing on-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... Jesus's teaching here, where Jesus is like, "Man, don't store up treasure on Earth where, where... You can't take it with you."

Seth: Right.

David: Is what Jesus was teaching. Store up treasures in heaven, and why? 'Cause God's gonna feed you.

Seth: Mm.

David: He feeds the sparrow. God's gonna clothe you. He clothes the grass, right? Like-

Seth: Yes, yes

David: ... he's got you on the basics, and so everything that you get basic, every time you put on a shirt, be like, "Man, God, thanks for giving me this," instead of, "I wonder if I could have a side hustle and buy more shirts."

Seth: I think you're totally right-

David: [laughs]

Seth: ... to, like, be riffing on the Sermon on the Mount and be going to the Sermon on the Mount.

David: Okay.

Seth: So Jesus says, you know, "Do not store for yourselves treasures on Earth where moth and vermin destroy, thieves break in and steal it."

David: Mm.

Seth: "W- store up for yourself instead treasures in heaven," godly gain.

David: Right.

Seth: Like, gain in heaven, because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: And look how Paul continues his argument here. "Because the love of money is the root of all, all kinds of evil."

David: Ah, a heart, the heart that wants money.

Seth: The heart that wants money, the part that puts its hope in money-

David: Mm

Seth: ... leads to all the ungodliness and dissension and division that we've seen in this text.

David: I see. That's interesting. I don't think I ever thought about Jesus's teaching of where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, as a warning against a heart that's gonna be full of evil. I've al-

Seth: Right

David: ... you know, I-

Seth: Right, right, right

David: ... I n- I've always heard it, and I think it's also this, which is, "I want you to love me."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: "I don't want you to love money. You can't serve God-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... and money."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: "Love me. So put your treasure towards the things that I love."

Seth: Right.

David: "And then you'll love me."

Seth: Yeah.

David: But also, there's an implication for putting your heart after wealth and treasure because, like if I love God-

Seth: Mm

David: ... if I have godliness, what's it gonna do? It's gonna produce in me a godly life.

Seth: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

David: Right teaching-

Seth: Yep

David: ... right life. We s- talked about that earlier. Here, if I love money, it's a bad god. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: And it's going to produce in me all kinds of ungodliness.

Seth: Yep.

David: Okay, I think I'm following that.

Seth: That's the root of all kinds of evil. So the proof is in the pudding. Where your treasure is, your heart will be also.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: Now skip down to verse, uh, 17.

David: Okay.

Seth: So Paul will come back to what's in the middle, but he speaks to rich people now, so people who have a lot of money, so which is interesting.

David: Right.

Seth: Just because you have a lot of money doesn't mean you love money.

David: Or that you're not content.

Seth: Or that you're not content.

David: Right.

Seth: Which ag- it goes back to, like, the countercultural idea that contentment isn't the opposite of consumerism. Contentment isn't the opposite of wealth.

David: Mm, mm.

Seth: It's an attitude that you have in a relationship to God the giver-

David: Yes

Seth: ... and the things that you have.

David: Okay.

Seth: Anyway.

David: Yeah.

Seth: So now he's speaking to the rich. "Charge them not to be proud or to set their hopes on certainty of riches," exactly what Jesus is talking about.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: "Instead, they should put their hope on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy." God the giver.

David: God the giver.

Seth: "They are to do goodTo be rich in good works and to be generous and to share, thus storing up for themselves treasures in heaven, treasures for the foundation of the future.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: So do you see how he's advancing Jesus's teaching?

David: Mm.

Seth: Jesus says, "Don't store up your treas- treasures in heaven."

David: Right.

Seth: Or where your heart is, there your, uh-

David: Don't store, don't store up treasures on earth-

Seth: Because

David: ... because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Seth: But now Paul say, "But you can also store up treasures in heaven."

David: Right.

Seth: Jesus doesn't say that. He's adding, n- adding in an appropriate way. Say, when you are generous with what you do have because you are content with what God has given you, you actually get the gain that the false teachers say they want.

David: Jesus does say store up treasures in heaven.

Seth: Oh, he does?

David: Yeah. [laughs]

Seth: Oh. Yes, he does say... Well, I don't even know-

David: [laughs]

Seth: ... what I'm talking about. Uh, why have I even got this podcast? [laughs]

David: [laughs]

Seth: Jesus does say store up your treasures in heaven, but what he doesn't say is the way that you store up those treasures in-

David: The how

Seth: ... hea- heaven.

David: Yeah, he's advancing-

Seth: Is

David: ... the argument by saying, "Here's some examples. If you're rich, just be rich in good deeds and be generous with your money."

Seth: Right.

David: "Then you'll be laying a foundation for your future."

Seth: Right.

David: Which is, is he's giving us an example of what Jesus is talking about.

Seth: 'Cause I think what I normally interpret, lay up your treasure in heaven, what does that mean? Well, value things like character, love-

David: Ah

Seth: ... faithfulness, a good relationship with your children and wife.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Like, good godly... Love your Bible more so that... You know, like-

David: Oh, sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah

Seth: ... those are, that's storing up your treasures in heaven. Don't put your trust or faith in things on earth-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... which you shouldn't, but more intangible, more eternal things. But Paul gives a very concrete example.

David: Right.

Seth: How do you store up treasures in heaven? Store up treasure in heaven by giving your stuff away.

David: Right.

Seth: That's how you store it up-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... by being generous-

David: Be generous

Seth: ... with what you have.

David: Yeah, totally. And, like, generosity is an inevitable outcome of godly contentment.

Seth: That's right.

David: It's just inevitable.

Seth: Because if you are convinced that everything you have is a gift-

David: Right

Seth: ... don't you wanna share gifts with other people?

David: Yeah.

Seth: Isn't your enjoyment of something increased when you get given a really nice bottle of wine that you get to pour it with friends?

David: Right.

Seth: Like, that, that's-

David: Yeah, it's like, "No, everybody stay away from me. This was given to me." [laughs]

Seth: I'm drinking alone at night. [laughs]

David: [laughs] Like, "Nobody-"

Seth: It's like, "Oh, I'm-

David: ... does that."

Seth: ... depressing." [laughs]

David: [laughs] Yeah. Yeah, totally. Okay. [gentle music] Let's talk about Jesus here.

Seth: Yes.

David: Because, I mean, we just nailed it.

Seth: The whole point of the podcast.

David: Oh, yeah.

Seth: Yeah. [laughs]

David: [laughs] Because, I mean, Jesus breaks the category of what it means to be rich.

Seth: Mm.

David: He was God.

Seth: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

David: He owns everything. There's nothing he doesn't own. Like, uh, what's the famous quote? "There's no square inch in the universe that d- God does not scream over it, 'Mine!'"

Seth: Mine.

David: Like, he owns it.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And, and so he was rich, is rich, and yet what did he do? He was rich in good works.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And he was generous.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: He gave up his entire life to serve others, he dispelled the power of God that was given to him through the Holy Spirit by healing, by being-

Seth: Mm

David: ... compassionate with others, right?

Seth: Yeah.

David: And then he gave his whole life for us on the cross-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... was generous with-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... his life to give us life. We didn't deserve it. Like, he was generous to us, and then what happened? A f- future foundation-

Seth: Mm

David: ... was laid for him. Treasures in heaven, you wanna talk about treasures in heaven? He sat down at the right hand of God where he is enthroned in power forever.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Like, he proved that this verse is true.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Like you said, the proof is in the pudding. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: Like, he taught it and he lived it, and now he has treasure forever because of it.

Seth: Yeah. Godliness with contentment is great gain is proven in Jesus.

David: Mm-hmm.

Seth: Like, a godly man content with the riches of heaven, so much so that he gave them all away-

David: Right

Seth: ... so that he might gain more. What's more than all the riches of heaven?

David: Yeah.

Seth: All the people of God. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross.

David: Yeah.

Seth: By giving up everything, he got more.

David: It's interesting, too, and, like, we know that he asks God to restore the glory that he had in the beginning in, in his prayer-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... at the end of John.

Seth: Yeah.

David: We know, like you just quoted in Hebrews, that it was for the joy set before him that he endured the hardship of the cross.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Uh, we're told in Hebrews 2 that we need to know that God rewards those who are faithful to him.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And I think we believe this lie that contentment means we can't expect God to be generous to us.

Seth: Okay. Yeah, yeah.

David: Right? That's like-

Seth: Because that would be the opposite of contentment.

David: Yeah, it's like, "No, God, don't give me anything else. I'm content." It's like, that's not the heart of contentment. That actually cuts it off at the knees. Contentment doesn't assume that they don't need anything from God. Contentment is generated from the very fact that-

Seth: Mm

David: ... you get everything from God.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And so it's just so interesting that even Jesus himself, what made him able to be so generous is he knew everything he had was from God-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... and that after he was generous towards others, God would be generous towards him exponentially.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And so, like, we need to see God as a giver, both past tense and future tense, that he did give us everything we have, therefore, we too can be generous with it-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... because we know he's gonna provide for us-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... that gifts are more joyous when they're shared, all that kinda stuff, but also that in the future, God will outgive us.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Uh, there's nothing I can do-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... with my money-

Seth: Right

David: ... to give it away to other people that I'm not gonna get back a billionfold by just looking at him when I'm in heaven-

Seth: Right

David: ... with him. [laughs]

Seth: Well, yeah, it's like we won't take any money with us to the gates of heaven. And what do we get r- in return?

David: J-

Seth: A recreated world, too.

David: Right.

Seth: It's like we, we-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... get Jesus, we get God.

David: Right. Yeah.

Seth: Yes, obviously.

David: But also, yeah, the whole world.

Seth: The whole world is-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... now ours. [laughs]

David: Right, and we're kings and rulers over it. A- and what's amazing, too, is, like, w- in that moment that we receive the new creation at the end of Revelation, he tells us, like, "Come and buy. Come and buy-"

Seth: Mm

David: ... "this whole world."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: "Well, how? I didn't bring any money with me." He's like, "Good, 'cause you know how much it costs? Nothing."

Seth: Mm.

David: He says, "Come and buy without cost." [laughs] How do you buy-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... without cost?Because everything's a gift.

Seth: Yeah, money, in that light, money's a really cruel type of gift giver.

David: Okay, yeah. Yeah, talk more about that.

Seth: Because eventually it's going just to extract more and more from its recipients over time-

David: Mm

Seth: ... while giving less and less.

David: Yeah.

Seth: But God is a good God who only gives good things for free, and increasingly so-

David: Mm

Seth: ... for those who are content with Him.

David: Yeah. Money's a cruel gift giver.

Seth: Yeah. I mean, 'cause that's why people want money.

David: Interesting.

Seth: Because money gives-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... them things.

David: Right. Yeah. Well, uh, my mentor, he told me one time, uh, "Money is a strategy."

Seth: Yeah.

David: It's a way to get things, but it's not the only way. It's if you treat money as the way to get things, it's your provider.

Seth: Mm.

David: It is your god.

Seth: Yeah.

David: That's why you can't serve God and money.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Because you n- you are a dependent being.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Right? You're a dependent being, and you have to receive. No matter how bad you wish you could be self-sufficient, being human means being dependent. And when we say, "Well, if money's my provider," then you've made it your god.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: But if God can provide for you through a bunch of different means, right... You need a house, God can move on someone's heart to give you a house, right? He can find you a roommate.

Seth: Right.

David: He can also get you a job that makes you money.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Right?

Seth: Yeah.

David: He can also, like David, provide a cave for a-

Seth: [laughs]

David: ... a little season, right? [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: Like, like money's a strategy that God uses to provide.

Seth: Mm.

David: But God is the provider.

Seth: Yeah. Yeah.

David: Ever since he said money's a strategy-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... that really messed with me. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah. It's, it's a, it's a decent strategy-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... a cruel God.

David: It's a fine strategy.

Seth: Yeah.

David: It's a terrible provider.

Seth: Yeah.

David: That's right.

Seth: What it makes me think-

David: And what you mean by money extracts more and more from us the more it gives.

Seth: I mean, I'm thinking about almost any celebrity that-

David: Sure

Seth: ... you talk to, and it's like, I used to love a $10 bottle of wine. Now I only need a 20. I-

David: [laughs]

Seth: Now I can't go below 20. Well, really, it's only a $75 bottle of wine.

David: Yeah. [laughs]

Seth: That's what... And like, it, it... At what point does a steak just be a steak?

David: Right.

Seth: Like, can you really improve infinitely-

David: No

Seth: ... by putting gold foil on my s- on my meal?

David: Right. There's always the law of diminishing returns.

Seth: So that, that's what I mean by it.

David: I understand.

Seth: It's that money... And, and besides that, it depreciates.

David: Right.

Seth: Inflation.

David: It's also-

Seth: The stock market crashes.

David: I mean, and, and like-

Seth: It's like-

David: ... Proverbs and Psalms both talk about this, where it's like it's better to have a meal of vegetables with really good friends than a meal of fattened meats with your enemy.

Seth: Mm.

David: You, like you can enjoy something-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... with contentment better that might be less quality, if you have contentment, than-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... enjoying something great and you're just continually lusting for more.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And 'cause money always promises you more than it can deliver.

Seth: What's making me think about, too, is the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Um, and this is the se- Paul calls it the central motivation for these false teachers.

David: Yeah.

Seth: And it's, we've t- talked about how money provides us what we think we need, and it's, it's a funny parallel to what, to the way that the false teachers have talked about all these other good works that they need in o- to do in order to be godly. I mean, like, that's a common theme throughout the Epistles.

David: Yeah.

Seth: If you do these certain good works, God will like you more, or just a common way that we think about, a transactional way we think about God.

David: Right.

Seth: If I do these good works, it adds up in my bank account-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... of good deeds, and then God likes me more.

David: 'Cause God is like money, right?

Seth: Because God is like money, right? Like, right, right?

David: [laughs] That's our only relationship that we understand.

Seth: And I mean, that's probably because we live in a fairly consumeristic society-

David: Right

Seth: ... that, like, treats everything like a transaction.

David: Everything's commodity, yeah.

Seth: So I'm like, what's interesting to me is you have false teachers who are motivated by money, but it's actually poisoning their religion in a really s- like an-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... odd way, where it's like, oh, loving money too much actually perverts the way that you think about the grace of God.

David: Right.

Seth: Because it doesn't allow you to have a category for the grace of God.

David: I understand.

Seth: Because the only way that you can think about God is pluses and minuses.

David: Mm.

Seth: And I'm not allowed to just receive from God the gift of salvation. I actually have to earn it.

David: Ah, okay. I think you've struck gold, uh, not to use a money term.

Seth: Not to... [laughs]

David: But you, but you've struck gold. Um, uh, 'cause, 'cause what you're saying is the, the money's the root of all kinds of evil is because it's graceless.

Seth: Yeah.

David: It's only transactional.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And it's, it's not... Money's not a giver. It's a taker.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: You have to give something to get money.

Seth: Mm.

David: And that's usually disproportionate, you know? And it gives you-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... something, but you, you earned it.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: And-

Seth: And then once you spend it on something, you don't get quite what you wanted out of it.

David: Right.

Seth: Yeah, yeah.

David: Totally. And it's this cycle of dependence, and at the end of the day, the reason why you're saying that money's the root of all kinds of evil is because it doesn't teach grace and receiving.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: It teaches earning and status and disappointment.

Seth: Yeah. It makes it harder to understand grace.

David: Right, which, which means then, then how do we change our hearts, right? How do we, h- like, w- we, oh, you said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Seth: Yeah.

David: And, like, how do we have godly contentment that changes our hearts?

Seth: Oh, man.

David: This goes back to everything we've been saying. Receive-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... the gift of the gospel.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Understand that the gospel's a free gift of grace, and it will change your heart. And then it will not produce all kinds of evil, but all kinds of godliness.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: I mean, that's amazing.

Seth: Yeah, and it also makes me realize that's a really profound reason why Jesus does talk about money all the time.

David: Right.

Seth: Is because money is antithetical to the gospel. Like-

David: Right

Seth: ... money's a fine strategy-

David: Yeah. There's nothing-

Seth: ... on Earth.

David: Yeah. It's fine.

Seth: But it's antithetical to the way the gospel works.

David: Right, depending on it is.

Seth: Yeah, like-

David: Right

Seth: ... y- you can't buy the gospel.

David: Right.

Seth: You can't buy grace.

David: Yeah.

Seth: It's given from a generous God.

David: Mm, that's so good. Man, everybody listening, just let's all promise to go away and think more about this. [laughs] 'Cause, man, that's really good. [gentle music] Okay, what have we not picked up in First Timothy 6 that we need to make sure we talk about before we close?

Seth: We need to talk about the good fight of faith.

David: Let's talk about it.

Seth: "But as for you"Verse 11, "Oh, man of God, flee these things" so it's, it's a command to Timothy to-

David: Flee the love of money

Seth: ... flee the love of money. And what's interesting is that phrase man of God-

David: Mm

Seth: ... it's not a common phrase in the Bible.

David: Okay.

Seth: Moses was called a man of God.

David: Okay.

Seth: David was called a man of God. Elijah was called a man of God.

David: Oh.

Seth: Elisha was called a man of God. That's it. That's pretty much it.

David: Whoa.

Seth: [laughs] So like, Paul's like-

David: He's like, "Hey bro-

Seth: You-

David: ... I'm calling you up to the big leagues."

Seth: Each of these men are specially chosen and gifted by God to lead God's people.

David: Dang.

Seth: And we talked about Timothy's like character as a timid person-

David: Right

Seth: ... the youngest in a room full of men that are older than him.

David: Yeah.

Seth: And he's just calling him up and saying, "You are a man of God-

David: Mm

Seth: ... in the same league as Moses and David and Elijah and Elisha. God has chosen you. He's gifted you, prophetically empowered you to lead these people."

David: Man.

Seth: So-

David: That's crazy

Seth: ... fight the good fight of faith. That's like what a pastoral encouragement [laughs] like-

David: Oh, yeah. Have you ever had those moments though where like a, a pastor or someone comes to you and they're just like, "I just see you as a new Nehemiah," or-

Seth: Y-

David: And you just kinda r- I just... I've always like rolled my eyes at that.

Seth: Yeah.

David: What I wanna chalk it up to is like, "Oh, you're being hokey or whatever-

Seth: Right

David: ... insincere."

Seth: Yes.

David: And it's like, no, I think it's that I'm too immature to receive that-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... and see that God is powerful enough to actually use me however he wants.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And it's my own insecurity and not their hokiness that's really on the line. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: Yeah. Anyway-

Seth: Um, I-

David: ... call myself out there a little bit. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah. Well, I had a moment like that when I was on staff at, in Kansas City, at a church in Kansas City-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... and I was like in the elder room for the first time on this elder retreat and just feeling super out of place. Everybody there is like, one of the youngest... not the, the youngest guy on staff, but I'm one of the younger guys on staff.

David: Right. And you're the, one of the newest.

Seth: One of the newest. I haven't been there a whole long time. Like, I really respect the people that I've seen so far, and everyone's praying these kinda awesome prayers-

David: Mm

Seth: ... and I'm like, "Oh, I'm just gonna-

David: [laughs]

Seth: ... sit here and be quiet for a while," [laughs] you know?

David: Yeah.

Seth: And just, and honestly feeling... I, I remember writing down and sliding it to a note for my friend. Like, "I don't know if I belong in this room."

David: Whoa.

Seth: And I just said that to myself, slid it to my friend-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... kinda laughing about it and just kinda feeling out of place. And then in the middle of the, the meeting, one of the other elders from across the room was like, "Seth, I think the Lord's just saying you belong here."

David: Mm.

Seth: Which was crazy 'cause I had just slid a note to my friend that said, "I don't think I belong here."

David: Yeah.

Seth: And then somebody else said, "Yeah, I feel like you believe you're a kid with the, that you have shoes that are too shiny for you-

David: Mm

Seth: ... and God's calling you to step into them."

David: Yeah.

Seth: And I was like, "Oh, okay, I'm just gonna cry here in the corner now."

David: [laughs]

Seth: Uh, but that, that's what's happening.

David: Yeah.

Seth: This is what Paul's doing for Timothy.

David: Paul's doing that for Timothy.

Seth: In this moment.

David: And like quick gospel turn, I mean, Jesus looks at us and calls us friend, he calls us brother, calls-

Seth: Mm

David: ... us co-heirs, and-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... let's not be so-

Seth: We-

David: ... tied up in the fact that we don't deserve that title or-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... how could God trust us or whatever the shame is that you carry, like-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... Jesus is giving you something real that he wants to put on you, just like Paul is calling-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... Timothy up to the-

Seth: We are men of God-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... women of God, specially chosen to lead the people around us.

David: Yes. Not because of who we are, but because God is a giver-

Seth: Mm

David: ... and he's given us... And he talks about the gift given to you-

Seth: Mm

David: ... by the laying on of hands.

Seth: Yeah.

David: You know, he'll talk about that. And it's like, it's not because of you, Timothy, it's 'cause God deposited-

Seth: Mm

David: ... something generous in you.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And that's who you are now.

Seth: Man of God.

David: Man of God. Okay.

Seth: So man of God.

David: Man of God. [laughs]

Seth: Flee these things, and instead, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. I also think it's interesting that gentleness-

David: Mm

Seth: ... is the last one of those five ways that he's supposed to... one, two, three, four, five, five ways.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Six ways.

David: Very different than the dissension, slander-

Seth: Yeah. Yeah, so-

David: ... quarrels

Seth: ... and we've talked about this. There's a great book called Gentle and Lowly-

David: Oh, it's so good

Seth: ... which you should totally read. But if-

David: If you have not read Gentle and Lowly, non-endorsed plug.

Seth: Yeah. Please go read it.

David: Go read it. By Ortland.

Seth: And he makes the case that, like, the only time that Jesus describes himself-

David: Mm

Seth: ... he, in scripture, is when he says, "I am gentle and lowly in heart."

David: Yeah.

Seth: And so it ma- it's interesting to me that the capstone of what it means to fight the good fight of faith, to be a man of God-

David: Is to be gentle

Seth: ... is, is to be gentle.

David: Yeah, it's so good.

Seth: Um, so fight the good fight of faith. Take hold. And then he gives him reasons to hope-

David: Okay

Seth: ... reasons to keep fighting. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made your good confession. Like, you have an eternal life in front of you.

David: Mm.

Seth: You have a hope of future reward that you confessed at your ordination.

David: Yeah.

Seth: When you became a, a pastor to these people, you said you believed in a future reward. If, if any time it matters, it matters right now.

David: Mm.

Seth: So believe in that future reward.

David: Yeah, take hold of it. Yeah.

Seth: Take hold of it.

David: Okay.

Seth: And then he says, "I charge you in the presence of God-

David: [laughs] Oh.

Seth: [laughs] who gives-

David: Hey, the giver

Seth: ... life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made a, another good confession."

David: Oh, okay. So he's like, "Timothy, you made a confession before people."

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: "Jesus made a confession before people."

Seth: Yes.

David: And what's Jesus's confession?

Seth: Well, what... And he doesn't say it.

David: Oh. [laughs] Well.

Seth: Uh, which is funny because, uh, he, he goes on to say this, "Who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ."

David: That's confusing.

Seth: It's a little confusing. So Paul has just encouraged Timothy with the hope of future reward-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... the one that he confessed at his ordination.

David: Okay.

Seth: And then he compares his confession and his ordination to Jesus's confession with Pontius Pilate. I think a, another way to say that is, like, you have the hope of solidarity with Jesus.

David: Mm.

Seth: You and Jesus are making confessions.

David: Ah.

Seth: You have made a confession about what reality is, what truth is, what the, your hope, and so did Jesus. And what's interesting, when Jesus made his confession in front of Pontius Pilate, he talked about the nature of truth-

David: Right

Seth: ... and lies, just like this online in First Timothy, true teaching, false teaching, true doctrine, false doctrine.

David: Mm.

Seth: And he's about to pick up this-Uh, the fact that Jesus is a king.

David: Mm.

Seth: Jesus talks with Pilate about the fact that he is the king.

David: Right.

Seth: And that's the c- in one way, that's the confession. That is the gospel. Jesus is king.

David: Right, that is the gospel, yeah.

Seth: That is the gospel. And so Jesus held onto the confession that he was the king who would be coming again soon, just as Timothy had. You are empowered by Jesus. You have solidarity with Jesus.

David: Mm.

Seth: Remember that, Timothy.

David: Yeah.

Seth: I think that's what's going on here.

David: It's not uncoincidental that his testimony was given at his death sentence-

Seth: Mm-hmm

David: ... that then led to eternal life-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... and his resurrection.

Seth: Right.

David: Right? He's like, "He was on the cusp of eternal life. So are you, Timothy. So just like Jesus was faithful, fought the good fight, pressed through..." What did he press through? Death.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Why? To lay hold of eternal life-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... which is what he's commanding him to do.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Repeat Jesus. Fight the good fight. Fight to the death.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Not through quarrelsome and yelling, but through gentleness and dying.

Seth: [laughs] Yep.

David: And then what will happen? You'll get raised up on the other side.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Okay?

Seth: Jesus will appear, and he will be displayed at the proper time.

David: Oh my gosh.

Seth: He who is the blessed and only sovereign, the King of Kings-

David: There it is

Seth: ... the Lord of Lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in light unapproachable, and whom no one has ever seen or can see. And then he, he basically he's like, he, this is a doxology. People think that this is, like, what people said at baptisms maybe.

David: Mm.

Seth: Or, like, this is what, maybe what they said at ordination ceremonies maybe.

David: Oh, he might be repeating his ordination.

Seth: He might be repeating his ordination.

David: Mm.

Seth: Whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

David: Wow.

Seth: So he, he bookends it, and he's like, "Jesus is... You said there's future hope of eternal life" and what did Jesus say? He's coming back.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Hope, persevere, fight the good fight. Why? Jesus is coming soon.

David: Right.

Seth: And you and Jesus both confessed that he is the king of the world-

David: [exhales]

Seth: ... and that he is the truth. So if Jesus and you confess the same thing, and you both know he's coming back, keep fighting, Timothy. You can do this.

David: I mean, that's good.

Seth: It's so good.

David: [laughs]

Seth: It's so good.

David: That's really good. Okay. I mean, what else? What else is there to say other than whenever your back is against the wall and you don't know what to do and everything's swirling around you, make the same confession Jesus made. [laughs] He is king, and he's coming back. [laughs]

Seth: Um-

David: [laughs]

Seth: ... I mean, that's the, that's the major note.

David: That's real good.

Seth: Do you wanna hit a minor note?

David: Uh, yeah, sure.

Seth: Not to get lost in the-

David: The black, the black keys

Seth: ... the black keys. Whom no one has ever seen or can see.

David: Oh, boy.

Seth: One of the ways that Paul is describing God is as the God who, uh, no one has ever seen or can see.

David: Yeah, which is, God is described that way. Like, the Father God is described that way.

Seth: Yeah. It's actually a reference to God's response to Moses-

David: Mm-hmm

Seth: ... when Moses asked to see His face.

David: Right.

Seth: God says, "I'm the God who no one has seen or ever will be seen," you know?

David: Yeah.

Seth: But... And then he, God says, "No one can see me and live."

David: That's right.

Seth: That's, that's what God says.

David: Yeah, no one can see m-

Seth: Go-

David: No one can look on my face and live, yeah.

Seth: Right. So this is a, a riff on-

David: Mm

Seth: ... no one can see my face and live. But what happened after Moses made the request to see God's face and God said, "No one can see my face and live"?

David: He let him see the backside of His glory.

Seth: Mm-hmm. And what did that allow Moses to do?

David: To radiate with the beauty of God.

Seth: It gave him the authority to lead his people.

David: Oh, there we go. That's better. [laughs]

Seth: [laughs] It gave-

David: Right

Seth: ... it, it validated his authority-

David: Yeah, it validated

Seth: ... as a repr- God's representative.

David: Right.

Seth: So in a similar way-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... Timothy's authority is being validated-

David: Right

Seth: ... by both Paul and God.

David: Yep.

Seth: He is the chosen pastor for these people.

David: You've seen Jesus.

Seth: Mm.

David: You need no other authority or validation other than-

Seth: Mm

David: ... the fact that you've made the same confession, Jesus is king, and that you know Him who cannot be seen. You've had an experience with Him that has given you all you need to lead these people.

Seth: Yeah.

David: That's good. So 1 Timothy.

Seth: That's 1 Timothy. Any concluding thoughts?

David: Oh. I think the, the thing I'm walking away with, I mean, I think there are tons of little lessons that we've learned along the way here that are rattling me, like the gospel of patience from, like, the first episode all the way to the s- k- stuff on contentment has been really powerful. But I think what will probably mark me for the longest is how Paul cared for Timothy.

Seth: Yeah.

David: Is just-

Seth: Yeah

David: ... really kind, and I don't know. I think I'll read Paul differently now. I'm trying to lead people with the giftings that God has given me-

Seth: Mm

David: ... and I often feel too insignificant-

Seth: Mm

David: ... and small to do it.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And, uh, the solution that Paul's giving godly leaders like us isn't fight, like, with quarrelsome words and go after the attacks and... It's just be a man of God, David, and guard your life and doctrine closely and just preach faithfully and make sure what, you're pra- you're practicing what you preach. [laughs]

Seth: Yeah.

David: And I just feel like Paul's talking to me in that moment a little bit.

Seth: Yeah.

David: And so I just feel, like, cared for by Paul in a sense.

Seth: I feel the same way. I feel like the character of Timothy-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... has been, like, drawn out for me in a way that I c- I don't, I didn't think I knew I needed.

David: Right. Yeah.

Seth: The idea of a young man leading a, an organization he feels ill-equipped to, [laughs] to, to lead.

David: Yeah.

Seth: The need to feel affirmed in the calling that he's received. I mean, I've gotten sick a lot during COVID. Like, so P- you know, you-

David: Right

Seth: ... this guy who's sick all the time.

David: Right. [laughs]

Seth: Ask him why. It's like, I don't know.

David: Little sickly, weak Timothy.

Seth: [laughs]

David: We've, we've, we've had a joke around the office-

Seth: Oh

David: ... where we've called him Tiny Tim. [laughs]

Seth: Tiny Tim, yeah. [laughs] Yeah.

David: Yeah.

Seth: We're actually not gonna talk through 2 Timothy, but, like, 2 Timothy, we're told that Timothy's crying over-

David: Yeah

Seth: ... Paul says he, he knows he's been crying over the state of the church.

David: I know your tears, Timothy.

Seth: So, like, oh, gosh, this, like-

David: Weeping, sickly-

Seth: Right

David: ... shameful Timothy. [laughs]

Seth: Who's called to minister one of the most difficult places that the ancient world might have known.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Ephesus, the center for the worship of Artemis and commerce. It's the New York City of his time, you know?

David: That's right. It's the people who followed Paul to Jerusalem and got him imprisoned.

Seth: Yeah, so I'm like-

David: Yeah. [laughs]

Seth: I've... I just feel the pastoral warmth and encouragement from Paul a lot.

David: Totally. That's really good. Well, hopefully you guys feel that pastoral warmth, too. Uh, hopefully that's been encouraging to everyone listening. Thank you so much for walking through 1 Timothy with us. Uh, we're excited.

Seth: Mm-hmm.

David: Next week we'll start Matthew, yeah?

Seth: Yeah, we're gonna talk about why we love the Book of Matthew-

David: Oh

Seth: ... and what you can expect from the next few probably couple months.

David: Yeah.

Seth: Yeah.

David: We're gonna talk about Matthew for a while.

Seth: Yeah.

David: That'll be exciting. Well, okay. Well, thank you guys for joining us, and we'll see you next week. [upbeat music]

Outro: Thank you for listening to the Spoken Gospel podcast. Spoken Gospel creates short films, devotionals, and podcasts like this one. Everything we make is free because of generous supporters like you. To see our resources, visit spokengospel.com or subscribe to our YouTube channel. Thanks for listening. See you next week. [upbeat music]

Related Resources

Listen to the 1 Timothy 1: The Gospel of Patience podcast

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Listen to the 1 & 2 Timothy Introduction podcast

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Listen to the 1 Timothy 2-3: Men, Women, and Leadership in God's Home Part 1 podcast

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Listen to the 1 Timothy 2-3: Men, Women, and Leadership in God's Home - Part 2 podcast

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How Godly Contentment Produces Great Gain: Understanding Paul's Teaching on Money and the Gospel

Show Notes

The False Teachers' Ungodly Godliness

True Contentment as Grateful Reception

Why the Love of Money Poisons Everything

Instructions for Those Who Have Wealth

Jesus as the Model of Generous Contentment

Fighting the Good Fight as a Man of God

Related Resources

Introduction to Letters to Timothy

View our devotional on 1 Timothy 1

Ready to study a different book?

Listen to the 1 Timothy 1: The Gospel of Patience podcast

Listen to the 1 & 2 Timothy Introduction podcast

Listen to the 1 Timothy 2-3: Men, Women, and Leadership in God's Home Part 1 podcast

Listen to the 1 Timothy 2-3: Men, Women, and Leadership in God's Home - Part 2 podcast

Listen to the 1 Timothy 4: How to Save Yourself podcast

Listen to the 1 Timothy 5:1-6:2: How to Correct Your Family podcast

Listen to the 1 Timothy 6:3-21: How to be Content podcast