Sermon Resources

Title: Treatment to Each Member Part 2
Text: 1 Timothy 6

To Masters (v.1-2)
The slavery that is being said here is about the literal slavery. In our days, we don’t have slaves. Now however, we have employees and helpers in our houses and offices. This is exactly the same as what Paul is saying in our days. If we are an employee, then we have to show respect to our masters so that they will not blasphemed or ridicule our religion. Meaning, we have to work faithfully and with all honesty to our masters.

Verse 2, says that if our masters are believers, then the more that we have to work for him even more because the recipient of our labor is a fellow believer. We are to show him more respect than those of non-believing masters do.

Sometimes, we Christians do not understand of giving extra grace to our fellow Christians. Moreover, sometimes, we Christians easily fall into an abusive thinking. Even if our brethrens have given us a huge discount, we want the whole thing for free. On the side of businessmen, sometimes, instead of giving our brethrens a good discount, we charge them more than we can charge others.

This is how Paul encourage us, to give one another a better favor than that you can give to those who were not Christians.

To False Teachers (v.3-5)
If we are facing false teachers in our church, we have to make sure that they will not affect us and instead, we will have to withdraw ourselves from them. If you are using the New King James Version, you will see there in verse 5, “From such withdraw yourself.”
This phrase is not in the most reliable original manuscripts. This is why you will not be seeing this phrase in your NIV’s. But even if this phrase is not in the original manuscript, the idea expressed in the previous sentences is self–evident.

Paul starting in verse 3 described the picture of a false teacher. First, a false teacher does not agree with the sound instruction of our Lord and to the godly teaching. In most cases, petty philosophers fall in this area. Most of them argue to the sound instruction. For example, we promote the abstinence from alcoholic beverages for the benefit of those who are weak in the faith. But these people say, anyway it is not Biblical to abstain from alcohol without even thinking, that doing the best you can to edify those who are weak is the subject to consider and not the drinking of alcohol.

Secondly, a false teacher is conceited. They feel that they are far better off than that of those who were not like them. They even intend to speak louder in order to be noticed that they possessed such knowledge.

Third, a false teacher always find troubles and arguments that results to envy, strife, malicious talks, constant friction with other people and a thinking that godliness is a means to financial gain. Some of them even thought that becoming a Christian is one way that God will bless them and make them rich.

To Those Who Desire To Be Rich (v.6-16)
Even during the time of Paul, there are people who will do everything in order to become rich. There are people who rob to become rich. There are people who engage in usury to become rich. They do all kinds of evilness in order to be rich and at the expense of others.

It is not wrong to get rich. But we have to careful in desiring to become rich. Verse 9 clearly says that “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and into a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.” Some of them wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

In our world, the same thing is happening. Many Christians have forgotten God giving more priority with their businesses than worshipping God. Some of them sold their bodies for bargain in the internet just to get rich quickly. Some of them became drug dealers, and even drug Lords just to get above all else. Indeed, the love of money is root of all evil.

Paul emphasizes, “godliness with contentment is a great gain.” We have to be contented on what we have, on what God gave to us. This passage does not mean however that we have to settle for mediocrity.

Contentment is the ability of becoming happy in one’s situation in life. It is more like happiness even in the midst of needs and problems.

Mediocrity on the other hand is the state of ordinariness in the midst on one’s situation. It is like there is nothing to improve or to be added.
These two words have been literally misunderstood by many Christians especially those who are in lower level income. Many Christians were deluded of thinking that they were contented of their situation, where they were really thinking mediocre.

Instead of becoming like this, we have to fight the good fight of the faith. Taking hold of the eternal life to which we were called when you made your confession in the presence of many witnesses (v.12-13). To flee from the love of money and to pursue righteousness, godliness, love, faith, endurance and gentleness (v.11).

To Those Who Are Rich (v.17-19)
Again, there is nothing wrong in getting rich. But for those who are rich, they are not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth which is uncertain. The Bible speaks that wealth is uncertain and therefore unreliable. This also means that there is no point of giving your hope in money. What shall we do then? To put our hope in the living God that provides everything we need (v.17). Take note the word “richly”.

God provides abundantly for our enjoyment and to him, we are to give our hope. In addition to this, the rich are to be rich in good works, and be generous to share. This how are they to lay firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take a hold of life that is really life.

Sometimes, rich people desires to become even richer without helping others. And without doing good works, and without thinking of helping others. Here we see in the passage that it is not wrong to get rich, and even the rich are to obey the living God and to put their hope in Him not on wealth.

Conclusion:

20Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from
godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,
21which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the
faith.
Grace be with you

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