1 Timothy 6 Devotional
by Pastor Lawrence
The apostle Paul begins this chapter examining the conduct of bondservants toward their masters. He says that they are to “regard them as worthy of all honor.” Notice, here, that Paul isn’t merely addressing their outward behavior toward their masters, but even their secret thoughts toward them. How we regard other people can be seen by how we look at them, but it is actually determined by what we think of them and even how we feel towards them. Servants or workers are not merely to do their duty toward their masters or employers, but to do it in such a way that it shows their high regard for their superiors, not based upon their employers’ character, but based upon their authoritative role that has been granted to them by God.
This should be the case whether a Christian is working for a believer or a non-believer. If the master/employer is an unbeliever then the Christian’s good work will help their superior have a high regard for Christ, but if their work is done slovenly and with a bad attitude, their evil works will cause the unbelieving superior to revile God and the gospel.
On the other hand, if the superior is a believer then the Christian servant’s good work is actually benefitting a brother or sister in Christ who is beloved by God. Why wouldn’t a Christian servant want to bless another believer in this way?
Oftentimes, it comes down to the issue of pride and expectations when the believer thinks that he or she is worthy of a greater role or a greater salary, or even a greater acknowledgement. But the servant must remember his place and remember that even Christ came not to be served, but to serve in this world.
Timothy is urging this humble, loving mindset to the believers in Ephesus that they might not disparage the Christian faith in that community by acting contrary to the spirit of Christ in their work. And Paul warns Timothy that if there are any who teach differently, such that servants should rise up and kill their masters, or that they should steal from them, or refuse to serve them, then these prove by their teachings that they are puffed up with pride and do not understand the true gospel, for the gospel always promotes humility and love rather than hubris and scorn.
Men who teach the latter love to fight; they love to slander; they love to tear others down that they might build themselves up, even imagining that godliness leads to worldly gain. Paul reminds Timothy that true godliness with contentment is the real gain of the gospel, whereas those who merely desire to gain power and earthly wealth will fall once again into the trap of the devil, for their unholy craving will lead them away from the faith and into great misery.
The new racial and social justice theories being promoted in the schools and many churches today are promoting these ungodly teachings that inculcate more hate than love, more division than reconciliation. Paul tells Timothy to flee from these unholy teachings and to pursue true justice and righteousness, true godliness and love as it is manifested in gentleness and steadfast faithfulness to God. Of course, this will not be easy, since all the world seeks power and wealth. One must learn to fight many spiritual battles even against their own sinful flesh in its base desires in order to follow Christ. Christianity is a continual fight of the faith, clinging to the promises of God, trusting that God will not only take care of you, but give you things much better than power and wealth that you might learn true contentment in every circumstance in life. It really is a matter of clinging to life, to eternal life, rather than pursuing these old ways that only lead to death.
But what about those who are already rich and powerful? Paul tells Timothy to charge them not to be haughty, nor to trust in earthly wealth, nor to hoard their riches, but to be rich in good works, helping others in Jesus name in order to keep the gospel and the law of God free from reproach by the watching world. We must always remember that our money is not our own, but it is a tool that can either glorify God or bring reproach to his name.