1 Timothy 6 Commentary
As you would guess, corporate entities like Colgate or Toyota didn’t exist back in Paul’s day. A rough version of the corporate entity would be an entrepreneur with a system of slave labor and a host of supervisors. It would be correct to think of slaves as employees in today’s world.
Employees must respect their employers, regardless. They honor the LORD in this way.
No one should speak evil of the name of God because of my conduct at work!
Verse 5 mentions people “whose minds do not function”. A step away from the scripture and your mind stops to function. Godlessness is mindlessness. Shocking but so real and true! Which sinner hasn’t stopped to ask why they did what they did?
The chapter also introduces us to the gold diggers. They consider religion a gold mine.
Verse 6 isn’t a rich man’s song on repeat. No. Paul is very rich; he needs nothing. The LORD has supplied him amply! Contentment is the right word for it – that too, is supplied by the LORD through His Spirit!
When the LORD denies you contentment, you chase the wind. Nothing makes you happy. The more you have the more you want. Those who have more are the neediest individuals! But Timothy must avoid this trap. Instead, he should strive for righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness – it should form every saint’s gold mine!
God has called us to this kind of life – the race gala for faith!
Paul confirms it. God is the only Ruler, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. Verse 15. In Ephesians Chapter 6, he mentions “rulers and authorities”. These are pretenders, false shepherds who want to sit where Jesus sits. Their time comes to an end shortly. But even here and in this life under the Sun, they have faced defeat at Calvary. Prayer declares victory and lets the saint walk into this declaration.
Timothy must avoid “knowledge”. Seek the Spirit and not knowledge. The Spirit is about love, peace, joy… self-control. This race must be run well. Never mind the rest!
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