Food and Clothing
3 If anyone teaches other doctrine and does not agree with the sound teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ and with the teaching that promotes godliness, 4 he is conceited, understanding nothing, but has a sick interest in disputes and arguments over words. From these come envy, quarreling, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is a great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.
1 Timothy 6:3-8 HCSB
In the beginning of this section the Apostle Paul is warning Timothy about false teachers and their corrupt motives; one of them is using godliness as a way for material gain. Do we still have people like this today? Of course we do, and we have to watch out for them just like Timothy had to; by looking out for the other attributes listed above.
The purpose of godliness is to make us more like Jesus, not to make us more money. The verses go on to tell us “godliness with contentment is a great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these”.
Could you really be content with JUST food and clothing? I’d like to say yes, but I don’t think I’m there yet. However, these verses tell us that we ought to be content whether we have a lot of money or no money at all; so it’s a goal I’m working towards. While the world would love to have us believing that money itself is great gain, godliness with contentment is greater.