Everyone is pursuing something in this life. The question is: is our pursuit worth pursuing?
In 1 Timothy 6, as the apostle draws his personal letter to Timothy to its close, he warns about those who would believe that godliness is a means of material gain (1 Tim. 6:5b). That is, that through personal righteousness we might be blessed in return with material pleasures.
To this, Paul responds so concisely, “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim.6:6a).
Rather than using godliness in this context as a means towards an end, instead it can be the end in itself! To know God and to become more like Him as His imager, to know Christ and to be conformed into His likeness is the goal of the Christian that then crescendos in an eternity spent with the One we have been striving to know.
Therefore, the man or woman of God ought not to be striving for material pleasures as their end.
Unfortunately, this is probably one of the greatest sins in American culture that flies under the radar. The conservative church will decry sexual sin and many others done by outsiders and hear “Amen!” but this is probably a sin that is more prevalent than nearly all others—even amongst our own ranks. It is no respecter of persons.
Culturally, the American people are largely consumed with discontentment, ungratefulness, and a lust for material things. They, “love the world” and by implication do not love God (see 1 Jn. 2:15-17).
While the churchgoer would and should claim to love God, He probably has more competition that we would like to admit.
According to God’s Inspired Word, if we have food and clothing we ought to be content (1 Tim. 6:8). God has done His job as our Provider if we have merely these two things that we all have.
We add to the list countless things that we “need” but oftentimes the vast majority of our needs are merely rationalized wants. People “need” a new car when in reality their old car just “needed” work. We feel we deserve these things, but God has not promised them to us.
Now, in America, God has provided these things and much more. Truth be told, if a member of the early church were to look at our lives today, nearly all of us would be considered rich. Many people in that time literally lived hand to mouth.
We might feel poor compared to our neighbors but compared to neighbors from another time in history we are doing rather well.
With this in mind, in the same passage, the apostle admonishes the rich:
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy” (1 Tim. 6:17, emphasis added).
God is not against us owning things but is more concerned with things owning us. He graciously lavishes us with blessings to enjoy. The problem is that we live in a day and age where self has become god and pleasure and riches become our chief pursuit.
Instead of these lustful material pursuits, the people of God are to pursue virtues: righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness (1 Tim. 6:11).
Flee the evil. Pursue the good.
Flee materialism. Pursue godliness.
They are opposites. They are east and west from each other—although they would not meet up around the globe.
What is your pursuit today? Godliness, or gain?