1 Timothy 6:3-10--False Teachers and True Contentment

1 Timothy 6:3-10
​English Standard Version

False Teachers and True Contentment
3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7 for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8 But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

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Your version may start this section in the last half of verse 2, but I covered that yesterday, so I'm starting this section with verse 3.  First, Paul reminds Timothy and the churches reading this letter that there will be false teachers who try to preach strange doctrines and things contrary to the clear teachings of Jesus.  The Church should not give audience to such men (or women) and should not let them confuse their message with the true gospel.  These false teachers reveal themselves by their conceit, pride, and lack of knowledge and understanding. 

They seek controversy and quarrels (they want to start fights--usually verbal, though sometimes physical) they argue about words, trying to twist them to mean something they clearly don't mean, and they produce envy, dissention, strife, slander, evil suspicions and constant friction among those who are depraved in mind and depraved of the truth--a harsh indictment against many who claim to have a faith they do not really have.  These false teachers look to fleece the flock of God and use their "godliness" for their own personal gain.  This is not the point of the gospel--in fact, it is antithetical to the gospel.

Instead, the true man of God should be both obedient to God and content with what the Lord has provided to him, entrusting the Lord and His people to take care of his needs.  All the true man of God needs is food and clothing (and probably shelter)--everything else offers opportunity to get ensnared by riches and an opportunity for temptation.  That is not to say that material possessions are bad, but they can easily distract us from the God work God is trying to do through us, especially for those called to be preachers and teachers.  We are to be careful because the love of money (not money in and of itself) is the root all kinds of evil (people will do lots of evil things to make money and acquire more stuff because they are greedy and covetous).  In fact, this craving is so powerful, it has drawn some people away from the true gospel that calls them to give up everything (including riches) in the here and now because Christ has something even better for us later, but some people love their money and their stuff too much.  This will cause them a lot of heartache and grief.