1 Timothy Chapter 6 - Part III

Last week we discussed how the bible shows us that contentment in ALL our circumstances is what we should striving for, not wealth.

1 Tim 6: 8-10 drives home the point even further:
"8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

Paul then exhorts Timothy to flee from all of these fleshly desires:

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.

Now to be clear, there is a huge difference between God’s provision for our needs, and for our wants. Many times in scripture GOD says he will take care of our needs if we are faithful believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, but not our “wants” via some sense of entitlement due to some bad hermeneutic leading to a poor scriptural exegesis or simply because we put our faith in Christ and Tithe.
I need to state here in no uncertain terms that we have been a great beneficiary of God’s provision. As a family we make about half of what we did at the peak of our earning power but through his provision we are actually much better off. This has nothing to do with any prosperity doctrine, only GOD’s word and promise.

When dealing with people who follow prosperity teaching please handle them with care. I hear too many get angry when dealing with them. I believe that there are misguided believers among them so remember what James says:
James 1 :19-20
19 My dearly loved brothers, understand this: everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger, 20 for man's anger does not accomplish God's righteousness.
James 5:19-20
"19 My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 he should know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude of sins."

It is my earnest prayer that this series has helped somebody who has been struggling with some of the teachings of the Word of Faith and Prosperity gospels. I can say with certainty that there are different levels of these teachings going from one church body within this “ology” to the next. We also need to keep in mind that the mainline beliefs they hold are identical to “orthodox” Christianity. Some would argue we should not separate over non-essentials. I’ll leave that decision between you and the Holy Spirit.

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

1 Timothy Chapter 6 - Part II

Continuing with 1 Tim Chapter 6 this week we will look at verse 6-7.

6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. NIV

Many purveyors of the prosperity doctrine twist this statement or ignore it completely since it contradicts their assertion. The twisters say something to the effect “of course we must first be content with what we have before God can bless us with more!” Can you imagine such nonsense being taken seriously? Well, sad to say, it is taken seriously.

Hebrews 13: 5 says “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,
“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.” NIV
There is a huge difference between Gods provision and a doctrine that espouses entitlement and wealth. Hebrews 13:5 shows that the point is not even arguable.

Still not buying it? Try Phil 4:12 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” NIV
Wow! Being content in EVERY Situation!!! What a concept!

Here is the Coup de Grace and this one is self explanatory :
2 Peter 2:3 “In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.” NLT

I’ll close this study out next week but I want to warn you to be discerning about ALL that you hear on radio and see on T.V. from alleged Pastors, teachers who all come in the name of Jesus. This is the age of apostasy that the Bible warns us about. Believe nothing until you check out what you hear in its full context. Ripping a verse out of the bible and running with it as a stand alone truth is dangerous. Please be vigilant!

Video for this week, Jeremy Camp, "This Man"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C_BBl6T2Jk&feature=related

Until the next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.

1 Timothy Chapter 6

Pardon my silence over the past few weeks. I have been trying to be still, not striving, and trying to let the LORD lead on my journey through this life.

Today and over the coming weeks I wish to revisit 1 Timothy chapter 6. There are things going on the name of Christ that simply ignore what Paul is teaching Timothy in these passages. Let’s start at verse 3 and continue to verse 5:
1 Timothy 6:3-5

“3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.” NIV

There has been a movement afoot for some time now that teaches that if you are truly born again, that you should be prosperous. This teaching runs contrary to the above, particularly to verse 5. It out born out of materialism, the want for more and more stuff and this drive for stuff actually becomes the GOD that they worship which is idolatry. The worst part is that sincere believers start to question their salvation if they are not well off financially.
It is a satanic trap laid by the master of lies to ensnare even the most sincere believer and render them useless, which is what he wants.

Remember this, Jesus taught about spiritual things, the people who were listening often mistook his teaching as for the physical. “unless one is born again”, “ I am the bread of life”, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water." “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” Or “more abundantly” is the translation the teachers of this error like to emphasize.
All these statements of the LORD the hearer commonly mistook as teaching about the physical, that were intended as spiritual teaching. This error is still prevalent today.
Remember this,  when a teaching you hear contradicts anything in the Bible the teaching is in error. People who grew up on these erroneous teachings will go to the grave defending them so it is best to broach these things cautiously, with agape love, and not rail against the error. Pray that their eyes be opened, that they heed the full council of God and learn to recognize and avoid error.

More next week.

Video for this week: Tenth Avenue North "By Your Side"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHgNCj4DU_M

Until next time, may the LORD bless us and keep us, in Jesus name I pray.