september 25 2022

 September 25th 2022


Old Testament: Amos 6:1-7

Psalm: Psalm 146

Epistle: 1st Timothy 6:2b-19 (Please print this in the bulletin, it is an alternative reading) 

Gospel: Luke 16:19-31


Sermon Text: 1st Timothy 6:2b-19

Sermon Title: “Fight the Good Fight”


Grace to you and peace, from God the Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

“Teach and urge these things, If anyone teaches a different doctrine … he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing”. (1st Timothy 6:2b, 4a) “There is great gain in godliness with contentment”. (1st Timothy 6:6) “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”. (1st Timothy 6:10) “Aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith”. (1st Timothy 6:11-12a) “Keep the commandment, unstained and free of reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”. (1st Timothy 6:14) These are the themes of our Epistle reading this morning.

The text before us this morning is an alternate Epistle reading listed in the lectionary. It is the conclusion of Paul’s first letter to (Pastor) Timothy. He begins by taking up a subject which he has already mentioned twice in this letter, but it is of the utmost importance; that is the issue of false teaching. So, he begins again, “teach and urge these things”. (1st Timothy 6:2b) What things? Of course, those things that he has been addressing with Timothy for the first 5 chapters of his letter, some of which we have talked about in the last couple of Sundays. 

Paul has some direct words of rebuke for those who “teach a different doctrine and do not agree with the sound (healthy) words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness; (that person) is puffed up with conceit (inflated with pride and a large ego) and understands nothing”. (1st Timothy 6:3-4a) Paul described them earlier in this letter as people who “neither understand what they are saying, or the things about which they make confident assertions”. (1st Timothy 1:7b) The church of Jesus Christ cannot afford to treat doctrinal errors lightly. 

Paul continues to describe them here as having “an unhealthy (sick) craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension (which is hatred of others), slander, (constantly finding fault in others and spreading it others in the church) evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved (corrupted) in mind and deprived of (without) the truth; imagining that godliness is a means of gain”. (1st Timothy 6:4b-5) In other words, bad teaching/doctrine produces bad fruit/works/consequences; so we must base all of our teachings on the clear Word of God. Remember that the entirety of Holy Scripture, the Bible, is Jesus’ own Word, and it is to be the only basis for our teachings and doctrine. How arrogant we are when we place our ideas and our wisdom above Christ.

True godliness does not (usually) result in earthly/material gains, but rather spiritual ones, for “there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing (shelter), we shall be content”. (1st Timothy 6:6-8) Rather than being content, we by our (sinful) nature, often covet the things we do not have. So, we need to live in daily contrition and repentance, confessing our sins and receiving God’s gifts.

Now, contentment is an attitude of the heart, trusting that there is no greater gain for us than what our gracious heavenly Father gives to us; both materially and spiritually. For the Scriptures declare, “better is a little that the righteous has than the abundance of the wicked”. (Psalm 37:16) “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice”. (Proverbs 6:8) For God has declared, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5b) and “I am with you always to the end of the age”. (Matthew 28:20b) Therefore Paul writes, “I have learned in whatever situation I am in to be content”. (Philippians 4:11b) 

The opposite of this contentment is the “love of money”; or some other false God. “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”; (1st Timothy 6:9) both spiritual and often physical destruction. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”. (1st Timothy 6:10a) Often, those who desire to get rich, don’t care how they do it; don’t care who they hurt along the way and are not shy about breaking the law (and commandments) to accomplish it. 

Now, (to be clear), Paul does not say that money itself is evil; only the love of it; making an idol of it, or being prideful, thinking you are superior to others because of it. Now, the Bible assumes that people will own property in this life; otherwise, we wouldn’t need the commandments against coveting and stealing. The Scriptures “do not teach the abandonment of property, but the absence of greed and trust in riches”. (Apology, Article XXVII, par. 46) Yet all that we have comes from the hand of God and Paul’s warning still stands. This warning is not just for the rich, but for all who worship mammon/possessions; for even the poor can be obsessed with money. 

Paul warns that this idolatry/worship of the “buck”, is extremely dangerous for all of us; “for it is through this craving (for money and things) that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs”. (1st Timothy 6:10b) The person who makes an idol of money doesn’t just hurt others, much of the harm they cause is self-inflicted; even to the point of killing their own faith in Christ and losing their salvation. (Rich man and Lazarus example.)

“But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. (Instead) Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, (and) gentleness”. (1st Timothy 6:11) The psalmist also declared, “those who seek the Lord lack no good thing”. (Psalm 34:10b) Of course, we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus alone, but note that Paul says we are to be active in seeking these things as we live in His grace. For our new man wants to learn from and keep God’s Word. 

However, the sinful nature, the old man that still clings to us doesn’t want to keep God’s Word and so we must, “fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession (of faith) in the presence of many witnesses”. (1st Timothy 6:12) The word for fight here is that of an athlete in training and everyone who by grace believes in the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be engaged in it. 

As Walther declared, “Wherever there is no struggle in a Christian, there is constant defeat … Wherever a Christian finds themselves in the entire world, is their battlefield”. (CFW Walther) This fight of faith involves knowing the doctrines and teachings of God’s Holy Word and clinging to them against all the lies and deceitfulness of the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh. 

Again, we do this not in our own strength, but rather Paul says “be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might” (Ephesians 6:10); trusting that God will work through the means of grace; Word and sacrament, just as He has promised. Salvation is not found in the battle itself, rather it is in our Lord who shows us mercy.

These means of grace are the weapons we fight with against the devil, the world and our sinful flesh. Scripture itself warns against neglecting these means; “pay close attention to what you have heard, lest you drift from it" and “how shall we escape (judgment) if we neglect such a great salvation”? (Hebrews 2:1, 3a) 

Paul continues, “I charge (like a military order) you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things; and of Christ Jesus, who in His testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will display at the proper time”; (1st Timothy 6:13-15a) the time of God’s choosing. 

What is the command Paul is talking about here? Most likely, the previous verses to “flee these things, pursue righteousness … fight the good fight of faith”. (1st Timothy 6:11b-12a) Timothy is to carry out these duties in the church from now on; until Christ returns on the last day or until he is called home by the Lord. As Paul wrote in his second letter to Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”. (2nd Timothy 4:7) “So, let us not deceive ourselves with an (easy) Christianity that does not involve constant battle”. (CFW Walther) 

Next, Paul speaks a glorious doxology; describing Christ Jesus as “the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, (deathlessness) who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen”. (1st Timothy 6:15b-16) After His resurrection and ascension, Christ rules over all of the earth; He lives and reigns to all eternity. 

Paul concludes this letter with another warning about the danger of riches saying, “as for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty (prideful) or to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God who richly provides us with everything to enjoy”. (1st Timothy 6:17) The economic crisis and rampant inflation in the last couple of years have clearly shown how foolish it is to trust in our bank accounts or investments, which for most are rapidly decreasing in value.

We do not know what the future holds for us, but our gracious Lord does, therefore, be content with what God has given you and use your wealth not only for yourselves, but for the good of others. As Paul wrote, “Do good, be rich in good works, be generous and ready to share, (these things proceed from faith) thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life”. (1st Timothy 6:18-19) So, we pray the Lord would teach us to rightly regard the wealth He has given to us, with thanksgiving, that it would not be a hindrance to our faith, but rather a blessing. Amen.


The world seeks after wealth

And all that mammon offers

Yet never is content

Though gold should fill its coffers

I have a higher good

Content with it, I’ll be

My Jesus is my wealth

What is the world to me

# 730 “What is the World to Me” verse 3

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