"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." [1 Tim 6:6-7]
Presently, in this world, profit, success, and gain are measured through tangible means. The more goods you have acquired, the more salary you procure, the more land or space you have for luxury or for company or for leisure: in general, the better off the world sees you. These are the types of things the world uses to measure success, to measure profit, to measure if you have been wise and prudent. Is there any man of this world who might look down upon a poor homeless fellow and say that man had been very wise with his allotted things? Would any man of the world behold the man who struggles to pay his bills in a timely fashion a prosperous and successful man? Quite plainly, the answer is no, for this world’s measure is far different than that which is to come. Paul, speaking by The Holy Spirit says those who are “destitute of the truth” do suppose “that gain is godliness,” and, logically describing those who are not destitute of truth but have known it, says, “godliness with contentment is great gain.” [1 Tim 6:5-6] Those men who have not The Lord Jesus’ wisdom think that gain in this world equates to godliness; these are not godly men at all but are deceived. For “godliness with contentment is great gain;” and, “a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked;” [Psa 37:16] and again, “better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.” [Prov 16:8]
Under the banner of God, within the confines of “the kingdom of [Christ], the Son of [The Father’s] Love,” [Col 1:13] the world’s definition of gain is not employed. Such a concept is foreign and strange to God, who has “chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him.” [Jam 2:5] It is a relief and a joy to come to that knowledge that God’s kingdom is not driven by wealth, money, possessions, power, or any such thing. The kingdom to which we belong and shall one day eat and drink in, being joyful in heavenly fellowship, is motivated by better things than gain in this world. Therefore, let us not live as others do, clinging to this world and the things of it, for Jesus says that the man who is “choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life,” shall bring no fruit to perfection; and again, we are told, “no man that is waging war is entangling himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please Him who has enlisted him to be a soldier.” [Lk 8:14, 2 Tim 2:4] Let us be as Abraham, who “looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God,” and as those faithful saints of old who “desire[d] a better country, that is, an heavenly.” [Heb 11:10, 16] Let us contently and thankfully and patiently pursue it: for with these things God is pleased, and we will find, no matter how much worldly wealth we accumulate, great gain.