Simplicity and Contentment

One of the most overlooked and significant scriptures in the Bible is found in the powerful sixth chapter of first Timothy. In describing many who were of the school of thought that worldly prosperity correlates to faith and righteousness, the apostle Paul referred to the arguments of such as “perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” And then, in contradiction to such thinking, the great apostle immediately gives us the true Biblical definition of divine prosperity: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim. 6:5,6). This is the same apostle who told the believers in Philippi, “for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philip. 4:11). Yes my friend, contentment is one of the greatest elements that can carry us from here to glory, with peace and comfort keeping our hearts by the holy Ghost that Jesus has provided for us (Philip. 4:7; I Pet. 1:4,5; Rom. 8:24,25; Lk. 21:19). There is much to be said on the matter of faith in regard to monetary and worldly need matters, but this short post is about another way in which contentment is a vital weapon against the spirits of this world that would weaken our faith and our hope. I’m talking about doctrine, which is probably the most lightly esteemed and important element of our faith. I would like to demonstrate from the scriptures the utter simplicity of the true doctrine of Christ, and then show how most believers have had their faith and love subtracted from, while appearing to have it added to. First of all, Jesus told us, "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets” (Mat. 7:12). This saying is of course also known as “love thy neighbor as thyself.” Sounds pretty simple to me. How about you? Let’s keep in mind that the new covenant is simply the fulfillment of the law and the prophets (Jer. 31:33). So by what means does one possess the fulfillment of the law and the prophets? According to the scriptures, it is by having God’s Spirit in our lives (Heb. 10: 14-16).

And what about the love, whereby we are to love our neighbors as ourselves? The scripture says we obtain that love by having “the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost” (Rom. 5:5). So hopefully you are seeing by now that receiving God’s Spirit and following after it, is the totality of what we need as believers, to be blessed and to be saved in the end (Mat. 24:12,13; Rom. 8:14). So let’s look at the simplicity of doctrine that is taught in the scriptures: “Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end [bottom line] of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" (I Tim. 1:4,5). Sounds like what Jesus said, doesn’t it? Since this is a short article let me cut to the chase here: "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God" (Gal. 6:15,16). So it comes down to this simplicity: You just can’t add anything to being a new creature in Christ, except more of that same new creature. This is what the apostle meant when he told the Colossians: "And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power" (Col. 2:10). The one way into Christ remains the same: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body [of Christ] ( I Cor. 12:13). We are indeed complete, meaning we have all we need, by being in him; because "if any man be IN CHRIST, he is a new creature" (II Cor. 5:17). That ‘new creature,’ also referred to as the ‘new man,’ is actually our spirit joined to God’s Spirit, because, "he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit" (I Cor. 6:17). It’s certain that we are "joined to the Lord” by receiving his Spirit, because “the Lord IS that Spirit" (II Cor. 3:17). So it is evident by these few scriptural truths that having God’s Spirit is how we have the capacity to love with the same love that Jesus loved with (Jn. 15:12).

Having the holy love of God dwelling in us, and his unfathomable peace, we should surely be content therewith. But as Jesus said that "the love of many [would] wax cold,” and that those would not “endure till the end;” so the apostle Paul warned as follows: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (II Tim. 4:3,4). Many of the doctrines and traditions of modern Christianity are the equivalent of the ‘fables’ that Paul said would be accepted in place of the truth. In fact, today’s faulty traditions are part of the fulfillment of the following prophecy from the same apostle: “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (I Tim. 4:1). All of the misguided traditions of our time, along with all of the sectarian, elitist doctrines that are unique and exclusive to particular Christian affiliations; while "having a form of godliness,” serve only to diminish the power and love of God’s Spirit in those who have it; and keep those who do not from obtaining the only reality of God in this world, namely the holy Ghost baptism (II Tim. 3:5; Acts 1:8). So while the vast network of traditional and unique doctrines offered today appear as an enhancement to the faith of the partakers thereof, in reality it all just serves to distract from the one simplistic, but all-encompassing purpose of the Gospel; which is to become a new creature in Christ, and love with his love by means of his holy Spirit of love. Friend, if you do not possess this love, then by all means get it. If you have been baptized with the holy Ghost, then be content with holding onto the love and peace that comes with the experience, because everything that matters is found in that. And one more thing: Forsake all of the religious fluff, because it is a deadly poison that will quench the love and peace of the blessed holy Ghost. Amen.