1Ti 6:1-2 What does Paul mean by “all honor”? For what reason did Paul instruct that slaves should regard as worthy of all honor even an unbelieving master? See also 1 Pet 2:13-15, 18-23. Why in the same manner is it important for Christian wives to be subject in honor to their husbands, even if they are disobedient to the word? See Tit 2:5, 1 Pet 3:1-2 (noting the context of 1 Pet 2:13-23). Although a wife is not worthy of honor by virtue of her position, on what basis is a husband to grant her honor? See 1 Pet 3:7. What is the importance to us as Christians of rendering honor wherever it is due? See Rom 13:7, Mal 1:6. For what reason did Paul instruct slaves to render honor to a master who was a believer? See also Gal 6:10. In the same way that a Christian husband ought to grant honor to his wife, would Paul have expected a Christian master to also grant honor to his slaves? See Eph 6:9, Col 4:1, Phm 1:16-17. What do “these principles” teach us about how Christians today should relate to their employers/employees?
1Ti 6:3-5 Note: “advocate a different doctrine” is found only here and in 1Ti 1:3 where Paul used it in his initial command to Timothy regarding those who would “teach strange doctrines”; what does this indicate about who he has in mind in the following verses? Note: “sound” is a health term that refers to one’s well-being; see Lk 5:31, 7:10, 15:27, 3 Jn 1:2. What did Paul consider as “sound words”? See 1Ti 6:3. What does he mean to “come to” (lit.) sound words? To what does sound doctrine always conform us? See 1Ti 6:3. Regardless of one’s aspirations to be a “teacher of the law” (see 1Ti 1:7) or how “spiritual” or sublime a person may appear, how does Paul describe those whose doctrine does not conform them to true godliness? See 1Ti 6:4-5, 1 Cor 8:1-2. Note: KJV “doting” or NASB “has a morbid interest” means literally “is sick about”; what do Paul’s words in 1Ti 6:4-5 indicate about the nature and fruit of doctrine that is not sound but “morbid”? What do they indicate about how a person with a sound understanding of the truth will deal with “controversial questions and disputes about words”? See also 1Ti 6:20, 4:7, 2 Tim 2:14,16, 23-24. What two root sins do we find in 1Ti 6:4-5 at the heart of teaching that does not conform to godliness? Notice the words “conceited” and “gain” in the NASB.
1Ti 6:6-10 In what two different senses does Paul use the word “godliness” in 1Ti 6:5 and 6? In what sense do false teachers suppose their form of godliness or religion to be gain, and in what sense does Paul mean that true godliness is gain? See 1Ti 6:7-10. What does Paul say in 1Ti 6:6 and 8 is the key to the “great gain” of true riches? Compare Socrates: “He is the richest who is content with the least” and “He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have”. With what does Paul say we should be content? See 1Ti 6:8. Do we have food and covering? Are we content with that? Notice that being content with what one has is “gain” in this life, while godliness is “profitable for all things” including the “life to come” (1Ti 4:8), so that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (KJV). What warning does Paul give in 1Ti 6:9-10 about those who want to get materially rich? Into what three things does Paul say those who want to get rich fall, and what is the end result? See 1Ti 6:9. What is the nature of a snare; i.e., does a person or animal deliberately walk into a snare? Note: “wandered away” in 1Ti 6:10 means most literally to be mislead, enticed or lead astray, as by a harlot or false prophet; see Prov 7:21 and Mark 13:22 for the religious dimension of this word and cf. 2 Pet 2:3. Is money itself a root of all evils? What is the great danger to our soul of wanting to be rich? Note: NASB “destruction” in 1Ti 6:9 = KJV “perdition” and refers to eternal destruction or damnation; see Mat 7:13, 2 Pet 2:1,3, 3:7. Do we possess the true riches of contentment with what we have? Or are we falling into the snare of always wanting more? How much is enough? See again 1Ti 6:8. Should our ambition in life be to be rich, or to be content?