If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain,
1 Timothy 6:3-6 ESV
I was having a discussion with a good friend recently when the subject of contentment came up. I said to him, “I am never satisfied, but I am always content.” When he gave me a questioning look, I went on to explain the difference. “Contentedness is independent of your circumstances. Satisfaction is when you push away from the table and say, ‘no more, I’m all done.'”
Actually, in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, I found that content and satisfaction are often used synonymously. I found a great blog post from Mike McCann, an entrepreneur and writer. I have no idea if he is a believer in Jesus or not, but his stuff is straight gold:
They’re synonyms, but we reflect the differing meanings in our posture.
Satisfied – “happy and finished.” You’ve taken action, you’ve gotten uncomfortable, and you’ve accomplished your goals. You are ready to rest on your laurels.
Content – “happy but still laboring.” You’ve started, you’re improving, but you haven’t arrived. You’re still hungry and you’re not ready to pat yourself on the back.
When you strive for satisfaction, you begin to look for an end. And when there is an end to your work, you allow yourself to think about cutting corners to get there. Instead, try striving for contentment. You’ll be okay with realizing your work is never done. That realization will give you the energy to put out your best work day after day. [1]
I love this! The Bible says nothing about living in such a way that when you finally “get there” you just sit around and enjoy the spoils of your labor, but rather, we are to press forward for the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (See Philippians 3:12-14)!
In 1 Timothy 6, Paul admonishes Timothy to withdraw from wicked men who are teaching doctrines that are not according to the gospel of Jesus (start reading in verse 3 for the full context). Paul says these argumentative imposters suppose that “godliness is a means of gain.”
But then he goes on to say that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” What a powerful, yet understated verse this is!
Godliness with Contentment
The word translated “godliness” in verse 6 is the Greek word eusebeia, which means piety toward God or holiness. These false preachers were preaching that godliness, or holiness, is a means of gain for Paul and the rest of the early church. I like how the Amplified Classic Edition puts it:
And protracted wrangling and wearing discussion and perpetual friction among men who are corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, who imagine that godliness or righteousness is a source of profit [a moneymaking business, a means of livelihood]. From such withdraw.
This kind of person sees no benefit in seeking after the Lord other than turning it into a source of profit; a moneymaking business or a means of livelihood. This person sees ministries, teachers, preachers, and evangelists as deceivers who are only “after your money,” and whom have no clue whatsoever what the power of the gospel of Jesus entails.
I want you to really think about what Paul says in verse 6:
[And it is, indeed, a source of immense profit, for] godliness accompanied with contentment (that contentment which is a sense of inward sufficiency) is great and abundant gain.
Godliness is great gain (not just “gain,” but “GREAT gain!”) when it is accompanied by contentment.
I remind you of our initial conversation: what is the difference between contentment and satisfaction?
Are you ready to learn something powerful? Here we go!
The Greek word for contentment here is the word autarkeia, and is a rich and power-packed word that deserves some explaining.
One of the root words for autarkeia is the word arkeō , which means to be possessed of unfailing strength; to be strong, to suffice, to be enough (as against any danger; hence, to defend, ward off.
Arkeō is the root word that provides the foundation for the word for contentment in 1 Timothy 6:6, and it provides a framework for what true contentment really looks like to God.
Contentment involves strength from the inside out. It carries the idea of one who is so strong and who possesses such unfailing strength that no danger whatsoever is enough to move them from their post! This is an image of a warrior who, unflustered by the noise of battle and the fierce looks of the rushing enemy army, knows that he has what it takes to protect himself. This is a powerful, vivid image of what godly contentment looks like.
Now that we have a foundation for the word autarkeia by looking into what arkeō means, we can look at the full-blown description of autarkeia, or contentment. This powerful word means a perfect condition of life in which no aid or support is needed.
Where do you get your sustenance?
I like to think about it this way. Have you ever gone to a Las Vegas all-you-can-eat buffet? There is more food in one of those buffet lines than I have ever seen in one place in my entire life. I remember coming back to my table with plate after plate, each plate completely full and overflowing with all kinds of delicious and beautiful food.
It doesn’t take too long to eat your fill and push back from the table, saying, “Oh, I couldn’t eat another bite I am so full!” That is satisfaction. You have eaten your fill and you are pushing back, saying, in essence, “No more; I’m all done.”
On the other hand, have you ever been to a high-end restaurant? The kind where you spend an outrageous amount of money for a meal that, although it looks like it belongs on a magazine cover, wouldn’t fill a mouse’s stomach?
At this kind of restaurant, the ingredients are costly; that’s why they do it. You are getting the crème de la crème; the very finest that the chef can offer. If you sit down to this kind of meal with a growling stomach, you probably won’t enjoy all the hard work the chef put into that dish; you’ll likely just wolf it down and wish you ordered something larger.
But when you eat a little something before you go, you’re not as hungry, so you can really enjoy that fancy little plate, allowing your taste buds to dance and buzz over every hint and suggestion of spices and culinary combinations that the chef carefully prepared for your dining experience. What’s the difference? In that moment, you are enjoying the scenery and experiencing something that is excellent. Your hunger is not being appeased by what is in front of you. You aren’t starving, you’re thriving and enjoying what you are eating.
In the same way, being content comes from having your spirit filled with spiritual food that actually sustains you. So many people are moved by their circumstances, trying to be happy (which is based completely upon your external circumstances) but their spirits are starving to death. They haven’t fed their spirits, so they seek nourishment from an outside source.
Friend, that is not the way it is meant to be. Godliness with contentment is great gain. When you feed your spirit, your external circumstances won’t matter so much. You’ll never push back from God’s table saying, “Ok God, I’ve had enough of Your goodness; enough of Your provision; enough of Your love in my life. It’s time for me to take a break from Your mercy.” Of course not!
Can you see the difference between being satisfied and being content? Being content in the things of God means that you have such an inner strength by the power of the Holy Spirit that nothing–and I mean not even Satan himself–can take you down. Aiming for sitting back from the table in languid satisfaction is a sure way to, as McCann put it so well in his blog, allow yourself to think about cutting corners to get there. There are no shortcuts with God–it takes time to cultivate a relationship with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit and to feed your spirit on the Word of God.
I pray this has encouraged you to check your own source of nourishment. Are you working toward satisfaction or do you have a deep, inner contentment that comes from a healthy and well-fed spirit? One way you can check yourself is to listen to yourself. When others ask, “how are you?” what are your responses like? Your words will always reveal what is in your heart.
- McCann, Mike. “Content vs. Satisfied.” Pick a Direction, 24 Feb. 2016, pickadirection.com/content-vs-satisfied/.