Brookfield Church of Christ
Sep 6, 2026 Sun a.m. 1 Timothy 6:6-10
The Root of All Kinds of Evil: A Christian View of Wealth
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      • 1 Timothy 6:6-9ESV

      • 1 Timothy 6:10ESV

  • Central Idea: True gain is not found in what we accumulate but in godliness joined with contentment, because it is the love of money — not money itself — that becomes the root from which countless evils grow in the human heart.
    INTRODUCTION
    Our culture measures a person's worth by net worth — bigger houses, faster cars, fuller portfolios.
    Note carefully what the text does — and does not — say: money itself is not called evil.
    Job had great wealth and was called "the greatest of all the people of the East" (Job 1:3), yet was blameless before God. Wealth is not the enemy; a misplaced heart is.
    We will look at how a Christian should view money, ambition, and contentment.

    I. Godliness with Contentment Is True Gain

    1 Timothy 6:6–8 ESV
    But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.
    Paul redefines "gain."
    We entered this world with nothing and will leave with nothing
    Job 1:21 ESV
    And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
    Ecclesiastes 5:15 ESV
    As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand.
    Contentment is not resignation
    Hebrews 13:5 ESV
    Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
    Philippians 4:11–13 ESV
    Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
    Matthew 6:33 ESV
    But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
    Action Item: This week, take an honest inventory of what God has already provided — write down five specific provisions (food, shelter, relationships, health, faith) and give thanks for them before asking God for anything more.

    II. The Desire to Be Rich Leads to Temptation and Ruin

    1 Timothy 6:9 ESV
    But 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.
    Notice the wording: "those who desire to be rich" — this is about ambition and craving, not the mere possession of wealth.
    A poor man can love money just as much as a rich one.
    Paul describes a progression: temptation → a snare → foolish and harmful desires
    Greed rarely destroys a person all at once; it pulls gradually, like a trap closing.
    Jesus told the story of the rich fool who tore down his barns (Luke 12:15-21).
    Proverbs 23:4–5 ESV
    Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven.
    Matthew 19:23–24 ESV
    And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
    Action Item: Examine your financial goals and decisions this month and ask honestly whether they are driven by faithful stewardship and provision for your family, or by envy and the desire to have more than you need — and adjust accordingly.

    III. The Love of Money Is a Root of All Kinds of Evil

    1 Timothy 6:10 ESV
    For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.
    Paul does not say money is the root of evil — he says the love of money is a root from which many kinds of evil can grow: dishonesty, broken relationships, betrayal, neglect of family, compromised faith.
    "For which some have strayed from the faith"
    Matthew 6:24 ESV
    “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
    1 John 2:15–17 ESV
    Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
    1 Timothy 6:17–19 ESV
    As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 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.
    Action Item: Commit to a regular, planned pattern of giving — your offering and to those in need — as a discipline that intentionally loosens money's grip on your heart, rather than giving only what feels leftover or convenient.

    CONCLUSION

    Paul's message to Timothy — and to us — is not that wealth is sinful, but that the heart's posture toward wealth determines whether it becomes a blessing or a snare.
    Godliness with contentment is genuine wealth
    The call today is the same one Paul gave Timothy just verses later:
    1 Timothy 6:11–12 ESV
    But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

      • 1 Timothy 6:6–8ESV

      • Job 1:21ESV

      • Ecclesiastes 5:15ESV

      • Hebrews 13:5ESV

      • Philippians 4:11–13ESV

      • Matthew 6:33ESV

      • 1 Timothy 6:9ESV

      • Proverbs 23:4–5ESV

      • Matthew 19:23–24ESV

      • 1 Timothy 6:10ESV

      • Matthew 6:24ESV

      • 1 John 2:15–17ESV

      • 1 Timothy 6:17–19ESV

      • 1 Timothy 6:11–12ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 11:23–24ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 11:25–26ESV

      • 2 Corinthians 9:7ESV

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Brookfield Church of Christ
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