Be good employees1All believers should consider their bosses in the workplace worthy of full honour, so that they have no grounds to speak against God's name or what we teach about Him.2Those with Christian bosses should not take advantage of them, but must show them the respect they deserve because they are fellow believers. In fact, they should work even harder for them because those who benefit are fellow Christians and so are precious to them. Teach these things and urge people to put them into practice.Effects of false doctrine3-4Anyone teaching false doctrine that does not agree with the words of truth given by our Lord Jesus Christ and other godly teachers is clearly conceited without any real understanding of the truth.5He loves to be involved in controversial discussions and will quarrel about the interpretation of words. This only leads to jealousy and division. People even speak blasphemously and undermine confidence in others. Because of their continual wranglings, their minds become corrupted and they allow themselves to be robbed of the truth. They are more concerned with financial rewards than with godliness.True godliness brings real rewards6However, true godliness brings real rewards.7For we were born with nothing and we can take nothing with us when we die.8-9We should be content with having enough to eat and wear, for people who aim to become wealthy fall into temptation and a trap laid by the devil. Their many foolish and harmful desires will plunge them into spiritual ruin and destruction.10Having a love for money is the root of many forms of evil. Some are so desperate to be rich they have strayed away from the faith and have only caused themselves many problems.11But you are a man of God and are to run from all such fleshly desires so that you can pursue a righteous way of life, full of godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.12So fight the good fight of the faith, living in the good of the eternal life given you when you were called, when you made your public confession of faith in Christ Jesus.13-14I charge you before God, who is the source of all life, and before Christ Jesus, who made His good confession while testifying to Pontius Pilate, keep this command with a pure heart.15At His appointed time, God will cause the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. And God is the Blessed One, the only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords.16He alone is immortal and He lives in unapproachable light, so brilliant that no-one has seen or could see Him as He is. To Him belongs all honour and power forever. Amen! It shall be so!Don't put confidence in earthly wealth17Tell those who have great wealth in this present world that they are not to be proud, nor should they put their future hope in the fact that they are rich. All wealth is only temporary and uncertain. However, those who hope in God find that He provides abundantly for them. He provides for all our needs and our pleasure as well.18So tell the wealthy to be generous in the way they handle their riches, doing good and sharing with others.19Then they will store up heavenly riches for themselves, a necessary foundation for the future! In this way they will be able to take hold of the only life that is real and eternal.Put your faith in the truth20-21Timothy, guard the deposit of truth that has been entrusted to you. Have nothing to do with empty talk and with the ideas that oppose the truth but are promoted under the banner of 'reason.' In believing such false so-called 'knowledge', some have strayed from putting their faith in the truth. God's grace be with you.
Scripture quoted by permission. The passage above is taken from THE TRUTH VERSION. Copyright © 2009 by Colin Urquhart. All rights reserved worldwide. (The Truth New Testament)