Godliness with Contentment Is Great Gain

by J. B. Dunlop
The words in this title imply that there may be a kind of contentment without godliness, and in that there is of course some gain.
What is godliness? "God was manifest in the flesh." 1 Tim. 3:16. True godliness is God-likeness as in the above portion and as in Eph. 5:1.
Christians are to be followers (literally, imitators) of God—to be God-like or godly. They are always to be giving themselves up to God for others, as Christ did on the cross, excepting, of course, what only Christ could do—making atonement. But our godliness, our walking in love is to have no lower standard than this. The Holy Spirit, too, in 1 John 4:16 teaches the same standard as to Christians loving one another.
Then godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Tim. 6:6.) Godliness not only has "promise of the life that now is," but also "of that which is to come" (1 Tim. 4:8), and both are "gain." So godliness with contentment is great gain. Where there is not this "contentment," the heart is not satisfied—not resting in the joy of communion with the Father and the Son.