6:51 Timothy 6:5

The verse describes people who reject sound teaching and the teaching that leads to godliness, and so become corrupt in mind, trapped in useless disputes, from whom believers are to withdraw themselves.1T 540.2+2 Their contentious words and evil surmisings show the truth has not purified the heart, but proud and empty of truth they bring forth envy, strife, railings and division.Ms 82, 1898, par. 2–6+1 To suppose that gain is godliness is to wrongly treat material gain and wealth as proof of godliness and of God's favor.1T 540.2+2 Riches and the ability to acquire them are no proof of spiritual worth or superior wisdom, for true gain is godliness joined with contentment.1T 540.2+2 Serving God cannot be joined with serving mammon, and worldly advantage and personal gain must never govern obedience to Him.Lt 109, 1899, par. 16–18

The verse describes those who turn away from wholesome teaching and from the teaching that leads to godliness, and who by that rejection become entangled in disputes and corrupt thinking.ST Mar 22, 1883 Their perverse disputings are the outward sign that truth has not done its inner work to create purity, love and unity in the heart.Ms 82, 1898, par. 2–6 Where the leaven of truth is not hidden in the heart to mold the affections and sanctify the soul, men become proud and empty of truth, and their course dishonors God.ST Oct 13, 1898

Instead of seeking purity of heart, love and unity, such disputers produce rivalry and ambition, envy and strife, railings and evil surmising.ST Oct 13, 1898 Their contentious words themselves reveal the lack of truth within.Ms 82, 1898, par. 2–6 The verse therefore warns against contentions and bickerings over questions that bring no benefit, for engaging in them places a person on the enemy's side.Ms 12a, 1901, par. 7 What is needed in place of such disputes is practical knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ.Ms 12a, 1901, par. 7

Evil surmising and faultfinding must be put aside, and the atmosphere among believers kept sweet and pleasant by exercising love toward one another.Lt 26, 1907, par. 5–6 Mechanical labor must not be crowded in to the neglect of the spiritual needs of workers, but the Lord must have first place in the heart as sanctification and righteousness.Lt 26, 1907, par. 5–6 Where jealousy, suspicion and evil surmising appear among workers they reveal disunity and hinder the work.Lt 113a, 1897, par. 9 Selfishness leads people to exaggerate the importance of their own efforts while belittling the same work when another does it, and this corrupt, self-centered spirit produces quarrels and division.Lt 113a, 1897, par. 9

From such corrupt arguers, who are destitute of the truth and whose minds are corrupt, believers are commanded to withdraw.1T 540.2+4 Their false teaching is bound up with disputes and quarrels over words.Ms 4, 1900, par. 9–11 Separation is the safeguard against both their false estimate of riches and their contentious spirit.ST Mar 22, 1883

To suppose that gain is godliness is to wrongly treat material gain and wealth as evidence and proof of godliness and of God's favor.1T 540.2+4 It is the error of men of corrupt minds who are destitute of the truth and have no grasp or hold upon it, who reject wholesome teaching and the teaching that leads to godliness and so become trapped in disputes and quarrels over words and contentious words that reveal truth has not worked in the heart to produce purity, love and unity.1T 540.2+4 From those who teach this falsehood believers are to withdraw and separate themselves.1T 540.2+4

Riches do not make a person superior in wisdom or judgment, and the ability to acquire wealth is not proof of spiritual worth or of being morally sound and valuable to God.1T 540.2+2 This false estimate of riches must be rejected as deception.1T 541.1+1 True gain is godliness joined with contentment, not the pursuit of riches.1T 540.2+1

Serving God cannot be joined with serving mammon, and worldly advantage and personal gain must not govern obedience to God or be made the measure and test of religion.Lt 109, 1899, par. 16–18+2 Thinking gain is godliness is spiritual blindness by which the simplicity of true godliness is largely lost among professed followers of Christ.FE 254.3+1 It devotes powers and sharp, clear thought and intellectual ability and the best results of thought to things of time and to advancement of self-interest and personal interests, instead of devoting ability purchased by Christ to advance His cause and to strengthen and bless the church.FE 254.3+1

Such ones do not gather with Christ but lead away from Him by words and acts, surrounding their souls with an atmosphere deadly and harmful to spirituality.FE 254.3+1 They profess to follow Christ and to believe advanced truth without knowing Him by experimental knowledge and without practicing religion, keeping truth in the outer court where it has no sanctifying power on life and character.FE 254.3+1 Unless brought under spiritual discipline and training in the school of Christ to become a savor of life unto life, they remain inefficient, ignorant, undeveloped and unqualified for positions of influence and usefulness, do haphazard work that injures the church, and imperil the salvation of their own souls and of others.FE 254.3+1

Mistaking earthly gain for godliness comes from a darkened, worldly outlook with affections fixed on earthly things, viewing truth and heavenly matters from the world's standpoint and confusing gain with godliness and the world with God.RH Mar 29, 1870+1 It is a delusion of a worldly, spiritually blinded mind.Lt 1a, 1872, par. 9–10 The pursuit of wealth and worldly things makes them an idol and a master, weakening higher spiritual powers and diverting ability and influence from God's service, and by example can discourage one's family from serving God as the family follows the example set before them.Lt 1a, 1872, par. 9–10

Those enslaved in this way dishonor God because the leaven of truth is not hidden in the heart to mold the affections and sanctify the soul, and instead of seeking purity of heart, love and unity they are proud and empty of truth, producing rivalry, ambition, envy, strife, railings and evil surmising.ST Oct 13, 1898 They abuse entrusted capabilities and scheme for things that have no value with God, supposing material increase is godliness.ST Oct 13, 1898 In doing so they neglect the precious things within reach, the bread of life and a meek and quiet spirit, forgetting that money has value only as the Lord's entrusted means to bless humanity and becomes a curse, encumbrance and constant temptation when used to indulge and glorify self.ST Oct 13, 1898 Covetous people deceive themselves by treating the pursuit of riches as a good purpose, while sacrificing faith and eternal interests, and their pursuit brings many sorrows rather than the happiness they expect.ST Mar 22, 1883

Attachment to worldly business and love of money illustrate the warning that those of corrupt mind and destitute of truth suppose gain to be godliness, and from such believers are to withdraw, for such love endangers faith and salvation, as seen in the words and attachment of the Wessels family.Lt 109, 1899, par. 12–15 Corrupt religious leaders can make material advantage into godliness while keeping only its form, as when priestly garments outwardly holy concealed inward corruption, hatred and crime, when sacred offices were bought and sold, and when Caiaphas held his position by appointment of an unbelieving government rather than of God and used it to oppress and work wickedness.Ms 102, 1897, par. 17 The same warning applies to those who turn religious authority and professed devotion into a means of wealth, like friars who professed poverty yet demanded gifts and enriched themselves, teaching that giving to their orders was a religious duty that would secure a place in Heaven.GC88 83.1

Where sharp trading has taught people to commend making money by fair or foul means, the minister must remove all ground for suspicion that preaching is for profit, lest suspicion weaken usefulness and discredit the message.AA 349.1+1 At Corinth the people had become so practiced in sharp dealings that gain by any means was counted commendable, so Paul relinquished his rightful claim to support from his hearers in order to cut off the thought that he preached for gain and to guard his message from reproach.AA 349.1+1 At Thessalonica Greek traders likewise prized and honored skill in making money fairly or dishonestly, so Paul labored with his hands while preaching, that hearers might not suspect him of seeking personal support or turn that suspicion against the gospel and its ministers.RH Mar 6, 1900

Prizing gain and power leads to diverting resources from their proper purpose and using any means to satisfy ambition, and unjustly enriching oneself at another's expense proves failure to love God and neighbor and to reach God's standard of character, calling for repentance and cleansing.Ms 26, 1899, par. 29–30 The same error governs brethren when selfishness rules business dealings, as in seeking excessive profit from a fellow believer, especially with knowledge of his circumstances.Lt 13b, 1890, par. 9–13 Scheming for profit by buying and selling while engaged in missionary work endangers spiritual life, for the scheming spirit can kill spirituality, and labor for God joined to self-advantage will not be accepted.4T 350.3