“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV
There is no power where God is not. There is no profitability or productivity where God is not. There is no authentic belief, enduring obedience, or repentant faith without God.
The world has swept into the church and many are being diluted into a false faith. A form of godliness without the power of God Himself is vanity. There is no power where God is not. There is no profitability or productivity where God is not. There is no authentic belief, enduring obedience, or repentant faith without God. It takes God Himself in us to live for God outside us.
Many in our day are obsessed with titles, prestige, and good works. We speak much on good works and doing good to others, but what about the call for holiness and righteousness? Where are those sounding the alarm telling us to wake up from our spiritual slumber and carnality? The love of God is what compels us to run to Him in reverence, awe, and towards His redeeming grace. The love of God is also what convicts us of living in a form of godliness, but not living in the power of God!
We live in a day where people are trying in the flesh and sweat to further God’s Kingdom. Rather than depending upon Almighty God and His Spirit, we strive to do the Christian walk by means of our own energy, strength and mechanisms.
We live in a day where people are trying in the flesh and sweat to further God’s Kingdom. Rather than depending upon Almighty God and His Spirit, we strive to do the Christian walk by means of our own energy. We try in our own strength. We strive to be and do what the Scriptures declare, but without the power of God. “Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness” (Psalm 29:1-2 ESV). Our strength is found in God alone. Nothing can be done for Him or done in full dedication to Him, without Him first dwelling within us.
That is why “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” (1 Timothy 6:3-5 ESV).
Too many preach forms of godliness without God’s power. Too many preach a false christ and neglect the call for godliness. Both are required if we are to follow the One True God of the Holy Scriptures.
In order to follow the true Christ and strive for true godliness, the Holy Spirit must be in us. That is why God’s “Divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him Who called us to His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 ESV).
A form of godliness that denies its power is always disguised and covered by self. Self-pursuits, self-gain, self-adoration, and self-glory. For partial godliness will always appear to be just and noble externally, but the internal state is corrupt and defiled. It is like a gold ring in a pig's snout. It is undesirable and its place is one that God disdains. For we know that “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9 ESV). If the world and self is involved in our pursuit of what God is calling us too, then the fulfillment of what could have been will forever be missed. If God is not sanctifying, chastising, disciplining, and lovingly convicting us, then we shall never truly walk out the faith in sound, Biblical godliness.
Numbers may be exciting. Stages may be thrilling. Preachers may be motivating; but if the Spirit is not in the message and worship, then it is dead. For it is better to have a church filled with fifteen people living in the Spirit than fifteen thousand sitting under partial truths with a facade form of godliness that denies its power.
For many ministries appear to be of God, but they are motivated by carnal means. Many churches may appear to be thriving in the Spirit, when the hearts in the pew have no desire to turn from sin. Numbers may be exciting. Stages may be thrilling. Preachers may be motivating; but if the Spirit is not in the message and worship, then it is dead. For it is better to have a church filled with fifteen people living in the Spirit than fifteen thousand sitting under partial truths with a facade form of godliness that denies its power.
Too many are living to die. Not many are dying to live. Too many desire all the benefits of what God can give, but are not willing to take up the responsibility of laying down sin. Many want to be both in and of the world, rather than being in the world, but not of the world.
For too many are living to die. Not many are dying to live. Too many desire all the benefits of what God can give, but are not willing to take up the responsibility of laying down sin. Many want to be both in and of the world, rather than being in the world, but not of the world. Many desire to be caressed and told that everything is okay; that they are good people and that God loves them. They are entirely open to hearing that God forgives all their sins, but there is no willingness to hear about God’s wrath and anger towards sin. There is nothing preached about denying oneself and offering ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to the Lord (Romans 12:1) from churches filled with a form of godliness that deny its power. Instead, multitudes go through the motions and buy into what appears to be of God, but is not of God.
Many false prophets have been raised up by Lucifer himself. They are men led by self, pleasure, and applause, rather than the glory, exaltation and awe of God.
That is why we are warned in 1 John 4:1 (ESV) to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Many false prophets have been raised up by Lucifer himself. They are men led by self, pleasure, and applause, rather than the glory, exaltation and awe of God.
If pastors are not striving to distance themselves from sin, then what shall we expect of the congregations? If every message is what we can get from God, rather than what we should be returning to Him and confessing, then we are going to see a whole generation swept away. For the tides of sin are rising and many are drowning. Christ is calling and willing to save, but we would rather wave and drown than grab hold of His hand and be lifted out of sin.
Leonard Ravenhill was right when he said, “May weakness in the pew be caused by wickedness in the pulpit?” If pastors are not striving to distance themselves from sin, then what shall we expect of the congregations? If every message is what we can get from God, rather than what we should be returning to Him and confessing, then we are going to see a whole generation swept away. For the tides of sin are rising and many are drowning. Christ is calling and willing to save, but we would rather wave and drown than grab hold of His hand and be lifted out of sin.
If we do not have the Holy Spirit, we will be lulled into a spiritual slumber of deception. We will judge man by their outward appearances - their hairstyle, fashion, and eloquence of speech - rather than asking the Holy Spirit to discern their heart, messages, and love for God and His Truth.
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:12-13 ESV). In these days, if we do not have the Holy Spirit, we will be lulled into a spiritual slumber of deception. We will judge man by their outward appearances - their hairstyle, fashion, and eloquence of speech - rather than asking the Holy Spirit to discern their heart, messages, and love for God and His Truth.
If people can sit in church and not feel a tug from the Holy Ghost to change, then the rugged Cross has turned into a golden cross. What was meant to save, has now been recreated by man and turned into an idol. For many would rather have rights to a golden cross than to put themselves on the rugged Cross with Christ. Many would rather go to the golden cross for riches, honor, and self-glory, rather than going through the rugged Cross to live for God’s glory.
For a form of godliness without power is to preach some of the things of God without any conviction. If there is no conviction in the message; if people can sit in church and not feel a tug from the Holy Ghost to change, then the rugged Cross has turned into a golden cross. What was meant to save, has now been recreated by man and turned into an idol. For many would rather have rights to a golden cross than to put themselves on the rugged Cross with Christ. Many would rather go to the golden cross for riches, honor, and self-glory, rather than going through the rugged Cross to live for God’s glory. We desire comfortability and ease, while we rarely will go to our knees. Rather than giving our will, life, and entire being back to God, we desire to give Him a subtle utterance of words that come from the mouth, but are not birthed in the heart.
How can we say that we love God when we neglect to give Him time? When was the last time we prayed to God for more than five minutes? When was the last time we opened up our Bibles for more than two minutes? When was the last time we had a burdened heart for what burdened God’s?
That is why it is imperative that what we do and seek after is not merely a form of godliness, but God. For the true pursuit of God will lead to a true form of godliness. No longer will we say the right things, nod our head, and be unchanged the rest of the week. Instead, our heart will go from hardened to softened. We will be transformed by the power of Him Who is at work within us, rather than sitting in self and doing nothing for God. For how can we expect to be saved when we are still enslaved? How can we say that we love God when we neglect to give Him time? When was the last time we prayed to God for more than five minutes? When was the last time we opened up our Bibles for more than two minutes? When was the last time we had a burdened heart for what burdened God’s?
There is no separation between love and truth. Both are dovetailed and both must be fully received, believed, and given. Without one, we fall into a form of godliness that denies its power. Without the other, we fail to see that reproof and correction are what God uses to train us up in righteousness, godliness, and holiness.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV). True love is gracious to all, but it is concrete in truth. There is no separation between love and truth. Both are dovetailed and both must be fully received, believed, and given. Without one, we fall into a form of godliness that denies its power. Without the other, we fail to see that reproof and correction are what God uses to train us up in righteousness, godliness, and holiness.
For if we do not know what is wrong, how can we expect to grow in God? If God does not reveal to us what must go; and if we are not willing to be chastised and disciplined, we will never live out a true form of godliness that seeks to slaughter self and lift up God.
We must be willing to set aside what we want and what we perceive to be of God. We must simply ask that God’s Truth would illuminate our souls to discern what is of God and what is not. For many ministries are fading. Many Christian celebrities are falling away from the faith. Many churches have silly externals overriding the Infinite Glory and Wonder of God Almighty.
That is why we must “Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:11 ESV). These things are found in God, and God will manifest these things within us with each passing day. We must simply be willing to set aside what we want and what we perceive to be of God. We must simply ask that God’s Truth would illuminate our souls to discern what is of God and what is not. For many ministries are fading. Many Christian celebrities are falling away from the faith. Many churches have silly externals overriding the Infinite Glory and Wonder of God Almighty.
May God give us the wisdom to not merely have a form of godliness, but to seek and live out a godly life that is guided, directed, and empowered by Him.
May the Holy Spirit give us the discernment in the days ahead to see who truly speaks for God. May He direct us to God’s Word. May we learn that this is life and death; Heaven and Hell. May He give us the wisdom to not merely have a form of godliness, but to seek and live out a godly life that is guided, directed, and empowered by Him.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, God of Wisdom and Glory, Who breathes newness of life into the dead, may You give us the knowledge and understanding to not live a deceptive life. O God, awaken our hearts from the coldness we have had. Convict us where self has gotten in the way of Your Divine plans and purposes for our lives. God, we seek nothing but Thee. We desire to know nothing but Thee. We desire to live for no one but Thee. Bless us with Your Holy touch, O God. Strip away carnality from us. May we rise up in the resurrection of Christ and truly enter into newness of life. Draw us near that we may hear what the Spirit is saying. Lift us above the world and onto higher ground. Engage our minds to meditate and be fixed upon You. For by Your Word You created all things, sustain all things, preserve all things, and love all things. May all come to You and be saved from damnation through true faith and genuine repentance. We trust in You now, O God, to do what only You can do. May Thy glorious, powerful, Holy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Lance VanTine