FORM OF GODLINESS

[robert derrick]

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

A form of godliness is man's form of religion that is not the pure religion kept unspotted by the world.

It is practised by hearers of the gospel who only agree with the truth, but do not obey the truth in the heart to purify our hearts from lust of the world.

It is the form of Christianity shaped by those who seek to do good by the second great commandment, without first doing the truth of the first great commandment to love God with a whole heart.

Whether it is in the form of outward works of the law or shows of charity, it is in the beginning and ending a working religion of man with uncleansed hearts of lust.

An unclean heart cannot love God with a whole heart, and so the religion of an unclean heart cannot love our neighbors with a pure heart, but only do so with a form of one's own show of righteousness and love.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 

[robert derrick]

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.

The charity and love of God is first pure, and so the charity and love of God cannot be had in an unclean heart of lust.

I ignorantly practised both a zealous and licentious form of Christianity of my own making for several decades, without ever first purifying my heart of the lust of the world. At the former time I believed myself righteous above measure, and at the latter time I believed myself free without condemnation.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

In outward righteousness I battled ongoing lust of the heart by continual confession thereof, and in outward liberty I battled against ongoing sins of the flesh by continual confession thereof.

Until I believed the Scripture to obey it as written, I had not known the power of God given unto us to become sons of God in deed and in truth, beginning with obedience in the heart and going on to true freedom in the heart and mind with easy obedience of the body:

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

The perfecting of the saints in righteousness and true holiness must begin with the heart, which if we overlook, then all our outward fruit is defiled by lust from the heart.

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.

My personal exhortation to any hearer who would obey the truth, is to begin obeying in the heart to cast down and out of our heart the lust of the world.

But, we must first believe with the heart we can do so by the power of God, which Scripture plainly commands us to do:

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Until we do so, we are seeking to be born, saved, and justified of God by our own corrupted faith with our own works of good will toward man.

So long as we keep lust in our heart, we cannot possibly be loving God with all the heart.

To obey the commandment to be holy and pure as He is in this world, we only need begin in the heart to be purified of lust of the world, and so to be holy and pure of heart.

That is the true power of the blood of the Lamb to wash away the sins of the world from our souls and hearts:

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

But so long as we deny that power of God and the Lamb for ourselves, then we will only be practicing a form of salvation and godly religion of our own making and will.

A good show of faith and love in the flesh is not enough for God.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

How can we expect to receive the whole heart and blood of the Lamb, without giving in kind our whole heart and soul to Him?

An unclean heart only has a form of godliness, but the purified heart is all godliness within and becoming all godliness without, as becomes sons of God.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

A form of godliness is man's form of religion that is not the pure religion kept unspotted by the world.

It is practised by hearers of the gospel who only agree with the truth, but do not obey the truth in the heart to purify our hearts from lust of the world.

It is the form of Christianity shaped by those who seek to do good by the second great commandment, without first doing the truth of the first great commandment to love God with a whole heart.

Whether it is in the form of outward works of the law or shows of charity, it is in the beginning and ending a working religion of man with uncleansed hearts of lust.

An unclean heart cannot love God with a whole heart, and so the religion of an unclean heart cannot love our neighbors with a pure heart, but only do so with a form of one's own show of righteousness and love.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

that is why one must be born again in order to have any hope of worshipping god and serving Him with a pure heart. Mans heart is incapapble of changing to godliness, so god renders and declares the old man dead when one is born again.

Christianity is not a new way of living, striving to rid ourselves of bad habits (though we must do that) it is being given a brand new life which god promised tro conform to th eimage of jesus!

 

[Taken]

FORM OF GODLINESS
OP ^

Being WITH the Lord God.

 

[Behold]

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Good Thread.

Notice this also...

"The Power, thereof".... ""they""< deny it.... Who ? =HERETICS.... the RELIGIOUS but LOST... The Water Baptized, but not born again.
The Commandment keeping Legalists, who are trying to work their way in to heaven.
See all those ???????
= ""TURN AWAY""......do not listen.....do not let them speak. Do not let them into your church, as they will cause CHAOS and STRIFE and a "church split"..

""""TURN AWAY.""""....is not a suggestion., Reader.
Titus 3, = Paul tells you to REJECT THEM........not, invite them. = "" TURN AWAY"

Who are they? How do you SEE THEM..???????

Look at the verse...."denying the POWER THEREOF".

So, that is a person, who has no use for this next verse you will read....they cannot understand it....and will talk about everything else, to try to get rid of it, or replace it.
They will talk about """Water, works, communion, enduring, lifestyle, repenting, confessing...abiding""" anything BUT THIS POWER.....

8 : For the preaching of the CROSS is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the POWER OF GOD"..

See that POWER?... Its the preaching of the CROSS.<
It offends anyone who is a commandment keeping heretic. It offends everyone who believe that water baptism saved them.
It offends EVERYONE who is trying to get into heaven without it.

But to us who are BORN AGAIN.....>"It is the POWER OF GOD"..

 

[Robert Gwin]

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

A form of godliness is man's form of religion that is not the pure religion kept unspotted by the world.

It is practised by hearers of the gospel who only agree with the truth, but do not obey the truth in the heart to purify our hearts from lust of the world.

It is the form of Christianity shaped by those who seek to do good by the second great commandment, without first doing the truth of the first great commandment to love God with a whole heart.

Whether it is in the form of outward works of the law or shows of charity, it is in the beginning and ending a working religion of man with uncleansed hearts of lust.

An unclean heart cannot love God with a whole heart, and so the religion of an unclean heart cannot love our neighbors with a pure heart, but only do so with a form of one's own show of righteousness and love.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Exactly true Rob. The Bible identifies the true faith beyond any doubt, but in God so doing there are no excuses. God promises to reach all individuals through Jesus' disciples before He brings judgment, but when He has reached an individual His responsibility ends, it is now on the individuals shoulders to choose to go with God's people or not. Zech 8:23

That is why it is so very important to follow the Bible sir, as satan is so very good at what he does.

 

[robert derrick]

that is why one must be born again in order to have any hope of worshipping god and serving Him with a pure heart. Mans heart is incapapble of changing to godliness, so god renders and declares the old man dead when one is born again.

Christianity is not a new way of living, striving to rid ourselves of bad habits (though we must do that) it is being given a brand new life which god promised tro conform to th eimage of jesus!

And so, those with continued lust in the heart are only practising a form of Christian godliness.

They trust in faith alone, without keeping their hearts pure from the lust of the world, and so are never justified with God by works from a pure heart.

 

[robert derrick]

Exactly true Rob. The Bible identifies the true faith beyond any doubt, but in God so doing there are no excuses. God promises to reach all individuals through Jesus' disciples before He brings judgment, but when He has reached an individual His responsibility ends, it is now on the individuals shoulders to choose to go with God's people or not. Zech 8:23

That is why it is so very important to follow the Bible sir, as satan is so very good at what he does.

but when He has reached an individual His responsibility ends, it is now on the individuals shoulders to choose to go with God's people or not. Zech 8:23

Exactly. Our part is not just to agree with the gospel, but obey the gospel and purify our hearts of lust and cleanse our hands of the sins of the flesh.

Therefore, no amount of personal righteousness and good deeds with an unclean heart will be justified with God.

We are only justified by God's works from a pure heart.

If not with a pure heart, then they remain man's own righteousness of filthy rags.

 

[robert derrick]

FORM OF GODLINESS
OP ^

Being WITH the Lord God.

But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

When the heart is purified of lust by the power of the blood of the Lamb, then one day after another is as day one.

Eternal life in a pure heart never grows old.

And so we keep our hearts pure, that we not grow cold in heart and return to the old man of lust and sins of the flesh:

We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

 

[Robert Gwin]

but when He has reached an individual His responsibility ends, it is now on the individuals shoulders to choose to go with God's people or not. Zech 8:23

Exactly. Our part is not just to agree with the gospel, but obey the gospel and purify our hearts of lust and cleanse our hands of the sins of the flesh.

Therefore, no amount of personal righteousness and good deeds with an unclean heart will be justified with God.

We are only justified by God's works from a pure heart.

If not with a pure heart, then they remain man's own righteousness of filthy rags.

Couldn't have said it any better myself Ron, matter of fact likely much inferior to that! Perfect! I fully agree, we are on the same page on this point sir.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

And so, those with continued lust in the heart are only practising a form of Christian godliness.

They trust in faith alone, without keeping their hearts pure from the lust of the world, and so are never justified with God by works from a pure heart.

YOu still don't get it do you! A saved person has two sides to turn to daily. The old man with all its lusts, or the new man who is being conformed to the image of Jesus. Whatever lust was in your heart when you got saved is still there and will stay there! We do not turn from sin per se', but we live in the new man which has no lust.

And we are justified by the blood of Jesus, not by works. Works are just outward expressions showing we are justified.

And before you go there again :

Romans 5:20
King James Version

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound

Romans 6
King James Version

6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Grace AND MERCY ARE NOT LICESNES TO SIN, BUT TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE NEW MAN WHO IS BEING CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF Jesus.

 

[farouk]

YOu still don't get it do you! A saved person has two sides to turn to daily. The old man with all its lusts, or the new man who is being conformed to the image of Jesus. Whatever lust was in your heart when you got saved is still there and will stay there! We do not turn from sin per se', but we live in the new man which has no lust.

And we are justified by the blood of Jesus, not by works. Works are just outward expressions showing we are justified.

And before you go there again :

Romans 5:20
King James Version

20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound

Romans 6
King James Version

6 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?

2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Grace AND MERCY ARE NOT LICESNES TO SIN, BUT TO LIVE ACCORDING TO THE NEW MAN WHO IS BEING CONFORMED TO THE IMAGE OF Jesus.

@Ronald Nolette Interesting that in Luke the Lord Jesus speaks of taking up one's cross daily (Luke 9.23).

 

[Ronald Nolette]

@Ronald Nolette Interesting that in Luke the Lord Jesus speaks of taking up one's cross daily (Luke 9.23).

True. We must die to self daily and live unto the new man being formed in us! To many people think they have to reform th eflesh. The flesh is dead and we need to unlearn what we learned before coming ot Christ anbd replace it with the Word!

 

[marks]

An unclean heart cannot love God with a whole heart, and so the religion of an unclean heart cannot love our neighbors with a pure heart, but only do so with a form of one's own show of righteousness and love.

I agree with you here, which is why a man must be born again - a new heart. Otherwise, anything we do is vanity.

Much love!

 

[Ronald Nolette]

I agree with you here, which is why a man must be born again - a new heart. Otherwise, anything we do is vanity.

Much love!

The old man can do no right, the new man can do no wrong!

 

[Behold]

@Ronald Nolette Interesting that in Luke the Lord Jesus speaks of taking up one's cross daily (Luke 9.23).

That is "discipleship".
Thats not the same as Salvation.

Salvation is what God did for you on The Cross.
Discipleship, is what you do as your "reasonable service"...., after God has given you (Salvation)= what He provided for you, on the Cross.

 

[farouk]

True. We must die to self daily and live unto the new man being formed in us! To many people think they have to reform th eflesh. The flesh is dead and we need to unlearn what we learned before coming ot Christ anbd replace it with the Word!

@Ronald Nolette The whole armour of God passage in Ephesians 6 comes to mind, indeed.

 

[farouk]

The old man can do no right, the new man can do no wrong!

@Ronald Nolette John 3 and the new birth tie in indeed with John's First Epistle and walking in the light.

 

[Ronald Nolette]

That is "discipleship".
Thats not the same as Salvation.

Salvation is what God did for you on The Cross.
Discipleship, is what you do as your "reasonable service"...., after God has given you (Salvation)= what He provided for you, on the Cross.

Yep I agree 100%

 

[quietthinker]

FORM OF GODLINESS
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