2nd Timothy 3:5

[Behold]

-
Lets look at 2 Timothy 3:5

"having a form of godliness"

So. what is this?
What is this AS compared to being saved - born again?

Its very simple....

A "form of godliness" is religion. = All Religion and all self righteousness.

All Religion and self rightousness is a "form" of Godliness that isn't actually true Godliness.
And what is the difference between Religion and Christianity?
Well, Religion is man's self effort to touch God or become God. Whereas Christianity is God coming to Man, as a divine Man, to take man back home.
Religion is man's self righteous effort to get in touch with God, and Christianity is God on The Cross= touching and embracing humanity with the Blood of Jesus, the Righteousness of God, and the Love of God..
Its, "self righteousness" that is ALL Religion and ALL self righteousness.

Look at that phrase..."self righteousness"......"self".."right'.......trying to make "self" "right" with God.......by SELF.= (Legalism) By works, by lifestyle, by commandment keeping, self abiding, praying to a plastic Mary or a wooden St Jude, and worrying about keeping the commandments to TRY to make "self" = "righteous".

See it?
All Religion is an effort to ither become Divine, or to join Divinity, by SELF RIGHTEOUS EFFORT... = trying to make "self" "right"......= Self-Righteousness. = Religion. = LEGALISM.
And THAT...all that is Religion, and it is what 2nd Timothy is defining as "a FORM of Godliness", that "denies the Power of God".

So, what is the Power of God that imparts Godliness?
It IS the only and sole means and method that causes you to become born again. This is being SAVED.... This is...God giving you HIS very Righteousness, "the Gift of Righteousness" = which is the defining idea you are to comprehend so that you perfectly understand WHAT the Power of God is, exactly and in Truth.
An example of a religion that is committing 2nd Timothy 3:5 is the Cult of Mary.

The power of God, is the ability of God to recreate you as a "new creation" "in Christ".
So, this GRACE and this MERCY as found in and as the Blood Atonement, once applied to you, is not a "form of Godliness", ... Its not self righteous effort ..Its not Religion, and its not something that you can do for yourself. Its something that God did for you on a Cross and then offers this Power, this Redemption, this BLOOD ATONEMENT, as a "free Gift", and when you by Faith trust in Christ... God then delivers the literal Power of God thru Christ to you that recreates you as born again and a "new Creation in Christ". = "IN Christ" you become.

To simplify......

"A form of Godliness" is Religion..... is Legalism....is trusting in SELF, instead of trusting totally in CHRIST to save you and keep you saved.

Listen....if you are not trusting in Christ Alone to keep you saved, then you are not really trusting in Christ at all. Thats a fact.
Real Godliness is God's Redemption, gained by God on the Cross and given as "The GIFT of Salvation".
Real Godliness is God Himself making you righteous and keeping you righteous, = through the Blood of Jesus.

Philippians 1:6

"A form of Godliness" is a Cult's doctrine. Or its a person trying to be good enough, live holy enough, or reach high enough by self righteousness.
This is THEIR RELIGIOUS SELF EFFORT to become one with God, and in doing this they are "denying the real power of God" which is......The Cross and God as Christ on it GIVEN= as total eternal Redemption offered as a free GIFT...= "the GIFT of Righteousness". . = (Grace).

 

[charity]

'Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof:
from such turn away.'
(2 Timothy 3:5)

Hello @Behold,

When you look at the picture portrayed by all that is said about what characterises those who will live in those 'perilous' days of 2 Timothy 3, you cannot help but wonder how even a 'form' of godliness can be said to exist amongst them. For they are said to be:-

- 'lovers of their own selves'
- 'covetous'
- 'boasters'
- 'proud'
- 'blasphemers'
- 'disobedient to parents'
- 'unthankful'
- 'unholy'
- 'without natural affection'
- 'trucebreakers'
- 'false accusers'
- 'incontinent'
- 'fierce'
- 'despisers of those that are good'
- 'traitors'
- 'heady'
- 'highminded'
- 'lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God'
- 'Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof'

* From such we are told to 'turn away'. ( Why? )

'For of this sort are they which creep into houses,
.. and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
.... led away with divers lusts,
...... ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.'

* What a picture?

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[charity]

'For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:
for it is the power of God unto salvation
to every one that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.'
(Romans 1:16)

'For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.'
(1 Corinthians 1:18)

'But we preach Christ crucified,
unto the Jews a stumblingblock,
and unto the Greeks foolishness;
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.'
(1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

'And my speech and my preaching
was not with enticing words of man's wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men,
but in the power of God.'
(1 Corinthians 2:4)

'Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,
nor of me his prisoner:
but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel
according to the power of God;
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling,
not according to our works,
but according to His Own purpose and grace,
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ,
Who hath abolished death,
and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:
Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle,
and a teacher of the Gentiles.'
(2 Timothy 1:8-11)

 

[Behold]

'Having a form of godliness,
but denying the power thereof:
from such turn away.'
(2 Timothy 3:5)

Hello @Behold,

When you look at the picture portrayed by all that is said about what characterises those who will live in those 'perilous' days of 2 Timothy 3, you cannot help but wonder how even a 'form' of godliness can be said to exist amongst them. For they are said to be:-

- 'lovers of their own selves'
- 'covetous'
- 'boasters'
- 'proud'
- 'blasphemers'
- 'disobedient to parents'
- 'unthankful'
- 'unholy'
- 'without natural affection'
- 'trucebreakers'
- 'false accusers'
- 'incontinent'
- 'fierce'
- 'despisers of those that are good'
- 'traitors'
- 'heady'
- 'highminded'
- 'lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God'
- 'Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof'

* From such we are told to 'turn away'. ( Why? )

'For of this sort are they which creep into houses,
.. and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
.... led away with divers lusts,
...... ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.'

* What a picture?

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

Go here.

A form of Godliness

 

[charity]

'Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,
.. that in the latter times
.... some shall depart from the faith,
...... giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
........ Speaking lies in hypocrisy;
.......... having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry,
and commanding to abstain from meats,
which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving
of them which believe and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good,
and nothing to be refused,
if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.'
(1 Timothy 4:1)

Hello @Behold,

The words above add a little more to the picture that 2 Timothy 3 gives of these 'perilous' times.
The word, 'perilous' is linked with Demon Possession, and its only other occurrence is in Matthew 8:28:-

'And when He was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes,
there met Him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs,
exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.'
(Matthew 8:28)

* The Apostle, by the use of this word, together with the reference to 'seducing spirits and doctrines of demons', gives a warning concerning the nature of the attack in the closing days. However, though the the seducers be 'spirits', and the doctrines be of 'demons', the channels through which this deceit shall flow will be men and women like ourselves.

* In 2 Timothy 3, even LOVE is misplaced (see verses 2-4)

'For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers,
incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;'

* Contrast this with 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, and the character of true love:-

'Charity suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not;
charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

* Romans 1:28-32 provides more detail again, or the nature of the evil revealed in 1 Timothy 3:-

'And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a reprobate mind,
to do those things which are not convenient;
Being filled with all unrighteousness,
fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness;
full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters,
inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Without understanding, covenantbreakers,
without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Who knowing the judgment of God,
that they which commit such things are worthy of death,
not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.'

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[charity]

'For of this sort are they which creep into houses,
.. and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
.... led away with divers lusts,
...... ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.'
(2 Timothy 3:6)

Hello there, @Behold and Co.,

Strangely enough, in spite of all the ungodliness and self-seeking of today, there is a continual parade of religion in some form. These poor deceived, 'pleasure-lovers,' have a form of godliness, but they have denied it's 'power'. Already in Paul's day these characteristics of the end were becoming apparent: and the words, 'from such turn away', is as important today, as it was then; if not more so as the end approaches. These words are as much part of scripture as Ephesians 1:3, and must be obeyed. These characteristics of the end time, with their 'form' of godliness, really need to be considered, and our own life and witness examined, to ensure that we are not also becoming entangled in it's web of deceit.

One of the characteristics of these closing days is the role of women in society, and also in the church. We must remember that the serpent beguiled Eve, and these days are characterised by doctrines of demons, and seducing spirits. I am a woman, as you can see from my avatar: but I cannot but say that it is not without reason, that the words, 'silly women' are used here.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris