SOUNDING OUT:
Having a Form of Godliness
In I Timothy 4:1-3
Paul warned Timothy of the danger “that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils….”
These “latter times” or “last days”
includes the entire period of time from Pentecost (Acts
2:19) until Christ’s return. II Timothy 3:1 says
that in this interim the world will see “terrible”
(NIV), “grievous” (ASV), or “perilous”
(KJV) times which most people equate with societal degeneration.
The harassing and exploitive evil of the world can affect
the best of God’s people, hence the warning. (Remember
God miraculously interceded to deliver just Lot who
was vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked
(II Peter 2:7).
In II Timothy 3:1-5 Paul gives Timothy
an extraordinary list of 19 general characteristics
of the times in which we live. He warns that people
shall be:
(1) lovers of their
own selves, philautes, (self-centered or narcissistic)
(2) covetous, philarguros, (lovers of money)
(3) boasters, alazon, (pretenders or vagrants)
(4) proud, huperephanos, (arrogant, haughty,
having an overweening estimate
of one's means or merits)
(5) blasphemers, blasphemos, (speaking evil,
slanderous, reproachful, railing, abusive)
Eight of the next
nine characteristics begin in the Greek with the prefix
“a” meaning without and signifying the absence
of the virtue
(6) disobedient, apeithes,
to parents (refusing and non-compliant to parental instruction)
(7) unthankful, acharistos, (ungrateful, ungracious,
unpleasing)
(8) unholy, anosios, (impious, godless, without
reverence for God)
(9) without natural affection, astorgos, (heartless,
unsociable, unloving, inhuman)
(10) trucebreakers, aspondos, (without a treaty,
covenant or mutual agreement;
implacable)
(11) false accusers, diabolos, (slanders, devilish
accusers)
(12) incontinent, akrates, (without self-control;
intemperate)
(13) fierce, anemeros, (not tame, uncivilized,
savage, fierce, brutal)
(14) despisers of those that are good, aphilagathos,
(without love for goodness
or good men)
The next two begin
with the Greek prefix pro indicating an aggressive inclination
toward the designated vice.
(15) traitors, prodotes,
(treacherous; disposed to betrayal)
(16) heady, propetes, (rash, reckless)
(17) highminded, tuphoo, (puffed-up; blinded
with conceit)
(18) lovers of pleasures, philedonos, more
than lovers of God, philotheos. (These
two along with #’s 1, 2, and 14 above all have
the prefix phil signifying
“lovers of.”)
(19) having a form of godliness, eusebeia,
but denying the power,
dunamis, thereof:
(In this last characteristic we find both the
deception that fosters
the others: “having a form of godliness”
and
the key to recognizing
the deception: “denying the power thereof.”)
People get away
with these vile behaviors because they are cloaked with
a form of godliness. The key to recognizing the deception
is perceiving the lack of godly power of these men.
Jesus also warned of “false prophets, which come
to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening
wolves.” He also called the scribes and Pharisees
“whited sepulchures,” nice on the outside,
but putrid and decayed on the inside.
We must always guard against forms of dead religion.
We must not become complacent or nonchalant about the
things of God, especially His Word. Indifference is
a spiritual life killer. We ought to be “hot”
on the things God is “hot” about, and “cold”
on the things God is “cold” about. Being
“lukewarm” is distasteful to God, Jesus
Christ, and anyone else walking by the spirit of God
(Rev 3:16).
Of course, this entire section of II Timothy
3:1-5 is an asyndeton. The absence of “and”
in the list emphasizes the conclusion that follows it,
that is, “from such turn away.” It is imperative
that we not follow their pernicious ways. In I Timothy
6:5 the exhortation was “from such withdraw thyself.”
These are decisions ministers of God like Timothy need
to make as they rightly divide the Word of Truth.
Certainly we want to fellowship where the power
of God is active. Signs will follow the Word when it
is taught accurately with love. Warnings are in God’s
Word for a reason. It would behoove us to pay attention
and comply.
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