What does it mean to have the appearance of godliness but deny its power? Examples?
I've read some commentaries that explain who these people were in the times of Jesus but can you give some examples this scripture would refer to today. (other than the the easy ones, JW's and Mormon).
2 Timothy 3:5
ESV - 5 Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
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Asked November 18 2013
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Anonymous
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Eric Rotmil
Its simple, having no real fear of God.
Form of Godliness means they go to church and worship religiously.
But in their private life still willfully do things that are sinful .
Galatians 5:19 is a list of the obvious:
sexual immorality= sex outside marriage
Drunkenness (includes drugs now)
Greed = putting $ before God
Impurity (porn masturbation, etc)
Hatred = prejudice and simple lack of love for others
to name a few.
In this world most supposed Christians don't walk the walk
and the religious people that lack humility would rather argue about doctrine than just obey what God said.
For example acts 2:38 peter said repent and be baptized for forgiveness of sins. Many believe you don't need to do that, to their loss.
Proverbs 9:10 says the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom
of course God wants our response to be Love not just cowering fear.
If I really believe God is, then my life will show it.
James Kraft
Lots of people go to church, do good works, live according to what the bible teaches, but have never accepted Jesus as the only way of salvation by grace.
Matthew 7:21-23 Many shall come before me on that day and call me Lord, Lord, and tell be about all their good works. Why we prophesied in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and did many wonderful works, in your name.
Then Jesus says, depart from me I never knew you. Not I did know you and now I don't, I never knew you.
These people believed they were saved because of how they lived and what they did.
But, they never did the will of His Father in heaven. John 6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent me, that ALL that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
They never believed the gospel. They were living like they think a Christian should life, but never accepted Jesus as the only way of salvation apart from works.
The Gospel is given in First Corinthians 15:1-4 That Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures, that He was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures.
When we accept Jesus payment for all our sin, past, present, and future sins we have not even thought of yet, we are given the seal of the Holy Spirit and guaranteed eternal life.
Ephesians 1:13-14. Ephesians 4:30. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, physical death, but the GIFT of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Eternal life is a free gift from God that can not be earned.
The simplicity of the gospel is, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16:31. It is a free GIFT. We have to do nothing to be saved, and nothing to stay saved.
The GIFT of God is eternal Life. You only have to do one thing to be saved forever. Receive the free gift of eternal life. Paid in full by the giver. Jesus paid our sin debt and set us free.
John 3:18 Believers can no longer be condemned, but unbelievers are condemned already because they have not believed on the name of the Son of God.
The only thing God wants to hear from us is that we are sinners and have no way to pay our debt. Then accept Him as the only way of salvation apart from any works.
The whole point of Matthew 7:21-23 is that there are many people who go to church and live good lives and believe they are saved by what they do, but have never trusted Jesus as the only way of salvation. They are trusting in themselves and their good works to save themselves.
The problem is, the fruit inspectors get it wrong. You can not tell whether another person has trusted Christ for salvation by faith alone apart from works, or they are trusting in their good works to save them. We all look alike.
First John 2:2 And He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for sins of the whole world. Jesus died and paid the full sin debt of every man woman and child on the face of the earth 2,000 years ago.
It is accepting what He did for us, not what we do that saves us.
Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, does nothing, but believeth on Him who justifieth the ungodly, really bad people, His faith is counted for righteousness. We have to be as righteous as God to go to heaven, and no one is. Romans 4:6 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness APART FROM WORKS.
Romans 4:7-8 Blessed is the man whose sins are covered, Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Jesus paid our sin debt in full past, present, and future sins.
Romans 3:26-28 For He is the just and the justifier of them that BELIEVE in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? By the law of works? Nay, but by the law of FAITH, Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by FAITH apart from the deeds of the Law.
Gods laws are good, but they can not save a sinner.
The simplicity of the gospel. Acts 16:31. John 6:47. John 3:16 Jesus said it, we believe it, settled.