2 Timothy 3:2-5
“People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”
I am so grieved that we have so many professed believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who tell more than show the way we are to live out our Christian faith. SORRY! I hate to upset the apple cart of these people, but we are first of all to Show then Tell. We hear all too much and see so very little.
That—dear friend is not being godly, it is more accurate to describe it as just being nasty. Listen! If someone talks about being godly, yet violates the pattern of godliness in Scripture, do not consider them a role model. In fact they are negative role models and should be avoided.
This pattern applies to all believers, so don’t think it is just for those of us who are called into an active paid ministry. Someone has said that preachers get paid for being good and the others are good for nothing! Yikes! That old joke is even below my standards of humor, but, I am known for saying things like that.
In exploring the meaning of godliness, it is possible to know about God, and even have a knowledge of God’s Word, yet fail to put it into practice. In today’s Scripture, Paul is describing for Timothy that it is necessary to look beyond what these so called “godly” men say, and observe how they behave.
There is an old book written by Charles Sheldon. It is called “In His Steps.” The theme of the book is to live one’s life in such a way that the question would always be in front of those who wanted to be like Christ, “What Would Jesus Do”?
In recent years it has become a Christian fashion statement, especially for young people, to wear jewelry with the initials WWJD, which stood for this statement. How sad that many wear it but do not live it. Is it any more tragic that we who go to church and read the Bible and bow in prayer, so often fail to live our life as Jesus would desire? Please renew your commitment right now that with God’s help, you will live out WWJD.
Blessings dear hearts. Draw near to God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing!
– – – Pastor Cecil