FORM WITHOUT REALITY

2 Tim. 3:5

Morning Meditation 5/4/2014

Verse 5 says, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

I am using “reality” in the title of this meditation as a synonym to “power” in the text. The reality of God in the life of a saved man is God operating in power. The reality of a church that is truly alive with the presence of God is the power of God. Jesus gave the Great Commission but then said, “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). I used to hear Bro. Roloff say that the only time there was an “out of order” sign hung on the church door was when the Church was in the upper room waiting for the Promise of the Father. The Holy Spirit’s presence means power and the power brings reality to the message and worship. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The power comes with the coming of the Holy Ghost. A literal translation of the text is, “But ye will receive power, having come the Holy Spirit upon you . . .” The word “after” is not in the text. I am not criticizing the KJV, I’m just simply telling you that we are not being told that the power will come at some subsequent time to the coming of the Holy Spirit. The power is inherent in the Holy Spirit and is manifest at His will.

Paul is giving a last day prediction in the text. He begins in verse one of this chapter by saying, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” And our text is in the list of things that Paul says is perilous. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

The word “form” is the translation of “morphosis.” a forming, shaping, the mere form, semblance.” It means “an external appearance.” The verb form is the translation of “echo” which means to “to have i.e. own, possess, external things such as pertain to property.” It is a present active participle. They will have in their present possession the “form” i.e., the external appearance of the real thing. Satan copies the real thing for those who lean in the direction of Christianity. He has something for everyone. There are those who deny God’s existence. We call them atheists. I met a young man a few years ago who claimed to be an atheist. The preacher I was with asked him how he became an atheist. He said, “I guess I was born that way.” People like this do not have a form of religion. However, there are those who are just as far from God who go to church every Sunday. They go through the form of worship, they sing the songs, they are encouraged by the special music, they enjoy hearing about God but there is no evidence of the presence of the Lord in anything they do. You could carry on that same service at the Lion’s Club or at some other meeting and there would be absolutely no difference in the feeling or impact that the service would have on them. It is intellectual and is dead.

Jesus said to the Church in Sardis, “And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Rev. 3:1). The Church at Sardis had a reputation. They had a name that they lived. However, if you attended their services, you would notice that things were dead, especially, if you were used to attending a church that was alive with the power of God. It is easy to operate on a reputation. The early church had a good reputation and I am afraid that many Churches are trying to operate on the reputation of the early Church.

The words “of godliness” translate the word “eusebeia.” This word means “reverence, respect, piety toward God.” The people who have the “form” of which Paul speaks, worship with reverence and respect and display a piety toward God. You could not accuse them of irreverence in their worship. They tip toe in and tip toe out. Then they go out and have a beer or go to some questionable place of pleasure. They have the form “of godliness” but there is no power to illuminate their minds as to what is right and wrong. There is no power to live a life of true godliness. The gamblers can sing in the choir and never get the idea that they are doing wrong. The crooked lawyer can teach a Sunday School class and feel good about keeping wicked men out of prison. A doctor can perform abortions during the week and be the chairman of the board of deacons of the Church of Sardis and never feel a pinch of conviction over his murderous wickedness. The form is there. He goes through the worship and he repeats the Lord’s Prayer and sings the doxology but there is no power present in his religion.

The words, “But denying the power thereof,” tell us where his faith is. It is in the form. He denies the power of true Christianity. The word “denying” translates the word “arneomai.” This word means, “to deny, to deny someone, to deny one's self, to disregard his own interests or to prove false to himself, not to accept, to reject, to refuse something offered.” This condition of which Paul speaks is one where people will deny the Holy Spirit the right to operate in their lives. They will deny that it is necessary to allow a transformation of their lives into a life of power, to change from what they used to be into a present experience of God likeness. Many who profess to know Christ have no point in time where it can be said, “Old things passed away,” and from this point on, “all things became new” (2 Cor. 5:17). They heard the message, possibly were even raised in a Christian home, and they responded on an intellectual level to Christianity.. They are sincere people. But they are totally unaware of the Holy Spirit and His power to transform the life. They do not want to know it either. When they accepted Christianity, they did it as a religion. It was not based on repentance and a complete change of life. They are satisfied and do not want to be disturbed. They would consider any suggestions that they need to repent absurd. They defend their Church and its doctrines and will give their money and time to see that no one brings any teaching or preaching into it that would move them out of their comfort zone. They, like Sardis, have a name that they are alive but they are dead.

Paul says this is a perilous situation. Why did Jesus tell the Church to “tarry until ye be endued with power from on high?” It is because the message of the gospel is not just academic. It is not just a sermon to be enjoyed. It is not a “soul massage” to make us feel better about ourselves and equip us to reach our “full potential.” The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. It is a life changing experience. No man can come to God if he is not drawn. Jesus said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). Men of God may preach the message but if God is not involved there will be no salvation. When one is saved, he becomes a follower of Jesus and Jesus said, “. . . If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). There must be self denial. There is no Christianity without a cross. And there is no Christianity without following Him. It is not a form we are following, it is a Person. He is real. He is alive. He changes men’s lives into the kind of people who are described in the Word of God. He makes us into a pilgrim people while still in this world with a longing for heaven in our souls.

Then Paul says, “From such turn away.” The words “turn away” translate “to turn one's self away from.” It is a present middle imperative verb. The present tense means to “keep on doing this.” This suggests that Satan’s attempt to turn a true Christian away form the power of God will not just be one attempt. It will be something that we will have to do continuously. The middle voice means that we must make a choice and we will be benefited by the right choice. It is imperative mood which is a command and expresses urgency. It is urgent that we operate with the power of God. There is no dynamic life without the power of God. There is no effective witness without the power of God.

God bless each of you.

In Christ

Bro. White