Having the Appearance of Godliness

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV) (Please read this in the context of all NT Scriptures.)

We are now living in these later times that the Scriptures speak of, and this passage of Scripture is just one small portion of all the teachings on the kinds of things we will be faced with in these last days before the return of Christ. For there will be false “christs” among us, and not all of them will literally call themselves “the Christ,” but they will want to be worshipped by other humans as though they are “the savior” of all humankind. And there will be false shepherds of the people who will lie to and deceive the people.

And I personally see many of these “false christs” as false images of the true and only Christ of God. And these false images are being presented in preacher’s sermons, in some people’s daily devotionals, in videos (especially the short ones), in memes (short messages in one picture), in movies, in TV shows, in cartoons, in “Christian” songs and poetry, in “worship” lyrics, and via the teaching of Scriptures OUT OF CONTEXT and thus twisting them to say whatever they want them to say, much of which are lies of the enemy.

There is something that I am watching closely, for it has the appearance of falseness, for it does not fit with our present culture, even with our present “church” culture. And that is that many prominent men in the political world or in the world of big business or in the news media are all of a sudden professing faith in Jesus Christ, it would appear. And then we are receiving videos and pictures of very large crowds of people purportedly in spiritual revivals and in genuine worship of Christ, and having their lives altered.

But if this was honestly taking place, it would be reflected in changed hearts, minds, behaviors, and lifestyles, which would begin to be evident on people’s social media posts, and in preacher’s sermons, and in the life of “the church,” as a whole. And there would be people being honest and repenting of their sins and wanting to make restitution for wrongs committed, and broken marriages restored, and estranged families being brought back together, and the true gospel would now be being taught predominantly. 

I personally am not seeing such a movement of God taking place at this time, not here in America, anyway, and it does not fit with what the Scriptures teach regarding the characteristic traits of these final days before our Lord’s return and with true biblical revival of human hearts and souls. But all this could be a front for the appearance of a false “christ” and a false gospel message which is presently permeating the American church. So, we who are servants of the Lord need to have discernment in these matters.

One of the things that we need to check for is how they are presenting the character and actions of Jesus Christ when he lived on this earth. Are they accurate to the Scriptures? Or are they teaching subtle lies intended to lead us to what is false? Are they teaching that we must deny self, die to sin daily, and walk in obedience to our Lord’s commands? And are they teaching that if we continue in deliberate habitual sin, and if we are not obeying our Lord, that we will not inherit eternal life? If not, they’re withholding truth.

So, this requires that we are testing whatever we are hearing or reading, or think that we are seeing, against the Scriptures taught in context. For we are to see that no one leads us astray. For many false teachers and prophets will arise and lead many astray. And the love of many will grow cold. “But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt 24:13-14). But it must be the true gospel.

For we need to understand this, that in these last days before the return of Christ there will come times of difficulty. People will be “lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV)

And I believe that “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” in their lives is really where so much of the church in America is today, and where so many professing Christians are today. And so this is why we must test everyone and everything against the Scriptures, taught IN CONTEXT, and in prayer, praying for spiritual discernment so that we are not captivated by the lies of the enemy, and so that we are not being led astray from our pure devotion to Jesus Christ as Lord (Owner-Master) of our lives.

[Matthew 24:1-51; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 1 Timothy 4:1-5; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 2 Peter 3:1-18; 1 John 2:18-25; Jude 1:17-23; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22; Revelation 6:9-14; Revelation 7:9-17; Revelation 11:1-3; Revelation 12:17; Revelation 13:1-18; Revelation 14:1-13; Revelation 18:1-24; Revelation 19:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Revelation 21:1-27, etc.] 

For, if our faith in Jesus Christ is genuine God-gifted and God-persuaded faith in the Lord, it will result in us being crucified with Christ in death to sin, and us being raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves (addicted) to sin, but now as slaves (servants) of God and of his righteousness. Sin will no longer be what we practice, but righteousness and godly living and obedience to our Lord’s commands will be our practice, by the grace of God, and in the power and wisdom of God, directed by God.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10; 1 Pet 2:24; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2]

Though Your Sins Be as Scarlet

Frances J Crosby, 1880

William H. Doane, 1876

“Though your sins be as scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow;

Though they be red like crimson,

They shall be as wool!”

“Though your sins be as scarlet,

They shall be as white as snow.”

Hear the voice that entreats you,

Oh, return ye unto God!

He is of great compassion,

And of wondrous love;

Hear the voice that entreats you,

Oh, return ye unto God!

He’ll forgive your transgressions,

And remember them no more;

“Look unto Me, ye people,”

Saith the Lord your God!

He’ll forgive your transgressions,

And remember them no more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FDaARQ-Rnk

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