The Power of Godliness

      II Timothy 3:1-5 says,

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these.

      Godliness is piety and reverence toward God. Godliness means to honor and uphold God. Truly honoring God has real power. But what is that power?

      Within this passage, Paul talked about people who are given over to sin, yet in the midst of it they have a form of godliness. They have the appearance of godliness or a semblance of godliness. How is that? How do selfish lovers of money who arrogantly boast and revile appear to have godliness? How do those who love pleasure more than God and are brutally treacherous slanderers look godly?

      It reminds me very much of the Pharisee of Matthew 23:14 who devours widows houses but for pretense offered long prayers. Too many people have a pretense of honoring God. They may “go to church.” They may give money. They may make a big deal of saying prayers when they are eating at a restaurant. However, they are not living the life of godliness everyday and in every way.

      I remember a friend of mine saying, “You can always tell you are about to get taken if they have a fish or a cross on their business card.” Sad, isn’t it. Someone is making a show of godliness, but they aren’t living it.

      The real power of true godliness is that true godliness changes our lives. True godliness removes selfishness and greed. It overcomes arrogance and ingratitude. It produces love, holiness and self-control. When we are really honoring God in our lives, our lives change.

      Consider Colossians 2:20-23. Some had developed rules about not handling or tasting certain things. Paul said these rules had an appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement. However, they were not the least bit useful in overcoming fleshly indulgence. That is where the power of godliness lies. Godliness has the power to overcome fleshly indulgence.

      Truly honoring and revering God from the heart is not just a commandment. It is a vital part of overcoming temptation. We must set God apart in our hearts that we may overcome sin. Otherwise, we will find we have denied the power of godliness.

Edwin L. Crozier