form of godliness

I’m not a guy who looks for signs of the end times; I think that if we could figure it out Jesus wouldn’t have told us we’ll be taken by surprise on that day. But sometimes I read things in scripture that make me wonder.

Here’s an example from 2 Timothy 3:1-5: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 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 such people.”

Does any of that sound familiar, like maybe even like us? People who love ourselves and love money? Both of those loves are billion-dollar industries in this country. And Americans have a name overseas for being boastful, proud and abusive. On top of that, how many middle-aged folks like me don’t think too many kids these days are disobedient and ungrateful? This whole list (let’s see, what’s left: unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good things . . . ) could be a description of the worst parts of our culture.

But Paul didn’t leave me out. Just when I’m thinking disdainfully of all those other people, he adds, “having the form of godliness but denying it’s power.” Is that me? Instead of all those other things, when people look at me I think they see a Christian. But do I live in the power of God? Or do I try to control my life, manipulate outcomes, and push and prod others in order to have things the way I want them?

Unless I’m really motivated by serving Jesus and nothing else, I deny the power of the Gospel claim on my life. And that puts me in that same group of people Paul warns us to have nothing to do with.