A Form of Godliness

I woke up at 4am this morning from an intense, disturbing dream.

A chilling warning for the last days...

THE MAN

A spiritual portal opens up before me. Inside I see a man. I watch pieces of his life flash into a timeline. His past, checkered with a life of surrender to sinful passions and desires. Rescued by Baptism and confession of the faith.

He enters the ministry in various positions of authority and leadership, sanctioned by the heads of the church: Pastors and Elders.

He serves diligently in the areas assigned to him.

I watch him in his home. Reading and studying his Bible. Praying. Everything seems on track for a Christian’s life, but something is terribly wrong.

As he served, a dark black shadow followed him everywhere he went. Into the church. Into the places of service. It wouldn’t leave and I noticed that it would bring with it demonstrations opposite of the Holy Spirit. Evidenced in his interactions and treatment of others outside of the church and those who opposed him.

Within the church he appeared to be Jesus’ disciple. Outside of the church, the distinction blended in with the crowd.

I bravely question this man, addressing the charade.

“You have vices of sin, you have temptations still overcoming you. Why are you not working on these things?

Why are you calling sin okay when it is not and treating others not how you would want to be treated?

How is what comes from your mouth the mark of the Holy Spirit when it is foul and not what builds up, but what tears down?

How are you leading the people of God into Godliness while living a covert, godless life of your own?

Christ is not your authority! You are! Repent! This is not what God saved you for and called you to.”

The man grows angry and resentful towards me. Suddenly the form of godliness melts away. A new form takes its place and I am pushed off as they leave. The black shadow comfortably, familiarly follows them.

They continue to go into the service of the church, deceiving those all around them. Hiding their true nature. Their unrepentant heart rules their body with fleshly passions forefront. They isolate themselves from those in their path who speak truth, heaping around them teachers and voices that speak what they want their itching ears to hear.

APPLICATION

I awake and 2 Timothy 3 comes to mind. Particularly this verse.

📖 “Having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
‭‭- 2 Timothy‬ ‭3:5‬

I continue to read, the Holy Spirit highlighting these next verses:

📖 “They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth.”
‭‭- 2 Timothy‬ ‭3:6-7‬ ‭

📖 “But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.”
‭‭- 2 Timothy‬ ‭3:9‭

The church is being deceived in the last days.

The authority of the churches are giving leadership to undisciplined and poorly discipled men. They are not ready for the responsibility of a God honoring, God fearing lifestyle.
Rather they live unaccountable, covert, godless lifestyle on the side with a form of godliness at church and in church work.

They are not who they say they are. Wolves in sheep's clothing. Unrepentant in heart and spirit.

If we say we are a believer and true worshipper of Christ, it needs to reflect in the fruit of the Spirit we produce.

What’s coming out of our mouths? How are we thinking about people? How are we treating people? What sinful habits and patterns are we actively working on overcoming?

What comes from the mouth is what’s in the heart. The truth will come out eventually revealing the depravity of our hearts and minds.

A warning for the last days! Just because someone has been placed in an authoritative position in the church, does NOT mean that God placed them there. It does NOT mean that they are called to that place. We can put ourselves in places we are not called to. You will know if you're in the right place when fruit bears from that ministry or work.

When it comes to ourselves, shedding sin off of our lives takes discipline. It is sacrificial. But if we don’t learn to recognize when it’s trapped us, then we will be just like this man. Living a form of godliness, while entangled in our true sinful nature.

"Let us not be this way my brothers and sisters. Let us instead be infused with the fruits of the Holy Spirit. “True worshippers” living under the authority of our King in reverence, honor, and praise. Our lifestyles reflecting the true nature of God, our Father."
Amen

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