THE DEAD RELIGION OF THESE LAST DAYS

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script> <script type="text/javascript"><![CDATA[//><!]]></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script> <noscript> <img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=859211" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  <iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90&section=209094"></iframe>  </noscript> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#330066" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="048005f0dkblkv.gif"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B>Preach The Word</b></FONT><B>     </b><B>|    </b><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B> </b><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Preach The Word"><U><B>home</b></U></A></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="2 Timothy"><U><B>2 Timothy</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DANIEL"><U><B>Daniel</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ZECHARIAH: "><U><B>Zechariah</b></U></A><B>   l   </b><A HREF="id70.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MARK"><U><B>Mark</b></U></A><B>    I    </b><A HREF="id136.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TOPICAL STUDIES"><U><B>Topical Studies</b></U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#DDDDDD" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>THE DEAD RELIGION OF THESE LAST DAYS</b></div> <div> 2 Timothy 3:5-9</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> People today want some sort of spirituality, but not what the Bible teaches. They're going to seek some sort of "religious", or "spiritual experience", but will look down on true Christianity.  Many will call themselves "Christians" and read their Bibles but will have never repented of theirs sins or been Born Again.  In other words, they will claim to be "spiritual", but in reality, will have nothing more than a dead religion. </div> <bR> <div> In these first 9 verses of 2 Timothy Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, is giving us the dark picture of how it will be between Christ's first and Second Comings (<I>last days</I>). In brief, the world will become more and more <B>lawless</b>, and the Church more and more <B>Apostate</b>. God is warning us here so we won't fall captive to these dark days. Keep your eyes open!  Don't be deceived. And make sure you know how to choose your friends!</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>1</b><B>.</b><B> </b><B>APOSTATES IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL FOCUS ON EXTERNAL RELIGION.</b></div> <bR> <div> "Having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Have nothing to do with them." (5)</div> <bR> <div> He's saying here that the "spiritual people" of these last days will have <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"a form of godliness."</FONT> The Greek word translated <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"form"</FONT> here is an interesting one. The word is <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"morphsis"</FONT> and speaks of outward appearance or shell. </div> <bR> <div> So, he's saying that you're gonna meet people who are going  to look very godly from their appearance.  Like those Indian gurus with their colorful robes and shared heads.  Or the Catholic Priests with their religious shawls and white robes.  Or the Protestant preachers with their business suits, white shirts and neckties.  When they come to you, or perform their rituals, or preach their message, they look so "godly" that many fall automatically for their teaches based on outward appearances.</div> <bR> <div> They're like the Pharisees of Jesus day. <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"Jesus said to his disciples, `Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." Luke 20:45-47</FONT></div> <bR> <div> In other words, Paul is saying that many will have but a facade of Christianity.  They will be unbelievers looking, talking and acting like believers.  They will be false Christians.  Why? Read the verse again.  </div> <bR> <div> "Having a form of godliness but denying its power."</div> <bR> <div> They will  "deny" the <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"power"</FONT> of what? Of true <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"godliness"</FONT>.  So, what is the true power of godliness? Paul tells us in another letter. </div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Turn to</FONT> Romans 1:16-17</div> <bR> <div> The true <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"power"</FONT> of <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"godliness"</FONT> is nothing less than <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"the gospel of Jesus-Christ"</FONT>.   Why?  Because Jesus said, <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.  Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." John 7:37-38</FONT></div> <bR> <div> There is no true spirituality without the energizing power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  It's the story of the Book of Acts!</div> <bR> <div> Trying to live a godly life without the Holy Spirit is like comparing a glass of milk with a glass of thinner in which you washed your white paintbrush.  One will energize and sustain you while the other will leave you dead in the water.</div> <bR> <div> So, be careful!  There are a lot of false teachers today who claim to be Christians, know their Bibles inside out, pray like they're really seeking God and yet are really <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"wolves in sheep clothing."</FONT> More and more people are falling prisoners to these kinds of Apostates today.</div> <bR> <div> What does God say to do with these false believers?</div> <bR> <div> "Have nothing to do with them." 5b</div> <bR> <div> "Because the verb… here is in the middle voice, the idea is to make yourself turn away.  Regardless of how convincing a false idea may appear or how sincere a false teacher may seem to be, we are to take ourselves by the scruff of the neck, as it were, and make ourselves avoid such men." <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" >MacArthur, p.118</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>2. APOSTATES IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL PREY ON THE WEAK.   (6-7)</b></div> <bR> <div>  </div> <div> <B><U>NOTICE</U></b><B>:</b></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> </b><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" ><B>A. THEIR METHOD</b></FONT></div> <bR> <div> "They worm their way into homes" (6b)</div> <bR> <div> In other words, they won't announce themselves as wanting to pull you out of your belief system.  They won't come in loud and boisterous and imposing themselves or their teachings upon you.  No, they will <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"worm their way"</FONT> in.  Like a snake they come to you in a slithering way making you believe that they're just like you.  But in reality, like Jesus said, they are like <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"wolves in sheep's clothing"</FONT> and their goal is to have you compromise and eventually forsake what the Scriptures teach.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>B. THEIR GOAL (6c)</b></div> <bR> <div> Their goal is to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"gain control"</FONT> of their prey.  Take control of what you believe, the way you live and eventually control your whole life. It's like the woman who was so devoted to her cult leader that he persuaded her that her parents, her husband and her kids were obstacles to her spiritual growth and she willingly abandoned and denied them all.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>C. THEIR TARGET</b></div> <bR> <div> "weak-willed women who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." (6d-7)</div> <bR> <div> In the Garden of Eden who did the serpent attack first? The woman.  And who was the first to sin? The woman. Who started the Pentecostal, Charismatic Movement in Canada? A woman. And who speaks the most in tongues and claims to have dreams and visions and modern day prophecies in today's Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches? Women. Oprah Winfrey is on her way to becoming the first woman billionaire in the world. It's well known that when she advertises a book on her talk show that book is practically guaranteed success.  Who composes the majority of her viewers and audience for her talk show? Women. </div> <bR> <div> Why am I noting all this? To put women down? No. To let Christian women know this: <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >Keep your eyes open and fixed on the Lord because Satan has a special plan for you</FONT>. He's done it a million times before and he's not planning to stop anytime soon. So, don't take it as a put down. Just take it as a fair warning and good advice.</div> <bR> <div> Now, God is not referring to all women in this passage, but to a select kind of women.  He says that these last days Apostates target <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"weak-willed woman… loaded down with sins and … swayed by all kinds of evil desires."</FONT> So these are far from being the godly and virtuous kind of woman who loves and follows Jesus. </div> <bR> <div>  These are spiritually weak women who have been living in sin for so long that their conscience is crushing them with guilt to the point that they give themselves over to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"all kinds of evil desires"</FONT> in order to get a quick fix from their state of spiritual depression.  This kind of woman is very vulnerable and susceptible to being deceived by an apostate, false Christian who comes along and interprets the Bible any which way he or she wishes.</div> <bR> <div> Than, in <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >verse 7</FONT>, God says, that these women are <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth."</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#800000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT>And, Oh, how this speaks so appropriately to today's women. You tell me. Has there ever been a time in history when more women were more educated then today in North America?  And yet, how are we doing today? Is our education taking care of our ills? How are our marriages doing? This generation is going down in history as the "divorce generation". How are the children doing? Two weeks ago a teenager was stabbed to death at a high school here in this city.  We're going down in history as the "Day care Center" generation.  Yet we pride ourselves as probably the most educated generation in the history or North America. What's the problem? It's written here in black and white: We're <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." </FONT></div> <bR> <div>  Men and women today want everything and anything but the truth.  Oh, we're smart! But "what a mess" we're heaping upon ourselves.  We need the truth today, people.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>3. APOSTATES IN THESE LAST DAYS WILL OPPOSE THE TRUTH. (8-9)</b></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000080" FACE="Arial" >"While no mention of these names is found in the Bible, they are referred to in the Targum of Jonathan on Exodus 7:2 and in various early Christian literary works." </FONT>Donald Guthrie, The Pastoral Epistles, p.159</div> <bR> <div> You remember the Exodus account, don't you?  What was Pharaoh and his sorcerers response to Moses' preaching?  Did they obey it?  Absolutely not!  They mocked it, rejected it, and even defied it.</div> <bR> <div> Well, God says that's the way it's gonna be on earth during these last days. People won't receive with open arms the truth of the Gospel. They will mock it.  They won't accept it with haste, they'll question it and many will openly deny it.</div> <bR> <div> But, God tells us their end. He says their defeat is decreed and certain.  </div> <bR> <div> Read: <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#006600" FACE="Arial" >Verse 9</FONT></div> <bR> <div> The Egyptian sorcerers laughed when they imitated God's miracle and turned their own staff's into snakes. But who was laughing last when <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >"Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs" Ex.7:12</FONT>?  Who was laughing when they tried to duplicate the miracle of turning the dust of the ground into gnats but couldn't?  God had the last laugh.</div> <bR> <div> Turn with me to <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#008000" FACE="Arial" >Proverbs 1:24-33</FONT></div> <bR> <div> You will be mocked and laughed at today because of your belief in the Bible, but take courage. We know how this story ends, don't we?</div> <div> We know who's gonna have the last laugh. And we know it won't be those who are laughing today.</div> <bR> <div> "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."  Psalm 19:14</div> <bR> <div> Amen and God Bless You All.</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>