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The Appearance of Godliness (2 Tim. 3:2-9)
The Appearance of Godliness (2 Tim. 3:2-9)
The appearance of godliness does not automatically mean someone is godly. Paul refers to a form of godliness in 2 Timothy 3:5 that is an outward appearance of godliness, instead of actually being like God. He says these people have a form of godliness but deny its power. Paul’s warning should encourage us to examine the appearance of godliness in those around us and in ourselves.
Turn Away!
Paul instructs us to turn away from people who have this form of godliness but deny its power. He continues, “For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts…” (2 Timothy 3:6). Paul warns us of what these people are capable of, showing the unique danger a form of godliness poses. Many of us have memorized the verse “Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits’” (1 Corinthians 15:33) to remind us that evil is contagious and we should stay far away from evil people. However, people with a form of godliness have the ability to “creep into households” because we may not recognize the threat they pose since they appear to be godly. Be objective about the people around you, realizing that the appearance of godliness does not mean someone is actually godly. Do not be deceived, someone who appears godly can still corrupt good habits.
A Greater Condemnation.
Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for only appearing godly and not acting godly. He says, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive a greater condemnation” (Matthew 23:14). The long prayers of the Pharisees gave them the appearance of godliness, but at the same time they were devouring widows' houses. This hypocrisy, Jesus says, will result in harsher judgment. We need to examine our own godliness, recognizing that if we hypocritically appear godly without actually being godly then we are subject to a greater condemnation. Do not deceive yourself; showing up to church does not mean you are godly. The way we present ourselves should be an indicator of who we really are.
Do Not Resist the Truth.
We understand the dangers of the appearance of godliness in ourselves and those around us, but how do we identify if someone only appears godly or if they actually are godly? Paul makes this distinction clear. He says those with only the appearance of godliness are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7). The one with only a form of godliness may seem to be learning, but this person will never come to know the truth. Further, Paul says these people resist the truth “as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses” (2 Timothy 3:8). Jannes and Jambres likely refer to Pharaoh’s magicians who attempted to replicate God’s miracles with their magic in Exodus 7. These magicians resisted Moses’ display of God’s true power with their fake replications to make it seem like they had the same miraculous power God showed through Moses. In a similar way, those with only the form of godliness will appear to have a heart that truly knows God, but in reality they do not know God. If you want to have a true form of godliness and not just the appearance, do not resist the truth. Pursue truth and acknowledge its power. If we do this we will have true godliness. – William Speer
