The Godly Life Sermon Series
Part 2
An Impersonation
2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
I. The False Pretense – a form of godliness
When we were kids, we played a game called Charades. We would act out an animal or person and the other players would have to guess what it was.
When I was in college, I took Speech 101. We learned to “get in character”.
With our body language, voice inflections and so forth, we could “be” someone else.
One of the greatest of all time was Red Skelton. He could “be” an old man, little kid, a drunk, anyone.
Today, one of the most lucrative markets is called RPG’s (role-playing games)
Wikipedia – A role-playing game is a game in which players assume the roles of characters in a fictional setting. Players take responsibility for acting out these roles within a narrative, either through literal acting or through a process of structured decision-making of character development.
The word “form” in this verse means: the mere form, semblance
- The godly life can be impersonated
- The godly life can be imitated
- The godly life can be faked
A. In the Pulpit
- Matthew 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
- Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
I am appalled today at the amount of role-playing and charades going on in the ministry.
Jesus condemned that phony baloney strongly.
One of the original pretenders was Judas Iscariot.
Jesus called him a devil.
- John 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Preachers that pretend to be one thing at church, but are entirely a different person out of the pulpit.
Someone said to me one time, “You don’t act like a pastor.” I told them: “Because I’m not an actor. I’m a pastor!”
- Fake sincerity
- Fake speech patterns
Try to sound “religious” or something.
- Fake spirituality
Matthew 23
- 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
- 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
II Corinthians 11:13-15
- 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
- 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
- 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Matthew 7
- 21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
- 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
- 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Paul’s testimony:
II Corinthians 4
- 1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
- 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
B. In the Pew
- 2 Corinthians 11:26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
- Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
II. The Forsaken Power – but denying the power
- DENY: Not to accept, to reject, to refuse something offered
It is available, but they opt out.
NOTICE: Same word in:
- 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
They have the option to live in the power that comes with a godly life, but instead, they deny that power.
III. The Forbidden Partnership – from such turn away (to shun or avoid)
This is a command – turn away from people that are pretending to be holy.
- Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.