1 Timothy 6:3 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
A couple of lessons ago, we saw that what we teach and believe, and the manner in which we teach what we believe, makes a great difference in our concept of what constitutes godliness or holiness. Far too many Believers have the distorted idea that living godly is a vehicle or means by which they can gain physical blessing or protection for themselves and their kin.
That is a false concept, and when taught by word or life, it is false doctrine. If this is our belief structure, then we will never know true holiness or godliness in our conduct. Instead, we will be living in ungodliness.
2 Timothy 3:5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
This is a fact we must recognize and understand if we are to ever know holiness in our conduct. Many Believers are not really interested in living in true Biblical holiness, so that they will be godly like Christ. Many are content to simply have a structure that is only a form of godliness. From this type of teaching, and from those who are teaching such, we are to withdraw.
Why is the Holy Spirit so adamant against teaching anything but "the doctrine which is according to godliness"? Why would the Holy Spirit speak so harshly against those who suppose that godliness is a means by which to acquire personal benefit?
Why would the Holy Spirit be against people doing things that they believe are acceptable means of godliness? You would think that God would give these people a little recognition for at least trying. After all, they weren't speaking out against religion. They were promoting religion.
Both of these groups of 1 Timothy 6, and 2 Timothy 3 were promoting a form of godliness. You would think that God would give them an A for effort. Instead, we are commanded to withdraw from them, and turn away. You would think the Holy Spirit could have said the same thing in nicer terms. Surely the Holy Spirit could have phrased that in such a way so we could feel good about ourselves and this situation. Whatever your opinion might be, it does not change the fact that these truths are as old as Cain and Abel, and are at the very heart of holiness and forgiveness.
Genesis 4:1-5 Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, "I have gotten a man from the Lord." 2 Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. 3 And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. 4 Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, 5 but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell.
In this first account of a form of godliness that was for personal gain, we find that Cain was the first to bring an offering to the Lord. Then the Bible says that Abel also brought, indicating that he was following after Cain, at least in sequence if not as an example. These offerings were both brought to the Lord. We have no reason to doubt the sincerity of either man.
However, one was accepted by God, and the other was rejected by God. Not rejected by the education committee, but by God, personally. We see another trend that started clear back in the beginning. Those not following God's pattern often become angry with those who are, and will resist any help offered to bring them into God's pattern. It doesn't matter who offers the help, or how it is offered. A person in this condition will often resist even when God, personally, pleads with them.
2 Timothy 3:12-13 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 13 But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.
That was true in the beginning. It was true in Paul's day. It's true today, and it's true in this church. That is simply human nature!
From this first appearance of a "form of godliness but denying the real power of God", came a society in which "every thought and imagination of the heart was only evil continually". Ultimately that form of godliness brought the judgment of God in the form of the flood. You see God has only one right way to godliness. Any other way is ungodliness. As we will see, there are many ways of expressing godliness, but only one way to godliness.
Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. 9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."
Unless we understand what godliness and holiness are, we will reach for the wrong thing, even though we may be very sincere in our wrong actions. We have seen, earlier in our study, that neither holiness nor godliness are achieved by means of physical actions. Godliness and holiness are internal of the heart and attitude. However, we must also keep in mind that it is impossible to have the right heart attitude, if the external action are acts of sinfulness and selfishness. It cannot be repeated too often that anything that is not godly is ungodly.There is no middle ground. There is no gray area.
The Word of God gives us example after example, and list after list of things and attitudes that are the result of holiness, and likewise those that are a result of ungodliness. As Believers, we are to eliminate those actions and attitudes that fall under the Biblical classification of ungodly. We are to develop those actions and attitudes that fall under the Biblical classification of Godlikeness. It is by these actions that we prepare or condition our earthen vessel as a channel "fit for the masters use" to demonstrate God's holiness through the Fruit of the Spirit.
Mankind was made, by God, as a demonstrator. Not as a demonstrator marching and carrying a placard. Mankind was to be a demonstrator of God's essence, personality and holiness. The first human was made in the "image of God".
Genesis 1:24-26 Then God said, "Let the earth bring forth the living creature according to its kind: cattle and creeping thing and beast of the earth, each according to its kind"; and it was so.
25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
Only mankind was made, by God, with the capacity to demonstrate God's likeness.
Psalms 19:1-6 The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. 3 There is no speech nor language Where their voice is not heard. 4 Their line has gone out through all the earth, And their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, 5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven, And its circuit to the other end; And there is nothing hidden from its heat. 7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
Here and elsewhere in the Word of God, we see that things created by God can and do declare his greatness and glory. However, only humanity, of all God's creation, can demonstrate God's very person or essence. Only mankind was made in the likeness or image of God. All the rest of creation can and does give an accounting, or a tally that proves God's greatness. In and through creation, a person can learn a lot about God. These many created things can enumerate or count up the glory and value of God. But only mankind was created by God specifically to demonstrate or manifest the Person or image of God.
Romans 1:18-25 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead (deity), so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man-- and birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
So much to see here that applies to our subject of letting God's essence or His glory shine through our conduct. These heathens of Romans 1 did not use the truth supplied by God about Himself as the basis for their belief and actions. They pushed aside, squelched and distorted the truth they did have.
A lesson we need from this portion: Even though we are not heathens(?), we must not push aside, squelch or distort the truth of the Word of God. Even though we are not heathens, if we respond to God's truth in the same manner as these heathens, we will have a similar response in our life and/or the lives of those entrusted to us
In the case of the heathens of Romans 1, the truth they had, were facts that could be known about God by looking at creation. Even so, they did not magnify, extol and praise God as God. Instead, they began to exchange the information about God, supplied by God, for information derived from the human imagination, supposing that God and godliness were for their personal gain and benefit.
Therefore, they created gods from human experience and philosophy, and then fashioned those gods into the form of things seen or created. This form of (un)godliness placed mankind as the central focus of their religion, instead of Christ as the central focus. The truth on which they based their religion, was man's wisdom instead of God's wisdom found in the Word of God. I realize we would not do such things, but just in case we might slip sometime, we need to understand the process and the consequences.
These two Biblical illustrations, of Cain and the heathens of Romans 1, help to answer the questions posed at the first of our lesson. Both groups of 1 Timothy 6 and 2 Timothy 3 were promoting a form of godliness. Why then did God speak so harshly of them? Why did God tell us to withdraw and turn away from them?
If we teach or listen to teaching other than "the doctrine which is according to godliness", we will develop a religion that has a form of godliness, such as Cain's, but denies the power of true godliness. If we suppress the truth of God, given by God, we will do as those in Romans 1 and change the glory of God into something of creation, or manmade.
Either way, we are practicing ungodliness, and we are as far from holiness as we can get. That may not have been our intention, but those will be the results. If we exchange the truth of God for anything other than the truth of God, we have exchanged it for a lie. It will be alie no matter how appealing to the human nature it might be, or how logical to the human mind.
2 Corinthians 4:6-7 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
In our study, we have seen this "light of the knowledge of the glory of God", that we received at salvation and should shine though our earthen vessels or conduct, is no less than the very essence of God, and in particular His holiness. To discover how we are to allow this light to shine though us, we have been looking at the total context of Scripture, and now are looking at the immediate context of this passage.
We see from our study of the total context that one of the very prominent features of God's Person or essence is that of appropriate forgiveness. In the immediate context of this passage on earthen vessels, we also find the subject of forgiveness.
Paul, in 2 Corinthians 2, refers to a happening earlier in Corinth, in which he gave instruction to put a man out of the church because of his sin. The offending man repented, and Paul now gives instructions concerning forgiveness and restoration. Both forgiveness and restoration are key factors when it comes to demonstrations God's holiness in our conduct. However, appropriate forgiveness is dependent on our knowing and following the "the doctrine which is according to godliness".
If we are teaching and following anything but "the doctrine which is according to godliness", We will be and are: proud, knowing nothing, obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, promoting envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings, and are people of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, supposing that godliness is a means of gain. I thought about sending an email to God to see if He would instruct His head angel to change this portion by using some gentler words. But I know the circuits are pretty busy going into heaven, so I might not get a response. Therefore, I didn't send the email.
1 Timothy 6:3-5 If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, 4 he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, devil suspicions, 5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
A person in this condition of self-centerness and self-promotion, cannot give appropriate forgiveness, nor can they accept it. That's one reason why it is so important what we teach, and how we teach it! Let's look a little further into this subject of Biblical forgiveness.
2 Corinthians 2:6-11 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
Notice several things very important to forgiveness in situations where an offense occurs against a person or the church. First, there was punishment appropriate to the offense. We saw from 1 Corinthians that this man was to be put out of the church, and they were to have nothing to do with him. That was not an action of the pastor or the board, but the entire church. If the church, today, were to follow these instructions when immoral acts were committed by its members, it would reduce the attendance by quite a bit.
If this type of punishment were practiced by the church today, it would rid the church of the growing immorality within its ranks. Instead, we are told, by some, that we are to: "Love them back to the Lord." A partial truth is a lie and that is a partial truth.
Forgiveness for an offense cannot be effected unless payment is made or punishment received. The payment can be made or that punishment can be received by the offender or someone else acting in the offender's stead, and by permission of the offender.
In the case of the sin of mankind in general, God could not forgive without the punishment being received and the payment made by God, Himself, through Christ on the Cross. In the case of an offense against another or a group of others, God has given mankind the right and obligation to assess the appropriate punishment. This punishment is not for the payment of sins in general, Christ took care of that on the cross, but for the offense against a person, a group or society.
Very seldom is this punishment to be determined by an individual, and never is it to be assessed or inflicted as revenge or vindictiveness. This is also true in the case of your children. The punishment should be assessed by the parents both parents in harmony with one another and the Word of God.
If appropriate punishment is not received and the penalty not paid by the offender, others will have to pay the penalty and receive the punishment. That is true of society, AWANA clubs, the church, the home, etc. As a nation, as the church and as families, etc., we have failed to prescribe the proper punishment for almost any offense. As a result, the family, the church and society is paying the price and receiving the punishment for past and present offenses that have been over looked.
There are very few who would not agree with that assessment, today. Oh, yes! There are a few ol' relics of rank liberalism that still have their heads under the covers of: "Man is basically good. If we take restraints away, then the goodness of mankind will be allow to mature."
The question of today is not concerning the need of punishment for offenses. The question of today is who makes the determination of what the punishment is, and what standard do we use. There would be no questions as to who makes the determination or what standard we follow, if those same people who embrace the demonic philosophy of the goodness of mankind had not thrown out all the old fashion standards of morality from the Bible, and replaced them with: "If feels good, do it", and a few other nice sounding phrases.
Personal forgiveness is as much for the one forgiving as for the one being forgiven. Notice the close of this admonition for forgiveness in 2 Corinthians 2:11. When we refuse to give appropriate forgiveness, it gives Satan the opportunity to take advantage of us. Let me tell you, that is not a position in which you want to find yourself. There are times when we are to accept the punishment for the offense of some other against us, so that we can forgive the other.
1 Peter 2:18-25 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. 19 For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. 20 For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer for it, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 22 "Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth"; 23 who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness-- by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
As Believers, we are to be prepared to suffer for the wrong of others, when it is to the advantage of the cause of Christ. When we suffer because we have conscience toward God, we are to take it patiently. Not only is this commendable in general, this commendation is brought right into the Throne Room of God, and presented to God, Himself. This type of suffering for the wrong of others is one of the things we, as Believers, are called to do. We are to participate in this calling in the same manner as Christ by following His example. It might change your home life considerably, if you practiced this principle at home.
Just a sideline. Those who hold to the theological position that our calling was part of God's predestination of some to salvation and others to condemnation have a problem with the many references to our calling to suffering and other aspects throughout the Word of God. I guess they just have to ignore those references, or maybe they think we have to suffer before we can be saved? I don't think so! It is strange how we want to limit God's revelation of Himself to mankind by the philosophy of some humans.
If we are trying to develop personal characteristics like those of Christ, then appropriate forgiveness must be one of those characteristics. If we are trying to follow Christ's example in our conduct so that our vessels will be a suitable channel through which Holy Spirit can demonstrate God's holiness, then according to this passage, we must be willing to accept the punishment for the wrong doings of others, when it is for conscience towards God, or when the cause of Christ can be advanced by so doing.
2 Corinthians 2:1-8 But I determined this within myself, that I would not come again to you in sorrow. 2 For if I make you sorrowful, then who is he who makes me glad but the one who is made sorrowful by me? 3 And I wrote this very thing to you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow over those from whom I ought to have joy, having confidence in you all that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote to you, with many tears, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love which I have so abundantly for you. 5 But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved me, but all of you to some extent-- not to be too severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him.
In the process of appropriate forgiveness for offenses, the punishment should never be for the sake of punishment only! It should be as a demonstration of your love for the other. When God met out the punishment for the sins of the world, it was a demonstration of His essence of love. When Christ accepted the punishment for the sins of the world, it was also a demonstration of His love.
John 3:16-19 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Proverbs 13:24 He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly.
Isn't it strange that we often think of love as only a soft, fluffy, mushy, sentimental thing?
Punishment for offenses must always be as a result of love, not revenge or vindictiveness. Also in the forgiveness process, punishment must always be for the purpose of restoration. We see that in John 3:17 "God did not send His Son...to condemn". God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to restore it, or restore at least as many as would receive His forgiveness. This was also the purpose of the punishment commanded by Paul for the man in Corinth.
2 Corinthians 2:6-11 This punishment which was inflicted by the majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things. 10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.
We have a couple of half truths floating around, and you know what a half truth is. Sad to say these half truths have also found acceptance within Christian circles. These half truths have filtered into Christian theology because some very prominent teachers began teaching the experiences of others, and philosophies of mankind, instead of teaching only "the doctrine which is according to godliness". Those half truths are expressed in many ways, but the most popular goes something like:
Unconditional Love and Unconditional Forgiveness
I understand a little of what they are trying to get across by such statements and teachings, but I also know that there is no such critter. What most mean by unconditional love is that: "You should love me no matter what I do." That part is true. But the inference and the major import is that: "As a result, I can do anything I want to do without consequences."
That would not be love at all!
To an even greater extent, the use of the term and the teaching of unconditional forgivenesshas been stretched beyond recognition of any Biblical teaching. Forgiveness is based on the fact that the offense has been properly cared for, by the offender, or by someone else.
I'm glad God does not love or forgive according to the philosophy of the world!