Part XI
EVER LEARNING
The religious system sure is impressive. They have a form (appearance) of godliness. But even though they are "ever learning," they are "never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (II Timothy 3:7).
Think of all the "ever learning" that goes on within the system. There seems to be an endless supply: Sunday Schools, Daily Vacation Bible Schools, Sunday morning sermons, Sunday night sermons, Wednesday night Bible studies, Children's churches, Awanas, daily devotionals, reading through the Bible in a year, summer Bible camps, revivals, Bible conferences, seminars, training programs, retreats, Christian schools, Bible colleges, Bible Institutes, Bible Seminaries, new member classes, etc., etc.
And what is the end result for someone in the system, after a lifetime of all this teaching? They still do not even know who their apostle is. They could not carry on a meaningful conversation about justification or imputation. They still know little more that the Sunday School Bible stories. Something is seriously wrong! And it is wrong by design!
AN IMITATION
Paul moves on to gives us an example, from the life of Moses. Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, God's divinely appointed messenger to Israel. Jannes and Jambres were an imitation of the real thing, even to the point of delusion. And so it is with Christendom, it withstands Paul, God's divinely appointed messenger for the body of Christ. It too is an imitation of the real thing. The real thing is the church, the body of Christ. Yet, Christendom presents its on versions of "church," to the point of delusion.
God had confrontation with Egypt. On the one side was Moses and the testimony of God. On the other side was Pharaoh with his "wise men," "sorcerers," and "magicians." Pharaoh's ministers "did in like manner" as Moses, through the means of their "enchantments." They were crafty and persuasive imitators.
But God has not called us to join the imitation. God has not called us to imitate the religious system. That's the religious system – they are the imitators! They have the "form" of godliness, but without the power. We have and are the real thing – the mystery of godliness! Don't join the imitators! Be real!
A PERSECUTION
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (II Timothy 3:12).
Paul once again reminds Timothy that things will not be getting any easier. Timothy does not have an easy read ahead. Paul assures Timothy of the results of anyone who determines to live in the fulness of who they are in Christ – "godly." This "godly"(vs. 12) stands in contrast with the religious system's "form of godliness" (vs. 5).
The issue with Paul is not the appearance (i.e. form) of godliness. The Pharisees had that! This "godly" appearance it is an essential part of the religious system! But what Paul presents to Timothy is LIFE!
". . . all that will live godly in Christ Jesus . . .."
This godliness springs forth from LIFE! And where is this life? Those who "will live godly" will do so "in Christ Jesus." Godliness is being presented here as the life of Christ Jesus in the members of His body – the mystery of godliness!
LIVE in CHRIST JESUS! That is godliness!
We are called to live. We are called to be – to be who and what we are IN CHRIST. We are called to just LIVE in Christ Jesus! We are called to live in our COMPLETENESS in Him. We are called simply to enjoy HIM as our LIFE!
This word "godly" is unique. There are only two occurrences of this particular Greek adverb in Scripture. And interestingly enough, they are both from the pen of Paul. The other passage is in Titus (possibly Paul's second to last epistle – II Timothy being his last).
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world" (Titus 2:11-12).
Paul teaches us here that grace is our instructor. Grace is the divinely appointed teacher in this dispensation. No other teacher is certified (Galatians 1:11,12)! And notice that there are two parts to the curriculum:
". . . teaching us that, denying . . . we should live . .. ."
Denying: The first is part of grace's teaching is that of denying. This is indeed the first part of the truth of our identification in Christ!
The meaning of "deny" is "to disavow, to renounce." We learn from grace of our position in Christ Jesus, and then we come to a place of agreement (i.e., acknowledgment) with God as to exactly who we are. "That's just not me," "That's not who I am," is what we say concerning our former identification. Every believer will either deny who he was in Adam, or who he is in Christ!
Live: Paul says, "we should live." This is the second part of the truth of our identification in Christ! We are "alive unto God" (Romans 6:11; Galatians 2:20). God the Father desires to manifest (II Corinthians 4:10,11) and magnify (Philippians) Christ in the members of the church, which is His body.
Again, Paul's emphasis is upon us living. Grace teaches us to LIVE! To be who and what we are in Christ! To live godly!
It is important to note that according to the context of II Timothy this godly life is one that is lived outside the religious system. And the result of such an outsider's life?
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (II Timothy 3:12).
Persecution can take many forms. But be assured of this one thing – Paul is very clear about this – ALL who WILL LIVE godly IN CHRIST JESUS SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION.
And where will this persecution come from? The same place it has always come from – religion!
It is the religious system that has always been the source of persecution. Religion took Jesus to Calvary. Religion had Paul in a Roman prison.
History is filled with religion's holy wars and crusades.
Deny the worldly system of religion, and live godly in Christ Jesus!
It's our calling!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit Clyde's web site at http://www.pilkingtonandsons.com
Return to Index of Clyde Pilkington's Writings