“It’s Obvious” II Timothy 3:5
“It’s Obvious”
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof from such turn away.” II Timothy 3:5
Evangelist Oliver B. Greene (1915-1976) wrote about our text, “This is the age of pleasure—loving church members, going through the rituals on Sunday, then hanging their religion in the closet along with their Sunday suit until the next Sunday.” In our text we find apostasy both pinpointed and predicted.
An obvious way to detect having church without Christ—is it’s lacking God’s authorization. The only right a church has to keep its doors open is the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. The minute that stops, is the moment those doors should be forever SHUT. It is not trends, nor technology that Christ is interested in, and the believer can be certain of that because when He went to church, He was handed the Word of God! (cf. Luke 4:20).
Another obvious way to detect having church without Christ—is it’s lacking God’s anointing (cf. Psa. 92:10). Here is a DANGER…past victories, great services, and monumental moves of God shouldn’t ever become common place, because that is where serving in the flesh starts. “I Need Thee Every Hour” isn’t just a great hymn but ought to be the heart’s cry of God’s children (see John 15:8).
A final obvious way to detect having church without Christ—is it’s lacking God’s awarding (I Cor. 3:12 & 13). This will not be fully made manifest until the Judgment Seat of Christ. In fact, in light of this simple truth one could say, “What a sad day in eternity when the smoke of’playing church’ is finally revealed.” Going through the motions with God simply means… going without crowns in Heaven (II John 1:8). — J.H. DR. JOHN HAMBLIN, Evangelist, Canton, MI
DR. JOHN HAMBLIN, Evangelist, Canton, MI
Prepared by Roger Fulk, from the “Baptist Bread” January 12th, 2020 Devotional by author DR. JOHN HAMBLIN, Evangelist, Canton, MI . With permission from Tim Green, editor Baptist Bread.
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