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“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud,
blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers
of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly
women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able
to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
(2 Timothy 3:1-7 AV)
These verses clearly identify the character of Apostasy. Carefully consider
the fifth verse.
“Having a form (lit. formation, show, a shape) of Godliness,
but denying (Lit. making void, refusing) the power (lit. the might, the Spirit’s
power) thereof...”
Paul’s warning was against those that were merely “playing church”. He
identifies the “make believers”, as opposed to the “True
Believers”, and warns of their hypocritical nature and character. Although
these folks outwardly identified with the Gospel of Christ, they had not the
Spirit of Christ. Thus, they were unable to exhibit the passion of Christ by
engaging the culture on every level of life.
Although these factors contribute to the gross apostasy of the visible
church, we can still identify another destructive ill that the modern church has
embraced; forgetfulness.
“Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou
forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy
heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons'
sons;”
The Scriptures also characterize apostasy by seasons of
forgetfulness, which, in turn, always lead the bondage of idolatry. (see
Reformed Witness Vol. 1 Issue 3) Forgetfulness is pre-requisite to idolatry.
continued...
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