I Pray that you have been encouraged by the article that I have been posting by L.R. Shelton Jr. It sure as been challenging for me. Sorry I have not been able to post lately, I'm trying to catch up. We should really check and see if our behavior,opinions and affections have changed. salvation really changes people. Has what you call salvation changed you?
Their Behavior Is All Wrong
Now let us consider the fruits of those who have been deceived by the false gospel of carnal Christianity as they are described in II Timothy 3. First, we will see that their behavior is all wrong; second, that their opinion is all wrong; and third, that their affection is all wrong. In verse 1 we are told, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Then verses 2-4 give a description of the fruitage of this false gospel of carnal Christianity. How do we know this? Because in verse 5 comes the astounding words that all of those spoken of in the preceding verses have “a form of godliness,” but that they deny the power thereof; and we are instructed, “from such turn away.”
Yes, it seems strange to speak of such a thing as piety or godliness in connection with the sort of persons described in these verses; but we find indeed that the Holy Spirit has been speaking of those who have their names upon some church roll. They have a “form of godliness,” but they are pagans masquerading as Christians! So we see that their behavior is all wrong.
The Word says they are “blasphemers,” that is, abusive and foul mouthed in their speech and conversation. Is this not a true description of these days in which we live? Do we not hear loose language abound in so many places among those who claim to be saved? Yes, everywhere we turn today there is lying, swearing, and filthy language spoken even by so-called Christians! This fact reveals the true state of many hearts? Yes it does, for “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh”! (Matt 12:34). In salvation, the Holy Spirit cleanses your heart, thus delivering you from being a foul-mouthed individual.
Next they are described as “disobedient to parents.” We have never lived in a day when such a sin is so widespread. Yes, this is evident world-wide. Children and young people have no regard for the fifth commandment which reads: “Honour thy father and thy mother”; or its counterpart in Ephesians 6:1-3 which reads, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.”
Yet even though they stand out in rebellion against their parents, children and young people who have made a decision for Christ are told that they are saved, just because they have made a decision.
Let me warn you right here: no such child or young person is saved, but is indeed lost; because when God saves a soul, He breaks the power of sin and the spirit of rebellion in that heart and life! And God does not save children any different than He saves the middle-aged and the elderly-it must be by the power of His Holy Spirit. They must be awakened to their lost condition, because Christ came to seek that which was lost. So I must warn you and tell you the truth in love: Every child and young person whom God has ever saved has been given the spirit of obedience.
Then we see in our text that these converts of the false gospel of carnal Christianity are “unthankful.” This age is characterized by unthankfulness; and that among those who claim to be saved. The majority of so-called Christians today are oblivious of any fondness of God or man, and take everything for granted. They have no use for God while things go well, but only use Him as Someone to blame when things go wrong. This is a sin that marks our day.
And why is it among so-called Christians? Because they have denied the power of God in salvation to break the power of sin. They have preached and heard a gospel that allows them to sin; but they have not heard the gracious Gospel of Christ, which teaches deliverance from the bondage of sin and death.
Thanksgiving is a fruit of the Spirit and surely should be exercised daily and hourly by the people of God; we have so much to be thankful for! Our lives are filled with one deliverance after another, and one providential leading after another, which should give rise to prayers of thanksgiving to our living God! We are commanded: “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thess 5:18). “Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving praise to His name” (Heb. 13:15). So unthankfulness is a fruit of the flesh which characterizes the carnal man.
Another word given here describing the fruit of those adhering to this false doctrine of carnal Christianity is the word “unholy,” which means irreverent. Surely this is one of the most prevailing features of these last days: irreverence for the Bible, Christ, God, and all that is holy. These are all made the butt of many jokes, and some so-called Christians laugh the heartiest of them all. Why? Because they have no sense of sin, and no love for God, His Christ and His Word; all they have is a “form of godliness.” They have flatly denied the power of God in His Gospel to save, keep, and deliver from sin. But if there is one word which characterizes a child of God, it is the word “saint”-a holy one, a person who is being made in the image and likeness of Christ. This is the reason God saves us-to make us holy, saintly, like Christ (Eph 1:4; Rom 8:29; II Cor 3:17,18).
The next word used to describe the fruit of these carnal Christians is “trucebreakers.” This word means relentless-those who are gong to gain their end, becoming utterly careless of their word or pledge. They will press on their way, no matter what it costs, saying that the end justifies the means. Where do you go today to find a man whose word is his bond?
My dear man, my dear woman: How have you treated those vows which you took at the marriage altar? Have you been a trucebreaker, breaking your marriage vows by being unfaithful to your husband or your wife? The sin of adultery is rampant today, and this is the breaking of the marriage vows; so if you are guilty of this sin, you are marked before God as a trucebreaker!
The next expression used to describe the fruit of these carnal Christians is “false accusers.” This means backbiting, unkindness, gossiping, never attempting to find out whether the thing be true or false. Or it could be expressed as scandal-mongering-starting a scandal on someone so as to benefit your own end. But my friend, be sure your sin will find you out! God hates a gossiper, declaring He will punish those that stir up strife among the brethren (Prov 6:18-19; Phil 2:3). Yet those who teach this false gospel of carnal Christianity say that it is just your flesh doing this: “So don’t be alarmed about it-did you not make a decision?” They say: “Surely you are saved, and all will be well by and by. Sure you might miss some millennial or eternal reward, but that does not really matter, does it?” But God says of such a gospel, and of such a people: “from such turn away.”
Again, we see from II Timothy 3:3 that these false professors are “incontinent,” which means without self-control. So anything goes-liquor, wine, beer, sex, or pleasure-“If I want to do it, let me do it; I’m saved and under grace.” Or they say about anger, “Just let me get it off my chest; let me blow my top, or spit out venom; let me tell them off, its OK, I have liberty.” Yes, liberty to go to hell!
Oh my friend, the liberty which God gives in the true Gospel is a liberty to walk in holiness; and the opposite fruit of these incontinent carnal Christians is the fruit of the Spirit called “temperance.” This is self-control, and walking in meekness and kindness.
Further, these deluded souls are described a “fierce.” This means savage, especially in the tongue, inflicting wounds that break hearts, blast hopes, and ruin lives. But how can any soul claim to be saved, who lashes out against his mother or sister or pastor with vengeance because they’ve crossed his path, indulging in the fierceness of his tongue? If this is your heart and tongue, you are not saved! You have been deceived by the false gospel of carnal Christianity! You know nothing of Christ and His love, because this love has never been shed abroad in your heart by the Holy Spirit. You need to be born again; you need a new heart and a new nature.
When God saves you, He breaks the power of sin in your life. He gives you a new heart to love Him and your neighbors. He gives you His divine nature so you may worship Him in Spirit and in truth. He gives you the mind of Christ, so you will follow after righteousness and true holiness. He gives you His Spirit to indwell you, to fill and to overflow you, and to work God’s glorious and gracious salvation in you by His mighty power!
You have new desires, new hopes, new ambitions, yes, a new life. “Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Cor 5:17). For as Titus 3:3 tells us: “We...were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man appeared,” we left the old life and now walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus! Now by His grace, we yield our members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Why? Because He has redeemed us by His wondrous love, by His blood and power; He has delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son, setting us free to follow Christ in the liberty of the Gospel of grace. Now we have a new song, and praise unto our God, who has taken us from the miry clay of sin, giving us a hatred for sin, self, the world and Satan, and has set us upon the Rock, Christ Jesus!
Be not deceived by the god of this world into believing that you can have heaven when you yet stay chained to your sins and your hateful way! Your only hope, you who are caught in this false gospel, is to honestly face your true condition and lay down your arms of rebellion in repentance, turning to Christ by faith, and pleading with Him for mercy for your never-dying soul, based upon His redemptive work for you.
Another of these fruits of carnal Christianity in II Timothy 3 is-“traitors.” This means that the unsaved religious professor is really treacherous, undependable, and has no real conviction of the truth; therefore he denies the truth of saving grace. This word describes those who have no sense of loyalty to Christ, to His cause, His true Gospel, or to His church (His true people). Their loyalty is only to themselves, to “number one.”
The next expression is the word “heady,” which means headstrong, reckless-taking the “bit in one’s teeth” or taking the “reins in his hands.” Here again we see the result of the false gospel of carnal Christianity that says a person like this is saved! He takes the bits in his teeth and becomes entirely heedless of what is right, or of the rights of others or the consequences of what he does. His way at any cost is what matters. And how many heady, headstrong individuals there are today in religion, who never take God into an account of their lives! Their wills have never been broken and they have never taken the blame for their condition before God; therefore they know nothing about Christ and His salvation.
What a distressing picture II Timothy 3 shows, as it reveals the fruitage that is so wide spread today, which is caused by this false gospel of carnal Christianity promulgated from so many pulpits! They say: “Just as long as you have made a decision, just so long as you have walked the aisle and gave the preacher your hand, or have joined the church-or even if you have held up your hand to be prayed for or said the sinner’s prayer-now all is well and you are sure of heaven, no matter what kind of life you live along the way.” And the power of sin is not broken, so you give vent to the old nature because you can’t help yourself! Oh what false foundations poor souls stand upon, not knowing that Christ has never been laid in their hearts as the chief cornerstone, and the power of God has never worked in their hearts.
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