Before doing this study, please read the one-minute introduction:
People who are surprised at final judgment are those who have only a form of godliness as described below:
2 Timothy 3:1-5: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
✔ Confusion about performing miracles
What initially confused me in this passage was the fact that fake believers could perform miracles and cast out demons. Perhaps these were fake, orchestrated “performances,” but I’m also reminded of Balaam who actually heard from God and sometimes did what God said, but never fully trusted God. These passages tell different things about Balaam: Numbers 22, Deuteronomy 23:4; Joshua 13:22; Nehemiah 13:1-2; Micah 6:5; 2 Peter 2:15; Jude 11; Revelation 2:14.
In addition, Satan can also perform miracles to deceive undiscerning people (2 Thessalonians 2:9-10; Matthew 24:24).
✔ Let's look at one example many people overlook: those who are “disobedient to their parents.”
Because this verse is speaking of adults, this means disobedient to God's commands to honor them, because adults are not required to obey their parents.
For example, they may neglect their parents while being involved in Christian ministry. In Matthew 15:3-9 Jesus speaks about people who do this and quotes the Old Testament verse below to describe them:
Isaiah 29:13: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.”
✔ Another example: those who are “brutal, not lovers of the good.”
This makes me think of people who go to church and give generously to help the needy but also support pro-abortion politics. I can't think of anything more brutal that killing innocent unborn babies right up to the day of delivery. Lovers of Good seek to obey the command in Proverbs 24:11-12.
Perhaps you can think of some other relevant examples based on the list in 2 Timothy 3:1-5.
✔ Some additional insights
God tells us to “have nothing to do with such people,” which means we are sometimes able to recognize them. But some may hide their sins and mislead people for many years before they are found out. And some may even be able to hide their sins for a lifetime.
Sadly, some preachers encourage people to believe they can be saved while living sinful lifestyles. For example, see Have We Misjudged Andy Stanley?
But Scripture is clear:
“No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” 1 John 3:6
✔ What do you think Christ wanted us to learn from this passage?
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