2nd Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves" .... 3 Without natural affection" .... Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
The form of godliness referred to in this passage has to do with the mere externals of religion, which motivate some Christians to portray a semblance of holiness and reverence, without the inner consecration of the heart to God. The word reverence comes from the word revere, which means to have profound respect and awe for an object, a person or an idea. And therefore a person can reverence God, man, an idol, a philosophy, or even an animal. In ancient Egypt there were certain creatures which were held in veneration, to whom the populace offered supreme reverence, and these animals would not be slaughtered for any reason, even if the people were dying of starvation. Moses referred to the reverence with which these animals were treated when he stated that the Hebrews would be stoned by the Egyptians, if they were ever caught using them in their sacrificial services. Let's read:
Exodus 8:25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. 26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
There are some churches in modern Christendom which parade an outward form of reverence, and when worshipers attend these churches, you can hear a pin drop because of the deafening silence that is manifested between the various activities that are engaged in. Now while it is true that the worship of The Eternal God should be marked with supreme reverence on the part of those who approach Him, yet we should be aware that there is a pseudo type of reverence, that carries with it the semblance of holiness, but beneath that veneer of apparently sacred externals is to be found pride, rebellion, and animosity towards God that will make the heart tremble. This is what the apostle Paul referred to when speaking of the "Man of sin", who exalts himself above God and all that is worshiped. Let's read:
2nd Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
As Christians we are not to be awed by extravagant externals, splendid edifices, and gold plated walls and cathedrals of crystal, for the heavy emphasis placed on these man-made inventions often tend to draw away the hearts of the congregation from God to the works of men's hands. And while it is true that the place where God is worshiped should be the best of the very best wherever possible, yet what is much more important to God is the spiritual standing of the congregants, for the outward adorning and trappings do not really impress God, but rather the state of the heart, if it is humble and contrite. God is a Spirit, and therefore the inner man is what concerns Him most, rather than the extravagant display of materials, we have now come to adore in many Christian circles. Let's read:
Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.
John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. 23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
In our own experiences, let us therefore seek after those things that really matter, such as the development of a Christlike character, a humble and teachable spirit, and an attitude of love towards our fellowmen, that springs from a heart of genuine concern. The temple that was at Jerusalem in Christ's day was the pride and joy of the Jewish nation, yet when Christ came to this earth as the Lord of the very same temple, He was hunted like a wild beast and then slaughtered mercilessly by those who manifested a profound outward reverence for the sanctuary.
Let us therefore be reverent towards God, both inwardly and outwardly, and God who sees us in secret will reward us openly. We therefore end with a passage of scripture which cautions us against indulging a mere outward form of godliness, because man looks mostly on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Let's read:
Matthew 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Matthew 23:26 "Cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
May The Lord add his blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!