"Claiming Godliness But Denying its Power" - Wolves in Sheep's Clothing

2 Timothy 3
Perilous Times and Perilous Men
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; 9 but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

• Spiritual warfare is rampant in this world.
o There will be people who
 Blaspheme the name of God and reject truth
• Atheism, agnosticism
 Teach false prophecy
• Matthew 7:15 – Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
 Claim “godliness, but deny its power”
• How many people do you know that claim that they believe in God?
• Claiming belief in God and having an intimate relationship with Christ and Father constitute two completely different things!
o How many people “train themselves” in godliness?
 Through prayer
 Through reading scripture
 Through meditation on the Word
 1 Timothy 4:7-8 – Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
 Try to threaten your faith
• Those that reject Christ will “hate the Christ” that they see in you.
 That show apathy towards the kingdom of God
• 2 Thessalonians 3:6 – In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.
• Their actions don’t reflect what they claim to believe.
o You can’t see into a man’s heart, as God can.
 1 Samuel 16:7 - But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
o But you can get a pretty good idea of where his or her heart is.
 Where do they spend their time?
 Where do they spend their money?

o These people aren’t always easy to pick out.
 They don’t always know what they’re doing.
• Luke 23:34 - But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
 Satan’s lies are very tempting.
• You’ll find his lies wrapped in pretty wrapping paper topped with a bow – but it’s just a trap!
• Satan doesn’t act through sinners whom we would consider “evil people”. Satan acts through those whom we wouldn’t suspect to be rejecting God’s objective truth.
• Objective truth – Truth that is absolute and applies to all people! In God there is absolute moral truth!

o College Life Applications
• Relationships
 Be careful who you allow to infiltrate your personal life. Know the level of spiritual maturity of a person you consider dating before you even think about dating them.
 Ask tougher questions. We know that Christians should date other Christians.
• 2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
 But to ask someone whether or not they are a Christian is insufficient. A man and woman are called to be “equally yoked”. God should be the number one priority in their relationship. If at any point this yoke is broken, the relationship will cease. If you choose to continue in such a relationship, get ready to step on a few landmines along the way.
 There is no such thing as “missionary dating”. Rather, there is no such thing as “successful” missionary dating.

• Friendships
 Watch out for friends that will try to deter you from your Christian walk.
 Be “in the world but not of the world”.

• Liberalism
 College professors + impressionable college students = CAUTION
 Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Christian Scientist = False Religion disguised as Christianity