2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. In these words the apostle tells us — 1. What these men have, viz., a form of godliness. 2. What they want, viz., the power of it. 3. How we must behave ourselves towards them, viz., we must shun their society; from such turn away.For the first, they have a vain and empty show of faith and holiness. They are not men without the pale of the Church, such as heathens and Jews, which are open enemies to the gospel; but they have a form of godliness, an external profession of religion in words, ceremonies, and gestures; they make great shows, and put on the vizard of piety; like stage players, they act the part of a king, but strip them of their robes, and they are beggarly rogues. They have not the true form and essence of godliness, which consists in an inward change, and doth denominate and give being to things: but they have formality or an outward show and shadow of holiness. Like pictures and images, which have an external show and shape of a man, whose lineaments and proportion may be so drawn to the life, that there wants nothing but life indeed to act them: they will be great professors, and look what a sincere Christian hath in substance, that have these formalists in semblance, they have no life, no power, no principle of operation in them. (T. Hall, B. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.WEB: holding a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Turn away from these, also. |
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