Religion Without God

RELIGION WITHOUT GOD

II Timothy 3:1-5

I. WITHOUT CHRIST

1. Formality

II Timothy 3:5. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof

A skeleton has a form of man, but is dead!

2. Faithless

Luke 18:8. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

There would be much doubt when Christ asks if there would be any faith on earth when He returned. Satan uses doubt more than anything.

3. Fearless

No respect toward God! Note the words of Peter, telling of scoffers upon the earth

II Peter 3:3. Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

Man seems to have no fear for God or authority.

II. WITHOUT CONTROL

1. Uncontrolled attitudes

I Corinthians 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

We must have control over our attitudes. Indifference is not of God.

2. Uncontrolled actions

I Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Note the warning, how we should be examples. Words mean so little, if we don’t set a good example.

DO AS I SAY AND NOT AS I DO.

3. Uncontrolled affections

I John 2:15 17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Loving the world, and what is therein leads us astray from God. You cannot love God and the world!

4. Uncontrolled toward authorities

Hebrews 3:7-13 Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Always obey those who are over us.

III. WITHOUT CONSECRATION

1. Leisure living

II Timothy 3:4 Some love pleasure more than loving God!

This displeases God.

2. Loose living

II Timothy 3:1 5. OUR TEXT

Here we see a picture of the people, who will be upon the earth before Christ returns. Compare this with the daily newspaper.

3. Loveless living

Love for God will cause you to love others.

READ I Corinthians 13

Love for God will cause us to love the unlovable, and even the enemies.

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.