“They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
2 Timothy 3:5 NLT
Paul admonishes Timothy to avoid people who reject God’s power in their lives, while trying to fit in with God’s people. This comes after a long list of the type of person who will exist in the polarization of the last days. Paul’s point here is that those who love themselves over everything else may seem to be this foreign and bizarre monster that we might immediately recognize as a threat, but it takes a bit of discernment to see them for who they truly are. These people hide in plain site by attending religious events, using religious phrasing, and taking part in religious sacraments. But their liturgy lacks any power. They may even be in your congregation. The proof for godly living is not religiosity. It is a heart that is transformed and bearing the fruit of the Spirit in how it loves God and men. Those whose religiosity makes them separated from God’s truths, scripture and Jesus, or lifts them up over their brothers and sisters, should be avoided with prejudice.