Living the Life

There seems to be no question that we are living in times of difficulty. The adverse economy has affected nearly everyone. 

There are many problems in the world that seem to have no solution, at least not one in the near future. Saint Paul’s descriptions of people living in difficult times nearly 2000 years old could have been written about today’s people. 

This list of descriptions is from 2 Timothy 3.

Lovers of self.

Lovers of money.

Proud.

Arrogant.

Abusive.

Disobedient to their parents.

Ungrateful.

Unholy.

Heartless.

Unappeasable.

Slanderous.

Without self-control.

Brutal.

Not loving good.

Treacherous.

Reckless.

Swollen with conceit.

Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.

Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

You may think that none of the descriptions on this list apply to you. I know that there are times when I’m tempted to think that about myself. But it isn’t true. Which ones on the list strike close to the heart with you? I’ll tell you which one it is for me: “Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”

Oh yes, there are times when I’m arrogant. There are times when I was (and still am) disobedient to my parents. There are times when I am reckless – in that what I say is quickly followed by “I’m just kidding.”

But the one that slays me is “Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” This is when I do not take seriously what it means to be a Christian, to be a disciple of Jesus Christ. And this is devastatingly detrimental. When other people see me doing this, it tells them that I’m only playing at being a Christian, that I don’t take it seriously. And if I don’t take it seriously, then why should they? And if they don’t take it seriously because of me and the way I’m just playing at my faith, then they will not know Jesus. And if they do not know Jesus, then they are lost in their sins.

Because I am paid for what I do as a pastor, there is a great temptation to think of what I do as merely a job. That I do what I do simply because I have to. Because I’m a pastor Ihave to go to church. I have to read the Bible. I have to go to Bible study.

Do you know anyone who shows up for work because they have to? How well to they do their work? How inspiring are they in their work? I worked with a couple of people like that at Target. For the most part, the people I worked with at Target were good people, they were good workers. They did their jobs well and you got a sense that they enjoyed their work. But there were one or two people who were there because they had to be there. They didn’t want to be there. They only did the bare minimum of the job and no more and didn’t really care what the consequences of that were to the overall goals of Target.

I think it is that attitude that Saint Paul is getting at with his phrase, “Having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”

But here’s another way that I look at this phrase. Often, I think, people get the idea that if they are doing something “at” church or “for” church that it somehow means they are living the life Christ won for them by His death and resurrection.

But Christ didn’t die and rise again so that we could “do” things for the church or be “at” the church.

Christ died and rose again to give us life (John 10:10). Here’s what Christ has done for me. When I am at the church, I ‘m not working a job, I’m living a life. And this life has consequences – eternal consequences. I really believe there is power in living a godly life and that power comes from God’s Word – Scripture, the Sacred Writings that Saint Paul mentions in 2 Timothy 3 – whether it be preached, read, or inwardly digested through the Sacrament of the Altar.

I want to know more about that power. I want to have more of that power. I want others to know and have more of that power.

That’s why Bible studies are so important to me. I try very hard to have Bible studies that are relevant and interesting. But beyond relevant and interesting, the Bible makes you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. The Scriptures are inspired (breathed out by God) and are profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.

The Bible will make the man – and woman – of God competent and equip us for every good work.