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We have already seen it mentioned times over the last several chapters, but Paul once again is warning Timothy of the godlessness which will take place in the future. The identifying characteristic for the “last days” will be the behavior of people. They will be religious and rebellious.
Paul’s listing is self-explanatory. All these traits center around selfishness and pride. But verse 5 is particularly intriguing. They will have the appearance of godliness without its power. So, let’s first ask ourselves, where does the power of godliness come from? The obvious answer is Jesus, but more specifically, that power manifests itself in us when we begin to look more like Christ. An appearance of godliness is a man-made system of religion that ultimately relies on self instead of Jesus.
People like this are always searching for something new and exciting. They jump from one thing to the next looking for that next temporary high, but they never are satisfied. But the other factor here is that these people believe they are Christians. For instance, the “form of godliness” may be talking with a certain spiritual lingo to convince others of their depth. It may involve a rigorous system of discipline to restrain their sinful habits. It may be that they work themselves into a frenzied emotional state.
Spiritual lingo, discipline, and emotional experiences could be legitimate proof of spiritual maturity. They could also be fake. The proof is always found in the fruit. Over time, we will be able to see if these actions lead to a glorification of Christ and His characteristics or a glorification of self as well as a justification of sin. This is the critical point Paul is making when he writes that they “deny His power.”
“From such turn away – not only do not imitate them, but have no kind of fellowship with them; they are a dangerous people, and but seldom suspected, because their outside is fair.”
Adam Clarke