Are You “One of Those People”?
Sometimes the smallest Word lodges itself and looms large in my heart…
“…having the form of godliness but denying its power…”
I tend to skip over this verse because, well you know, it’s about “those other people”.
“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:2-6
(tap tap…) “unthankful, headstrong, lovers of pleasure”
How could those things be lumped in with “brutal and blasphemers”?
And He speaks so clearly–“Anyone who loves (fill in the blank) more than Me is not worthy of Me.”
I am unthankful when I complain about MY needs not being met. I am headstrong when I want MY way. I am a lover of pleasure when I choose ME over Him. Ick.
Oh yes, I can “look” godly. But do I live godly?
I am a “lover of self” each day that I don’t crucify my flesh. I am “one of those people” when I don’t deny myself, take up my cross and follow Him.
And it comes again–the beautiful irony of God’s Word:
If loving myself “denies the power of godliness” in my life, then dying to self brings it to life! POWER. The very thing I think I can achieve when I live in the flesh is the thing I lose.
What if we really died to live?
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Daily. Thank you, Lord, for knowing I’m so forgetful that I need to start again every morning, and thank You that Your mercies are new!
Tags: christian living
christian living | Word Warrior | 
February 26, 2010 11:00 pm
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The older I get… the older my children get, the more I realize how easy it is to put on a veneer of Godliness. If we (and our kids) behave the right way, have all the right scripture verses memorized, wear the right clothes it can be so deceiving. One can convince oneself that we are Godly, when all the while sin and self are sitting on the throne of our hearts. I am so guilty of this.
You wrote:
““If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Daily. Thank you, Lord, for knowing I’m so forgetful that I need to start again every morning, And thank You that Your mercies are new!”
Amen sister. Amen.
Thank you so much. That was EXACTLY what I needed to read today.
Yes! Thank you Kelly.
Wow. I really did need to read this today. Yes, I am one of those people. Thanks Kelly.
ouch and thank you!
Thank you for posting this. I too neaded this today. Blessings…
Lately, the flesh I need to crucify is my tongue….that I could tell myself to hush as readily I do my children, and had the intuition I do for them when I can feel they’re on the verge of saying something they’re going to regret.
Denying self is so counter-cultural, I think it’s easy to put on the outer “coat” of perceived goodness, and yet be just as self-indulgent and harmful to others as someone who is deliberately so. Complex and simple all at once.
Did you know that (in Greek) the same word Jesus used for “denial” of self is the same word that He used when He predicted Peter’s denial of Him?
I used to think of denying self as being a massive concentration of self control that would prevent me from doing things I think might be fun (ie “gratifying the flesh). And I do still believe that sometimes we ARE supposed to tell ourselves “no” when we are wanting certain things. I’m sure I don’t tell myself “no” often enough. But the concept is so much more penetrating.
Denial of self is a violent, adamant disassociation with flesh-centered self-worship. It is saying of my still-present sin nature that I no longer want anything to do with it. That I want it to just die and go away forever because I can see that being my own god only leads to destruction.
And you are so right that the reminder to maintain this attitude needs to be constant!
Thanks Kelly for sharing your heart
Wow, even being unloving and unforgiving could lead us to deny the power of God. Sad….and scary.
Ouch, Kelly! I needed this today far more than I wanted it.
I love your blog and I’ve had some free time this afternoon to read through some of your past posts. What a breath of fresh air you are! Thank you for your ministry and blessing to families!
~Angie in Helena (better known in blogdom as Lady Why)