This chapter, mercifully short, notes that “in the last days, mankind will embark on a
rampage of PRIDE, CRUELTY, and SELFISHNESS”. Dean quotes and analyzes 2
Timothy 3:1-9. We understand this exposition as an introduction to the next
chapter, so our comments will be few.
Dean thinks the late 20th century was a good
illustration of this Bible passage. Though he needs more than anecdotal
generalization to back his claim up, it’s acceptable as a foreword of what he
will tell us in the coming section.
Oddly enough, Dean admits that “It's IMPOSSIBLE to make any DEGREE of moral decay into a CLEAR sign of
the last days, because we don't know how much better the people in the past
really were. We do know this: our forefathers took some pains to conceal their
wickedness; while today, many are bold to boast of their wickedness; even on
TV, in front of millions”.
He covers this problem by alleging that we can see its
application in people who have a “form of
godliness”, namely, false TV preachers who claim to heal but do not. Maybe
we need to introduce Dean to the likes of Cardinal Richilieu and the hucksters
of salvation rebutted by Luther. Then to support his anecdotal fulfillments
further, Dean insists that these preachers fit the bill of Paul's warning that
they “lead captive silly women laden with
sins” because, he supposes, “you
would find that the MAJORITY of their supporters are MIDDLE AGED and ELDERLY
women” who are “almost always
divorced, widowed, single, or trapped in UNHAPPY MARRIAGES, and they are ALWAYS
unsaved”.
Not that an ounce of demographic data is offered to
prove this. If we would ask for proofs, no doubt we will be told that this is a
case of a “RAT” that is “find(ing) a hole to squirm through”.
Rather than answer it we will also be threatened, “God will trap all such RATS on Judgement Day”. Have some cheese, dear
reader, you Rat!
As is usually the case in his book, Dean gives us a
picture of these false men who have a “form
of godliness” that betrays himself:
“Just exactly WHO the
Apostle Paul is describing becomes more apparent as you continue reading. The
BAD CHARACTERS of 2 Tim. 3:1-4 have
a form of Godliness. By
THIS, we know Paul is NOT talking about THE WORLD: but about people who CLAIM
TO BE Christians. They make an APPEARANCE of Godliness; they LOOK like ‘good’ Christians, BUT, they deny the power of Godliness.
The Greek word translated to deny means [abrogating, or canceling out].
The Greek word translated to Godliness means
[devoutness, steadfastness in devotion to God]. They do not deny the POWER OF GOD: they IMPLY that Godliness
ALONE will not guarantee that God will protect you or pay attention to you. Let
me put this another way: They LEAVE YOU WITH THE IMPRESSION that your own
steadfast and unwavering devotion to God is INSUFFICIENT cause for you to
receive the benefits of the power of
God. They will NEVER come right out and SAY such a thing, for this would
tarnish their APPEARANCE of Godliness. These men want YOU to think that your own, personal,
unwavering devotion to God is INSUFFICIENT: that you NEED ‘something more’. As
we shall see, the ‘something more’ that they INSINUATE you NEED can only be
obtained through
THEM. They leave you with the IMPRESSION that you need
THEM in order to receive the benefit and the blessing
of the power of God...
“As we continue reading, the picture of just
WHO the Apostle is describing will become clearer and clearer. When the Apostle
says For of this sort; he is still describing these same men that have
a form of Godliness. The
word translated to ‘creep’ means to [insinuate oneself into]. These men are
not ‘sneaking in the back door’; they are INSINUATING themselves into the
households of various families, and leading captive silly women. These men, who have a form of Godliness are not NECESSARILY committing
adultery with these silly women. They may never even set foot in the houses these silly women are living in. What they do, is
become INFLUENTIAL in the households they INSINUATE themselves into. They are
not kidnapping these silly women, or luring them physically out of their homes. What they ARE
doing is CAPTIVATING these silly women emotionally;
so that these silly women believe
they NEED this ‘man’ who has a form of Godliness in
order to receive the blessing of God. These men ‘set their sights’ on silly women who are laden with sins; women
who are BURDENED WITH GUILT, and who are led away with divers lusts. Divers lusts does
NOT have to mean sexual desires. The word for lusts is
EPITHUMIA, which means [any unrestrained passion or longing]. These men, who
have a form of Godliness, ‘set their sights’ on emotionally deprived and
unfulfilled women, silly women, who are ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth. They
are seeking a ‘congregation’ of such silly women; for such women will never ‘graduate’ from their dependence
on this one who has a form of Godliness. This one who has a form of Godliness is EVER TEACHING, because his silly women are ever learning; and he doesn't want any of his silly women to ‘graduate’ from his ‘tutorship’…
“Now we finally find out EXACTLY WHO the
Apostle was describing, for Jannes and Jambres were
Pharaoh's court magicians; who were able to duplicate ALMOST all the miracles
that Moses and Aaron worked (Exodus 7). These men who have a form of Godliness are members of the PUBLIC CLERGY, as Jannes and Jambres were. Theyresist the truth by
performing (or claiming) MIRACLES, which they assert are a Divine approval on
themselves and their teachings. When the disciples asked Jesus what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the age (Matt.
24:3), He warned them about false christs, and false prophets, and (they) shall
shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect (Matt. 24:24). These men are a
distinct ‘class’ of End Times false prophets. They are PRIDEFUL, CRUEL, and SELFISH; but THIS they
conceal beneath a form of Godliness.
They ADMIT to the possibility of MIRACLES, but MAKE THEMSELVES out to be that ‘all
important’ FAITH CONTACT you need to get those miracles. The majority of their
followers are silly women. Does anyone in
particular come to mind? I can think of a few
right away”.
What a way of showing his true colors!
“Does ANYONE in particular come to mind?”
Well… we can think of a man whose pen-name
is JAC, short for Just Another Christian, author of a book that is being
reviewed right here, right now!
Thank God we are informed by the Lord’s
messenger that:
“Now we are told that these IMPOSTORS will proceed
no further, for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, in THE SAME WAY that the folly of Jannes
and Jambres also was.”
“And no wonder, for even
Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his
servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end
will correspond to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11: 14,15).
“For he is cast into a net
by his own feet, and he walks on its mesh” (Job 18:8).