“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

² For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, ⁴ Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; ⁵ Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

⁶ For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ⁷ Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth.” 2 Timothy 3:1-7

These perilous times are among us. Standing before and among the congregation, the church has allowed various forms of godliness to render the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Him crucified powerless to overcome sin.  Ever learning and never coming to the knowledge of the Truth of Who Jesus is and what He did on Calvary’s Cross to pay the penalty of sin for the sinner and break the power of sin for the Believer, they have set forth prophesying, casting out devils and doing many wonderful works all in the Name of Jesus while never understanding none of these are requirements for entering the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:21-23)…they have a form of godliness.  The Name of Jesus is nothing more than a magic talisman to these highly superstitious workers of iniquity.

“³ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

⁴ For if he that comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit, which you have not received, or another gospel, which you have not accepted, you might well bear with him.” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4

The pulpit presents a Jesus but the same pulpit denies the power of God because they ignore the Cross of Christ as the power.  They have deemed such preaching foolishness and have chosen vain philosophies to seduce the carnal Christians.  Jesus Christ is the Source and His Cross the means by which we receive from God.  Because of Who He is and what He has done on the Cross, Jesus Christ and Him crucified is the power of God to us who are saved.  Sadly, to others such preaching is foolishness and lays waste their forms of godliness.

“For the preaching of the Cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18

-Donna Clark Warren