In 2 Timothy 3:5, the Apostle Paul gives a clear warning about people who look devout but aren’t. He says they have “a form of godliness but deny its power” and tells believers to “avoid such people.” This behavior—a show of outward religiosity without any real change—poses a big threat to true faith. Let’s dig into what Paul means and why it matters today.

Paul’s main concern is to protect true faith from being ruined by fake believers. In 2 Timothy 2:22-25, he advises Timothy to go after righteousness, faith, love, and peace while staying away from pointless arguments that lead to fights. He says, “The Lord’s servant must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition” (2 Timothy 2:24-25, NKJV). Paul then describes how people will behave in the last days: “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” (2 Timothy 3:2-4, NKJV).

These people look godly on the outside but have no real power or transformation inside. They have “a form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5, NKJV). They do religious acts and say holy things, but their lives remain unchanged by God’s true power. This hypocrisy is dangerous because it can mislead others, especially those who are “weak-willed and loaded down with sins” (2 Timothy 3:6-7, NKJV).

In the last few years, I have seen a rapid decline in genuine, powerful faith. Many people seem to have faith but speak out of both sides of their mouth—looking good to others while secretly doing evil. When these hypocrites are exposed, they damage the church’s reputation and make outsiders avoid anything related to church or “Christian.”

Paul explains this further in Titus 1:16: “They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work” (NKJV). True godliness is marked by the Holy Spirit, who helps believers reject ungodliness and worldly passions and live upright, godly lives (Titus 2:11-12, NKJV). This change shows God’s power within us.

When we truly embrace God’s power, our lives show it through the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23, NKJV). But those who just perform religious acts without real change deny God’s power. Their actions show them as false believers.

Paul’s instruction to “avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:5, NKJV) underscores the need for careful discernment. Not everyone who claims to follow Christ truly does. Jesus warned, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21, NKJV). The real test of faith is the fruit of one’s life.

While all believers sin and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23, NKJV), true believers strive for repentance and change. False believers continue in unrepentant sin, showing a lack of real change. This difference is key to understanding Paul’s warning.

Paul also warns about false teachers who deceive themselves and lead others astray. In 2 Timothy 3:8-9, he compares them to Jannes and Jambres, who opposed Moses, and says their folly will become clear to everyone. This highlights the importance of knowing Scripture to spot these deceivers.

Regular study of God’s Word, prayer, and fellowship with other believers are essential to understanding and recognizing these false godliness. By staying rooted in the truth, believers can protect their faith from the subtle deceptions Paul warns about, ensuring they remain steadfast and true in their walk with Christ.

—Josh Mullins—