minded, lovers of
pleasure more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but
denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

Every word of this prophecy is worthy of most careful study in the light
of the present tendency of society. The fifth verse is especially
important in connection with the subject of counterfeits to the truth:
"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such
turn away." Here it is stated that in these last days forms of
godliness shall appear which, however, deny the power of God; and from
these leaders the believer is warned to turn away. The important element
in the true faith which is to be omitted in these "forms" is carefully
defined elsewhere in Scripture: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of
Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that
believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Rom. I:16). "But we
preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the
Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (I Cor. I:23,
24). Therefore, that which is omitted so carefully from these forms is
the salvation which is in Christ. This is most suggestive, for "there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,"
and it is by salvation alone that any deliverance can be had from the
power of darkness. Without this salvation Satan can still claim all his
own. It is perhaps necessary to add that, judging from all his writings,
this salvation, of which Paul confesses he was not ashamed, was no less
an undertaking than regeneration by the Spirit; and whatever other
theories may be advanced, this is the teaching of the Spirit through the
Apostle Paul.

It, therefore, follows that one feature of the last days will be a form
of godliness which carefully denies the power of God in salvation.

Again, Satan is "in the latter times" to be the promotor of a system of
truth or doctrine: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the
latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having
their conscience seared with a hot iron;" (I Tim. 4:1, 2). These
predicted Satanic systems are here carefully described. Their offers
will be so attractive and externally so religious that into them will be
drawn some "who shall depart from the faith;" they being enticed