Denying The Power Thereof

 Temple Baptist Church - 7-13-2025

2 Timothy 3:1-5

 

Introduction:

 

A.  As Paul writes to Timothy in this second epistle, he describes the characteristics of religion 2,000 years ago.  Religion, not salvation!  These verses describe what is going on in America, in our state, in our city, and in our local communities. 

 

B.  As we left for church this morning, most of our neighbors, who claim to be members of or affiliated with some church or denomination, will stay at home and treat Sunday as just another day off, a day for personal pleasure and entertainment.

 

C.  Paul’s description of these individuals paints a picture of what we face today. 

 

D.  Paul’s admonition is “from such turn away.”  We live in days of “universal acceptance” and “political correctness” instead of spiritual separation. 

 

1.  Religion says, “It does not matter where you go to church as long as you go to church.”  It does matter where you go to church! 

 

2.  Religion says, “It does not matter what you believe as long as you go to church.”  Religion says, “Doctrine divides but love unifies.”  It does matter what you believe.

 

E.  Fear of God is gone, morals are gone, national pride is gone, common sense is dead, religion is hodge-podge, and an old-fashioned conversion is a rarity. 

 

F.  I believe that it all “boils down to this: “denying the power thereof!” Religion without the Power of Change. 

 

1.  The Holy Spirit used the word “denying,” which means to refuse, reject, contradict, or change.  This world has heard and known the Truth, but is in a constant state of denying it. 

 

2.  THE WORLD DOES NOT WANT WHAT WE HAVE, therefore, they refuse it and contradict it and change it.  Romans 1:25 says, “Who changed the truth of God into a lie.” 

 

G.  The word “thereof” is intriguing. It originates from a root meaning “to breathe unconsciously.” Breathing involves two main parts: inspiration, or drawing air in, and expiration, or breathing air out. 

 

H.  Breathing is one of the body’s Autonomic Responses of the nervous system: heart beat and breathing are two of the most significant of these responses. 

 

1.  These are things that we do without thinking.  The beat of the heart is the more regulated of the two as, when, you think about it, you can hold your breath or change the way that you breathe. 

 

2.  Thus it is with the life of the child of God.  We are new creatures by birth and have a new nature that is an Autonomic Response to the work of the New Birth. 

 

J.  Thus the word “thereof.”  As a legal term, one of its meanings is “from that” or “because of that.” 

 

K.  In contrast to those in the previous verses who profess Christ, but their lives deny the influence of biblical salvation, we see these two words, “power thereof” that salvation:

 

L.  Salvation is a Powerful experience.  A “change of life” is ALWAYS there when one gets saved because it is “breathed out unconsciously.”  We do not necessarily feel a change but, suddenly, things take on a different perspective.  Change in the life of the believer is a natural part of our salvation.

 

M.  I want to look at the “power thereof” for a few minutes.  Things in our lives that automatically take place.

 

1.  The Power of Conversion.  The world wants “A Salvation without a Conversion.”  True biblical salvation ALWAYS makes a change in your life! 

 

2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.  (Raised to walk in newness of life.)

 

a.  A changed life.  We act differently.  Conversion is an automatic response as it is done spiritually without thinking.  When I was saved, something forever changed in our lives, and we did not realize it.  Get saved and your life will NEVER be the same!

 

b.  A changed mind.  We think differently.  We see things of the world through spiritual eyes.

 

c.  A changed desire.  We desire differently.  “For to me to live is Christ.”  We do not want the old life any longer.

 

2.  The Power of Conviction.  The world wants “A Spirit without Conviction.”  When we are saved, the Holy Ghost of God begins to dwell within us. 

 

John 16:13-14  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.  (14)  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 

a.  A sensitivity to sin.  When we sin, we know it because we become sensitive to it.

 

b.  A conviction about sin.  Sinfulness becomes wrong to the child of God.

 

c.  A desire to change from sin.  A turning away from sin to Christ.

 

3.  The Power of Conformity.  The world wants “A Scripture without Commandment.”  If the Bible is the pure Word of God, and it is, then it demands obedience.

 

Philippians 3:8-11  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,  (9)  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:  (10)  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;  (11)  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

 

a.  Conformity to the Son of God.

 

b.  Conformity to the Word of God.

 

4.  The Power of Continuance.  The world wants “A Security without Cost.”  Biblical salvation is eternal and free, BUT it will cost you the world!

 

John 6:67-68  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?  (68)  Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

 

a.  Where will we go?  We cannot, by the grace of God, we will not go back to where God found us!

 

b.  To follow Christ has a cost but the price must be willingly paid!