If the long and awful list of the evil characteristics of the last days, were extracted

from the epistle, and presented to any one unacquainted with the teaching of the

Scriptures, and he were asked, whether men exhibiting such an array of blasphemous,

unholy and wicked traits could be "religious" or manifest any interest whatever in

"religion", we should expect the answer to be an emphatic "No!"  Yet the apostle

follows this dreadful catalogue of wickedness with the words "having a form of

godliness" (II Tim. 3: 5), and later that they were "ever learning" although never coming

to a knowledge of the truth (II Tim. 3: 7).

Reverting to Pagan times, as revealed in the first chapter of Romans, we learn that the

heart of the apostasy that took place in heathendom was that they:--

Men did not become atheists, they became idolators, they did not renounce "worship",

they worshipped the creature rather than the Creator. They did not declare themselves

independent, they changed the truth for a lie and "served" other gods. This has been the

outstanding character of Satanic opposition since time began, it reaches it climax in the

day of the Lord, when the Dragon at length receives world-wide worship (Rev. 13: 4).

We are apt to limit idolatry to the worship of idols made of wood, stone or metal, but

Paul tells us in the epistle to the Galatians that "idolatry" is one of the works of the flesh,

while Col. 3: 5 says that "covetousness is idolatry", and Eph. 5: 5, that a covetous

man is an idolator. The apostle John even, did not believe it to be unseemly to conclude

his wonderful epistle with the exhortation "little children keep yourselves from idols"

(I John 5: 21), consequently, though faith be denied and truth resisted, though the good is

despised and pleasure enthroned, a "form of godliness" will be retained. Satan travesties

truth. Truth is exchanged for the lie, "substitution" in this evil sense is fundamental to

apostasy, therefore as we find in the first chapter the apostle urging Timothy to "hold fast

the form of sound words", so in the third chapter we learn that even in the last days a

form of godliness will be retained. There are, however, essential differences. The

"form" of II Tim. 1: 13 is hupotuposis "a pattern"., whereas the form of II Tim. 3: 5 is

morphosis "form without substance", and is used in Rom. 2: 20 in the charge laid

against the Jew, who though he had "a form of knowledge" yet failed to obey its precepts

With the "form" of sound words which Paul advocated, were the saving

accompaniments of "faith and love", but it is written concerning those who have a "form"

of godliness in the last days, that they "deny" the power thereof. The word "thereof"