A form of the real thing

2 Timothy 3:5 states, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Years ago, during our early years of marriage, my wife and I went over to visit my parents at their house. I didn’t know it, but my brother was there, as well. He had been helping my father fix some items in the bathroom. It was a pleasant surprise as we pulled up in the driveway to see my brother’s car there. I knocked on the door, but no one heard us, or so we thought.

As I opened the door and asked, “Hello, anybody home?” my father yelled back that they were in the bathroom. I walked towards the bathroom, and as I rounded the corner in the hallway, my dad introduced me to a short, bald-headed gentleman with an earring in his ear. Due to the poor lighting, I didn’t catch the fact that it was my brother wearing a mask. I shook the man’s hand and introduced myself, whereupon my father and brother started howling with laughter because they had pulled off a “big one” on me. (If the Mr. Clean character ever had a twin, my brother was it!) To this day we occasionally recount that situation and heartily laugh.

It’s easy to deceive and sometimes even easier to be deceived. There are those in churches that feign themselves as a Christian, when in reality, they are not truly saved. They dress, talk, and “walk the walk,” but really have a mask on because they are not truly right with God. How about you, my friend? Are you truly, scripturally right with God or just wearing a mask?

Think about it.

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