“2 For men will be lovers of themselves … 4 of pleasure rather than lovers of God 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!”

Cause

Verse 2 explains the cause of this behaviour, when people cease to adore God, and instead adore themselves and their pleasures. The outward appearances of worship form a necessary part of this self-adoration, to give people a feeling of being good, worthy, and superior, and those appearances may also provide some social respect. The forum for worship also provides a platform for people to promote their own interests and alternative beliefs and idols.
This can be a temptation for all of us. Through worship God can give many blessings, but when our enjoyment of worship becomes our focus, that can tempt us to turn our concern onto ourselves.

Modern Examples

I recently saw part of a YouTube video in which a female Presbyterian minister from Canada was preaching that God had been wrong in Genesis 3, that Eve had been correct in her advice to Adam, and the gift of knowledge was woman’s contribution to mankind!
I also saw examples where worship was turned into spectacular forms of entertainment; like the minister doing crowd surfing, and a musical play with the person of Christ dressed as Batman, and a service where people were asked to wear pink to watch the Ken & Barbie movie and then hear an explanation of its spiritual messages!
Another example is where the focus is not on the gospel, but on using wisdom from the bible for self-help advice on how to cope with life’s difficulties, with no mention of sin or salvation. It’s treating the bible in a similar way to the old 1977 book “Pulling Your Own Strings”.
Or the message can be reduced to psychology or sociology. About forty years ago I read an article by a Sociology Professor whose book had been a set text for a subject I studied; he complained about his pastor giving sermons which were simply talks on Sociology of a very amateur standard.
I also read a recent review of the King’s Christmas message, which viewed his praise of the attitude or emotion of faith in people regardless of their beliefs as actually being disbelief in the Christian church of which he is the nominal leader.

Reflection

When the focus becomes self, church offers nothing different to the world outside, except the wider world usually does “self” better. So, it’s not surprising the fastest falling membership for churches are in those mainstream denominations that have ceased to preach the clear and simple truths of the gospel.
There is a warning here to turn away from such people. The danger they present is worse than simply turning away from God’s word, for they block those who might search for God’s truth. They give a false, self-centred focus, which makes it difficult for us to hear the meaning which the Holy Spirit would give as we read God’s word.
People like us need to hear the alarming truth – that we are now basking in God’s patience and the blessings He provides in His grace. But for those who resolutely choose to reject His gift of salvation in Jesus, who choose to stay in sin and separate themselves from Him, eventually God will allow them to have their way. And that state of separation from God is called Hell.

May God protect us and keep us in the simple truth of his word.