Lovers of pleasure (5369) philedonos

Lovers of pleasure (5369) (philedonos from phílos = friend or loving + hedone = pleasure from hedos = delight, enjoyment and the related verb hedomai = to have sensual pleasure). Hedone gives us our English word hedonism which is the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life. Philedonos is used in a bad sense of what is against God and spiritually destructive to oneself. These men are intent on pleasure, abandoned to (sensual) pleasure and pleasure-loving. This word describes well the self-absorbed, self-gratifying orbit of the ungodly. Pascal once wrote that in every man's heart is a "God-shaped vacuum," yet men will continue to fill this vacuum with the god called "pleasure." Christ Himself said of these days, "Because lawlessness (or iniquity) will abound, the love of many will grow cold." Mt 24:12. Americans spend $600.00 on luxuries for every $1.00 they give to missions. More money is spent on tobacco each year than both the U.S. and Canada have spent on missions since the discovery of America! "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?" Haggai 1:4. The list ends, as it began, with those whose love has become so misdirected that they can only think of their own desires. They love their own pleasures, are wholly controlled by them and are unwilling to make any sacrifice for temporal pleasures. They put devotion to self-satisfaction above devotion to God. Love for God is not a controlling motive in their lives. The series began with their love of self and ends with a lack of love from God. Their love of self with all its attendant evils shuts out any genuine love for God. (Hiebert) INSTEAD OF LOVERS OF GOD: para mallon e philotheoi: (Ro 16:18; Php 3:18;3:19 1Ti 5:6; 2Pe 2:13;2:15 Jude 4 Jude 19) Lovers of God (5377) (philotheos from phílos = friend or loving + Theós = God) In other words, the true God has no place at all in the thinking and living of a false teacher or of anyone who is self-centered. They ignore the claims of God and live their life in pursuit of selfish aims that gratify the flesh. Hiebert says that... They love their own pleasures and are wholly controlled by them. They are willing to make any sacrifice for temporal pleasures but are unwilling to give up anything because of their love for God. They put devotion to self-satisfaction above devotion to God. Love for God is not a controlling motive in their lives. The series began with their love of self and ends with their lack of love for God. Their love of self with all its attendant evils shuts out any genuine love for God. ( 2 Timothy) Jesus told Nicodemus “And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil” (Jn3:19) 2 Timothy 3:5 holding (continually) (PAPMPN) to a form of godliness, although they have denied (RMPMPN) its power; Avoid (shun continually) (2SPMM) such men as these. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: echontes (PAPMPN) morphosin eusebeias ten de dunamin autes ernemenoi; (RMPMPN) kai toutous apotrepou. (2SPMM) Amplified: For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them]. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) Barclay: They will maintain the outward form of religion, but they will deny its power. Avoid such people (Westminster Press) GWT: They will appear to have a godly life, but they will not let its power change them. Stay away from such people. (GWT) KJV: Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. NJB: They will keep up the outward appearance of religion but will have rejected the inner power of it. Keep away from people like that. NLT: They will act as if they are religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. You must stay away from people like that. (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: They will maintain a facade of "religion", but their conduct will deny its validity. You must keep clear of people like this. (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: having a mere outward semblance of piety toward God but denying the power of the same. And these be constantly shunning. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: having a form of piety, and its power having denied; and from these be turning away, HOLDING TO A FORM (outward appearance): echontes (PAPMPN) morphosin: (Isa 29:13; 48:1,2; 58:1, 2 ,3; Eze 33:30;33:31, 32 Mt 7:15; 23:27; 28 Ro 2:20, 21, 22, 23, 24; 1Ti 5:8; Titus 1:16) (See 2 excellent sermons on this topic Formalism by Ryle, Form of Godliness w/o the Power by Spurgeon ) They will maintain a facade of religion (Phillips) They will appear to have a godly life (GWT) They will keep up a make-believe of piety and yet exclude its power (Weymouth) Though they keep up a form of religion, they will have nothing to do with it as a force (Moffatt) It is important to see here that the flesh can put on a show of godliness while in fact being utterly devoid of true spirituality. Mark it well that these men are not self-acknowledged pagans but rather professed adherents of Christianity. Their form of godliness is a shell which looks at first glance as if it corresponds to the essence, but there is a lack of genuine substance. Holding (2192) (echo) means to have, hold, possess and in the present tense means this is their lifestyle, their habitual practice. The present tense describes this this "spiritual masquerade" to be their lifestyle! "Go to the page below to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/2_timothy_33-5.htm#lovers

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Lovers of pleasure (5369) philedonos

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