In his second letter to Timothy, Paul spoke of those "having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof" (II Tim. 3:5). Before the writer knew of Christian Science these words seemed to carry a condemnation of contemporary churchgoers of all denominations. It is sad to realize that many do not even expect the wonderful divine power used by the early Christian Church to operate today.
This viewpoint is not new, for Paul found it to be the view of some so-called believers, who had slipped back into old sins, and he warned Timothy, "From such turn away." But this hateful influence is as insidious today, for it attacks clean-living people, pleasant people, those who keep the laws of their country and can be called good citizens.
If we give only lip service to God and deny that our religion has power to work in our lives for good, are we not like the heathen mentioned in the one hundred and fifteenth Psalm? Speaking of idols, the Psalmist said (verse 8), "They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them." If we have only a nebulous belief in the existence of God, without any trust in the ever-ready power of spiritual understanding, are we any better than the heathen? They have a dim hope that their gods will help them. Have present-day Christians any more faith in their God?
