Nevertheless the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his. And, Let every one that names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
All Commentaries on 2 Timothy 2:19 Go To 2 Timothy 2
Athanasius the Apostolic
AD 373
Faith and godliness, you see, are so closely allied that they can be considered sisters. Anyone who believes in the Lord is godly, and the person who is godly believes all the more. On the other hand, one who is in a state of wrong relationships will certainly wander from the faith, and one who falls from godliness falls from the true faith. Paul, recognizing this, advised his disciples: “Avoid profane conversations, for they lead people further into ungodliness.” That is why the Ariomaniacs, being enemies of Christ, have left the church. They have dug a pit of unbelief into which they themselves have fallen…. The apostle Paul’s words against Philetus and Hymenaeus stand as a warning against ungodliness such as that of the Arians: “God’s foundation is firm, bearing this seed: ‘The Lord knows his own people’ and ‘Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.’ ”
