Idolatry In The New Testament: Greco
When we think of idolatry we often think of the idols of the Old Testament, as it has been described above. Yet the threat of idolatry did not diminish as the years went by. The same temptations occur in the New Testament, although less explicitly. The Greco-Roman world had a tapestry of gods, from Jupiter to Venus. The spread of the Christian faith, through the proclamation of the apostles, occurred against this polytheistic backdrop. We see this most poignantly in Pauls visit to Athens. Here, Paul observes the various altars dedicated to this multiplicity of deities. Paul even spies an altar set up for an unknown God . Paul uses this as an opportunity to preach the gospel, and the unique salvation offered by Christ.
Within the Roman empire, the chief idol of the day was Caesar himself. For the Romans, Caesar held divine status. In fact, the creed of the Romans was Caesar is Lord. This was both a political statement as well as a spiritual one. It was for this reason that the Christian proclamation that Jesus is Lord was considered so problematic, and counter-cultural. Not only did it undercut Caesars political role, but it also denied his divine status. One could not believe in Jesus and, at the same time, ascribe to the lordship of Caesar.
What The Scriptures Say About Idols
In the Scripture, idolatry is regarded as of heathen origin, and as being imported into the midst of the Hebrews through their contact with nations who were ignorant about the existence of the One True God. Idolatry is mentioned for the first time in the Bible in the account of Rachel stealing her fathers teraphim . These were the relics of the worship of other gods by Labans progenitors on the other side of the river in old time . During their stay in Egypt which lasted for long, the Hebrews were introduced to idolatry. It was long before they were delivered from these evil practices which they picked from other nations . They also suffered much from Gods anger due to this sin.
The first and second commandments speak against idolatry in all forms. Both individuals and communities were equally amenable to the rigorous code. As we can read from Exodus 22:20, the individual offender was devoted to destruction. Behold, his nearest relatives were not only bound to denounce him and set him up for punishment , but their hands were to strike the first blow. If the individual offenders practice was witnessed by at least two people, he was stoned . Attempting to seduce others to false worship was a crime of equal intensity . Idolatrous nations also shared the same fate. The Old Testament strongly holds to the fact that the extermination of the Canaanites was the punishment for their idolatry . Jeremiah 2:17 says that the calamities of the Israelites were due to the same cause.
Lie #: Youre Strong Enough To Do It On Your Own You Dont Need Anybody
This lie almost ties in with Lie #1. When were stuck on thinking that we are number one, there’s no doubt in our minds that we can do everything on our own. Or so we think.
The problem with this is that we werent created to be an island. God didnt create us to be alone, survive alone, and need no one else.
Remember that part of the Bible where God said it wasnt good for man to be alone ? We need each other no matter how much brains, beauty, or brawn we have. We were meant to be a community, cultivate goldy friendships, and walk out our spiritual gifts to the benefit of fellow believers .
I am the vine, you are the branches the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
The mentality that we can do all things on our own takes the Lord out of the equation.
When we think this way, we put ourselves in a place where we act as though we are as all-knowing, all-powerful, and as wise as God. We come to believe that we know whats best for our lives 100% of the time, and whats best for others.
Instead, the Lord calls us to bear one anothers burdens , love, rejoice with, and be devoted to one another, among many other things .
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The Ten Commandments/you Shall Not Make For Yourself An Idol
You shall not make for yourself an idol is an abbreviated form of one of the Ten Commandments which, according to the book of Deuteronomy, were spoken by God to Israel and then written on stone tablets by God himself.
You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:4-6
Who may ascend the hill of Yahweh? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from Yahweh and vindication from God his Savior.
The Nt Also Warns Christs Followers Against Idolatry
- Idolatry can be seen in various forms today. It is clearly evident in the false religions of the world, as well as in sorcery , satanism and other forms of the occult. It is also present when people give themselves over to greed and materialism rather than trusting in God alone. In fact, idolatry is an issue whenever anything in a persons life takes priority over God. Finally, it occurs within the church when people believe they can serve God and experience his salvation and blessings and at the same time participate in the immoral and wicked practices of the world.
- As a result, the New Testament warns us not to be greedy, immoral, or to desire what belongs to others , but rather to flee from all forms of idolatry . God makes it very clear that those who engage in any form of idolatry will have no part in His kingdom .
Where have idols popped up in your own life? Tell us in the comments below!
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Religious Tolerance And Intolerance
The term false god is often used throughout the Abrahamic scriptures to compare Yahweh or Elohim/Allah as the only true God. Nevertheless, the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament itself recognizes and reports that originally the Israelites were not monotheists but actively engaged in idolatry and worshipped many foreign, non-Jewish Gods besides Yahweh and/or instead of him, such as Baal, Astarte, Asherah, Chemosh, Dagon, Moloch, Tammuz, and more, and continued to do so until their return from the Babylonian exile . Judaism, the oldest Abrahamic religion, eventually shifted into a strict, exclusive monotheism, based on the sole veneration of Yahweh, the predecessor to the Abrahamic conception of God.
The vast majority of religions in history have been and/or are still polytheistic, worshipping many diverse deities. Moreover, the material depiction of a deity or more deities has always played an eminent role in all cultures of the world. The claim to worship the “one and only true God” came to most of the world with the arrival of Abrahamic religions and is the distinguishing characteristic of their monotheistic worldview, whereas virtually all the other religions in the world have been and/or are still animistic and polytheistic.
You Become Like Your Idol
It doesnt matter whether you believe it or not. You will become like what you worship. Those who spend their lives worshiping God are filled with the Spirit and its evident in their life. When you make something your idol you become consumed by it. What do you mostly talk about it? There is your idol. What do you mostly think about? There is your idol.
Worship is a powerful thing. It changes your entire being. Sadly, worship is used for bad more than good. Why do you think teens are dressing immodestly? Their gods on TV are dressing immodestly. Why do you think women are seeking plastic surgeons? They want to look like their idols.
The more that you are influenced by your idol the less content you become. Our idols tell us were not good enough the way we are. That is why many people try to look and act like their favorite celebrities. Idols dont know your worth, but Christ thought you were to die for.
Its a horrible thing once we fall into the trap of worshiping things over God because you get deeper and deeper involved in them. This is one of the reasons that it is hard for those who are involved in voodoo to turn from their wickedness. Idol worship blinds you to the truth. For many of us idols have become a way of life and we probably have been so consumed by them that we didnt even know that they have become idols.
13. Psalm 115:8 Those who make them become like them so do all who trust in them.
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Idolatry In The Old Testament: Baal Molek And Other Idol
Israel constantly struggled in their faithful allegiance to Yahweh. Despite the Lord acting powerfully for them, Israel regularly flirted with foreign deities. The temptation was to adopt the religious and spiritual practices of the neighboring nations. Time and again, God reminded Israel of the unique identity of God for them, exhorting the people to remain faithful. For example, the Ten Commandments begin with the call to remember the identity of God, followed by a specific commandment against idolatry: I am the Lord your God who brought you up out of Egypt. You shall have no other Gods but me . The rest of the commandments necessarily flow from this primary one. From their journey through the desert through the time of the prophets, the Lord continually reminded Israel of the dangers of idolatry.
Throughout the Old Testament, we see references to these idol-gods. Chemosh, Dagon, Asherah, and others, are frequently mentioned as temptations to Israels faithfulness. In each instance, these idols threaten the single-hearted devotion that God requires of Gods people. And yet, despite these times of idolatry, the Lord remains faithful. God keeps his covenant with Israel again and again.
Is Praying To Mary Idolatry
They point to statues of Mary in Catholic churches and Catholics praying the Hail Mary as indisputable evidence of idolatry, blasphemy or other heresies. But although many condemn Catholics’ treatment of Mary as straying from biblical truths, the truth is Marian devotion is firmly rooted in biblical teachings.
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What The Bible Does Say
What the Bible does make clear in 1 Peter and Ephesians 5 is that wives are to respect and submit to their husbands as unto the Lord. It says that husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church.
Both husbands and wives are to look to Jesus to be their everything not each other. Christ is the only One who is capable and able to be our all in all.
Lie #: Work/producing An Income Is The Most Important Thing
Work is something that is honored in the Bible. God gave Adam the job of working and tending to the land in the Garden of Eden , many men in the Old Testament were shepherds, Paul was a tentmaker, and many of Jesuss disciples were fishermen.
Not only this, but there are numerous Proverbs that speak of the importance of working, providing for your family, and not being idle .
The Lord values work and He has given us the capacity to do so.
But, we can easily place our job and careers at the forefront of our lives. When we get to the point where work always comes first over our spouse, children, and ministries the Lord has called us to that is when we need to shift our mindset. As important as it is to provide for our family, especially if you are a single mom, we need to remember that ultimately God is our Provider and He will supply us with all that we need.
The key is staying close to Him and listening to His promptings. If we ask Him, He will let us know if and when we need to back off a bit, how we need to prioritize our schedule, and how to create a work and family balance that glorifies Him.
Our job is a means to an end. It is not eternal. Yes, we can be a witness to those in our workplace, but we need to be faithful to all of the areas of our lives that the Lord has called us to, not just the one that produces income.
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Bible Verses About Idolatry
You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it for I am the Lord your God.
You shall have no other gods before Me.You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.You shall not worship them or serve them for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,read more.but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.
Those who regard vain idolsForsake their faithfulness,
The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood,Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Bible Verses About Idols
You shall not make for yourselves idols, nor shall you set up for yourselves an image or a sacred pillar, nor shall you place a figured stone in your land to bow down to it for I am the Lord your God.
When you become the father of children and childrens children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of the Lord your God so as to provoke Him to anger,
You shall make for yourself no molten gods.
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What Is Idolatry In The Bible And What Is An Idol
So what is an idol? An idol is when something or someone becomes more important to us than God. Even good things can become idols when we make them the most important things in our lives. Anything, or anyone, can become an idol if we put its value above our value to God.
In ancient times, idolatry was bowing down to worship a golden statue.Todayâs idols look different, sometimes our identity, our work, or technology can become an idol for us. Everything that becomes more important to us than God becomes an idol, and we all have them. Todayâs idolatry may look different, but it is all around us.
Idolatry is alive and well today, and we are all prone to having idols in our lives.
So what is idolatry in the bible and what does the scriptures say about these modern-day idols?
Christian Quotes About Idolatry
If you want to follow Jesus because He will give you a better life, thats IDOLATRY. Follow Christ for the sake of Christ. He is WORTHY. Paul Washer.
Idolatry is seeking security and meaning in someone or something other than God.
For what is idolatry if not this: to worship the gifts in place of the Giver himself? John Calvin.
False gods patiently endure the existence of other false gods. Dagon can stand with Bel, and Bel with Ashtaroth how should stone, and wood, and silver, be moved to indignation but because God is the only living and true God, Dagon must fall before His ark Bel must be broken, and Ashtaroth must be consumed with fire. Charles Spurgeon
An idol of the mind is as offensive to God as an idol of the hand. A.W. Tozer
We make a god out of whatever we find most joy in. So, find your joy in God and be done with all idolatry. John Piper.
If we make an idol of any creature, wealth, or pleasure, or honour if we place our happiness in it, and promise ourselves the comfort and satisfaction in it which are to be had in God only if we make it our joy and love, our hope and confidence, we shall find it a cistern, which we take a great deal of pains to hew out and fill, and at the best it will hold but a little water, and that dead and flat, and soon corrupting and becoming nauseous . Matthew Henry
As long as you want anything very much, especially more than you want God, it is an idol. A.B. Simpson
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