THE EVOLUTION OF IDOLATRY? -- CULTIVATING A HEART OF WORSHIP (Part 2) -- The Striking Contrast Between the Proud and the Righteous (Part 7) -- Habakkuk Lesson 14
One hot topic issue today involving idolatry, no true Christian would dispute: Abortion (the worship of self, one's own body, and thinking one can choose her own future). Those who worshipped at the altar of Molech of ancient days have nothing over the abortionists of our land. That is just one instance of blatant idolatry. But this post will be more focused on the idolatry of Christians. Yes, Christians. Real Christians. Our text is found in the second chapter of Habakkuk.
"What profit is the idol when its maker has carved it, or an image, a teacher of falsehood? For its maker trusts in his own handiwork when he fashions speechless idols. Woe to him who says to a piece of wood, 'Awake!' To a mute stone, 'Arise!' And that is your teacher? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all inside it. But the Lord is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him." Habakkuk 2:18-20
J.C. Philpot said: What is an idol? Is not this the essence of the idea conveyed by the word, that an idol occupies that place in our esteem and affections, in our thoughts, words and ways, in our dependence and reliance, in our worship and devotedness, which is due to God only? Whatever is to us what the Lord alone should be, that is to us an idol. It is true that these idols differ almost as widely as the peculiar propensities of different individuals. But as both in ancient and modern times the grosser idols of wood and stone were and are beyond all calculation in number, variety, shape, and size, so is it in these inner idols of which the outer are mere symbols and representations. J.C. Philpot sermon Philpot goes on to talk about the idolatry of Christians saying that idolatry is the very breath of the carnal mind.
One might say that you would have to be blind to miss the warnings throughout Scripture against idolatry. And, spiritually speaking, that one is blind. 1 John 5:21--Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. Proverbs 4:23--Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life. WE ALL HAVE IDOLS! WE ARE ALL IDOLATERS AT HEART. So, these words in Habakkuk, my dearest friend, are directed to you and to me. We are positionally in the category of those who have been made righteous, but practically, we still have a lot of pride in our hearts. We must each root out the idols of our own hearts. Some lie on the surface, and others are so deeply embedded we need the help of the Spirit working through others to expose them for our much needed work of repentance in crucifying them. What are they? Ask: What is it that I most love? What do I most often find myself thinking about? Your idols may not be mine nor mine yours. I may be tempted to look down my nose at your idolatry thinking in my heart: How foolish! Why can't she see it? (Pride! Out, damn log!!!)
Last blog we talked about worship. Idolatry is worship--albeit false worship. We talked of the importance of knowing our great God if we are to worship rightly. The only way to know God is to study His revelation of Himself in His Word.
Romans 1 says that all creation points to God as the Creator of everything. Though God is Spirit, His creation puts God's invisible attributes on display for the whole world to see. Creation points to the fact that there had to be a Creator just as a baby was never dropped from the sky or delivered by a stork. There had to be parents! Since the creation (all that the creation is) has a Creator, the creation can never be worshiped. We worship what is on or over the throne of our own hearts. True worship, therefore, is God-centered. It is reserved for God alone. Understanding that God is the Creator leaves every man without excuse on judgment day for failing to get to know God and to worship Him rightly. God wants a relationship with His people. Because the revelation in creation doesn't give us enough to form a relationship with God (without knowledge of who God is from His Word, marveling at the majesty of creation still demands we make a god in our own image according to our liking), we must turn to God's Word to get to know Him.
How many adoptees have the innate desire and longing to know their birth parents? As the One who created us, we should want to get to know our God. If someone does not want to know God, and has no desire for His Word, it can only be because sin has blinded the eyes of his or her heart until that veil is removed in Christ.
There is only One Creator of the universe. Consequently, God is set apart from or distinct from His creation as holy. He is also omnipotent (all-powerful), omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (everywhere), eternal (no beginning or end), and righteous (everything He does is right...He is perfect). He is Sovereign which means He controls every facet of His creation.
This God, who is like no other, is glorious! His glory puts His holiness on display. When God's glory is spoken of in Scripture, it is speaking of the idea of weightiness. In fact, God's glory is the most important thing in all the universe. God, because He is God, is the ultimate authority over His creation. Last time we talked about how our life is part of our worship. I will never forget a teacher at a Christian university telling the newbies, "Everything is worship!" It struck a chord with me. That was 13 years ago, but I can still hear the passion in his voice. When we live for God's glory, our life is telling the world that He is the most important person in our lives. What God says determines every facet of our lives. Today people say, "Speak your truth." IT DOESN'T MATTER ONE LITTLE BIT WHAT YOUR TRUTH IS. Truth is what God says it is, for God is THE Truth. When we have been given spiritual eyes to see God's glory, the only right response is worship!
Hebrews 12:18-29 Focusing on the last portion of that text we read: Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire. And, Romans 12:1--Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
Having just studied 1 Kings, this last part of Hebrews 12 makes me think of the showdown on Mt. Carmel between God and Baal. Elijah has waited patiently while Baal failed to show up for his 'worshippers'. Elijah builds an altar to the Lord and does everything humanly possible to inhibit any other ordinary supposed 'god' from being able to consume the offering. Elijah calls on God. Immediately, "the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, "The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God." (1 Kings 18:38-39)
What I want to see in the Hebrews 12 passage are elements of worship: (Why?) From a heart of gratitude. (What?) offering to God acceptable service. (How?) With reverence and awe. (What?) Our God is a consuming fire.
In the Romans 12 passage: (Who?) only the children of God can participate in true worship; (How?) by the mercies of God who saved us; (How?) present bodies a living and holy sacrifice (i.e., obedient lives that crucify the flesh as a way of life); (What?) acceptable to God; (Why?) our spiritual service of worship.
Romans 1:18-32 Why so many religions? Why so much controversy surrounding religion? Why do we get so defensive or offended when someone questions our religion?
Why so many religions? In reality, there are only two. Romans 1 says we either worship and serve the creature or the Creator. Stop and think about that for a moment because it is the discerning line between true worship and false worship. Who is at the center of worship? The created or the Creator? I will give you a personal example. Roman Catholics would say it is Christ because of what they call the eucharist. Encyclopedia Britannica says of the eucharist: "The Eucharist (from the Greek eucharistia for "thanksgiving") is the central act of Christian worship and is practiced by most Christian churches in some form." Britannica/Eucharist The problem is that when the priest holds up the communion wafer (the 'host') it does not mean the same for all Christian churches. The Bible never says that the wafer is the literal body and blood of Christ. It is false worship to believe otherwise.
Why is there so much controversy surrounding religion? Why do we get so defensive or offended when someone questions our religion?
God has revealed Himself in Scripture. Jesus is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. (2 Peter 1:3) We have been given the Truth. God says that those who refuse to believe it are suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. This is the heart of pride. John 3:19 says: This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. Those who refuse the Light of the truth about God do so because they love the darkness (their sin). Unbelief is a moral issue at heart. These are without excuse and are under the judgment of God. They know there is a God who is Creator, yet they refuse to honor Him as God (submitting themselves to His authority for their life) or give thanks. Refusing to give Him glory as their Creator and God, what do they do? Professing to be wise, they become fools and exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
In that downward spiral of depravity of Romans 1:18-32 we see over and over that because of what man chooses over God, God gives him over to the lusts of his hearts because he exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator. God gave them over to degrading passions (homosexuality) and depraved minds resulting in improper or sinful behavior. And even though they know that those who practice these things are worthy of death, they not only do the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them. True believers in our country cry out: Lord help us! Forgive us! Have mercy on us!
The bottom line reason people get so offended when someone questions their religion or religious practices can only be attributed to their disobedience in worshipping and serving the creature. Karla, how can you say that? I say that because those who truly desire to worship in truth and spirit (John 4:24) are teachable and want to know the truth because the deepest desire of their hearts is to glorify God according to the truth of His Word.
Lastly, why do matters of religion go to the very core of who we are? Because all of God's creation was made to worship. Man was created for God's own glory. Our ultimate purpose is to glorify God and not ourselves. Social media with all its 'selfies' would adamantly disagree. My body, my choice? Sounds like something a three-year old just knows to say. The sinful nature of man we were all born with refuses to worship God but wants to be his or her own god and worship at the altar of me, myself, and I, aka 'You can't tell me what to do!'.
Instead, the righteous cry out in joyful agreement with the psalmist. Psalm 100:2-3-- Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God' it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Do you see worship here? Do you see the very heart of worship here?
Because true worship is the essence of who we are as His created beings, we will wrap this up in one more post next time. Blessings!
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