Just a few thoughts today on idolatry

Just a few thoughts today on idolatry. Why did the people in ancient times make idols to themselves, and worship these false dieties? I mean it really doesn't make much sense in any way, on the surface at least. Well, it doesn't make any GOOD sense, period, but there is one key element involved in the equation that causes it to make sense to the mind that is inclined to do evil. That is what I would like to point out today, mainly because this key element of idolatry has not gone away. It has just changed forms, and it still bedevils the people of God today every bit as much or more than it did in the days of the great prophet Jeremiah: "For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good" (Jer. 10:3-5). My goodness, what a description of religious insanity!! There it is my friend. A god made by man, for man, and for man's own purposes. Not a single one of these idols, great or small, could even EXIST apart from man's imagination and the work of his hands. What a god! They couldn't speak, they could not do ANYTHING, good or bad. Why, they couldn't even MOVE on their own. And there were MANY idols and false gods that were worshiped by the heathen in old times, and these idols quickly became household names among God's people of Israel also. And it's quite interesting how that ALL of these "gods" had varying purposes and supposed powers, but they all had one really BIG thing in common as well. That one thing was that they ALL PROMOTED WICKED PRACTICES!! All of them sanctioned things that were contrary to the law of God, and to his holy commandments. Of course all of this was actually man-ordained, but the idols were given credit for sanctioning the practices that were common to those who were in their service. So then it was all about serving sin and the wicked spirits of this world that encourage and promote sin in the lives of men. Man just had to have gods that would accommodate and facilitate all of his pride and his worldly lusts that he so desperately wanted to hold to. And just how backward is the mind of man from the mind of God? Well, every last one of man's idols that he has EVER made, has been made in his own image, spiritually and morally at least. Not one false god in the history of the world has been made with the holy and pure love of God in mind. How about that?!

So the question becomes this: WHY DID THEY BOTHER?? If they were intent on sin, then why not just go ahead and sin? Why go to the trouble, and expense, and time of making gods to themselves? They could have just lived how they wanted to live, and spared themselves of all the trouble of going to the temples of their gods regularly, and having all that time and money invested into all of that fruitless service. This is it friend, and this is why all of these people HAD to waste all that time, money, and trouble to make and worship these vain idols: THE CONSCIENCE!! God made man with a conscience that tells him loud and clear that THERE IS A GOD ABOVE! In fact, every idol or religion that man has ever made bears glaring witness to the reality of God. And if people are not willing to come clean with God, and get seriously real with him; they will gravitate toward something that they can CALL God, that will give them justification for their sinful ways. It takes a lot to completely extinguish the conscience in a man. God is just that good, and that merciful, to ensure that man has every chance till the end to get right with him and be spared eternal damnation. So as long as there is a conscience in man, and as long as he still wants to live apart from God's holiness, there will ALWAYS be idolatry. The world today is full of idolatrous worship and service to vain "gods," and sadly that idolatry is overly abundant among God's own people who have come into covenant with him through the baptism that Jesus suffered, died, and rose again, to make available and to administer (I Cor. 12:13; Heb. 10:14:17). That is correct, I am saying that the body of Christ is bowed down backward by the idolatrous worship and service that has been dictated to it by the religion that projects a very poor facsimile of "the faith that was once delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). Yes, that religion is known as Christianity, and the devil behind it wants you to believe that it IS "the faith that was once delivered to the saints;" when in reality it is the "other gospel" and the "other Jesus" that the apostle Paul warned the early believers about (II Cor. 11:4; Gal. 1:6,7). The "one faith" that was delivered to the saints from above, is the gospel of the deliverance POWER of God's Spirit that Jesus sent back from heaven when he left here (Acts 1:4,5,8; Acts 2:1-4; Rom. 1:16; I Cor. 4:20). The power of God that delivers the hearts and souls of true believers from sin, IS "the faith that was once delivered to the saints." On the other hand, Christianity with all of it's vain, powerless form and show, is nothing but futile religious idolatry for those who want to fool themselves into thinking that they are serving God while yet remaining in sin (II Tim. 3:5). Idols in ancient times could not deliver anyone from anything at all, and Christianity actually comes right out and SAYS that it doesn't literally deliver anyone from sin; in proclaiming "believers" to be "sinners saved by grace." My friend, the only thing that takes anybody anywhere with the true God is to get real with him from the heart, and lay hold on his righteousness by that means alone. So forsake the powerless traditions, doctrines, commandments of men, ceremonies, and vain religious service of Christianity; and boldly follow after the holy Spirit of God's love, and power, and truth (Rom. 5:5; Acts 1:8; Jn. 16:13). For truly EVERYTHING apart from THOSE elements is nothing more or less than idolatry, and will never deliver the soul from sin and death (Rom. 8:2). Amen.