So, recently I had to cut off video games for my kids, because I felt they were idols to them, because it’s literally all they cared about. I couldn’t interest them on anything else, let alone God. Everything else in life became “boring” to them. Reading, playing outside, playing board games, educational things, even my oldest who loves art, all of his art was about video games. That is what filled their hearts desires. So I would add not only reliance on things, but the hearts desires that become greater than God. We need to love Him supremely, over everything in life, and our desire should be to do His will, seek His will, and desire to please Him above anything else. If something gets in the way of those things and they become first in our lives, it’s an idol, in my opinion.
I sincerely hope they can get to a point where games are not idols but rather passions under love for God. Video games are the great art form of this century, but that level of obsession with art and entertainment is indeed idolatrous.
@@ead630 no sir. Video games are worthless, and do nothing to promote the Kingdom of God in our lives, but are a total waste of time. They certainly don’t pass the Philippians 4:8 and Psalms 101:3 tests. I will never allow them in my house again unless they pass those two scripture tests.
@@aurevoirugootubee3927 I respectfully disagree. Games are a blank canvas for whatever the creators wish, be it good or evil; just like books, music, or movies. There is a world of difference between something like "Breath of the Wild" and "Grand Theft Auto".
Behind the search for every idol lies the yearning for completion. To seek a special person or a thing to "add" to you to make yourself complete can only mean that you believe some form is missing, and by finding this, you will achieve completion in a form that you like. This is the purpose of an idol, that you will not look beyond it to the source of the belief that you are incomplete.
When we become dependent on something external to ourselves, we are holding ourselves in the material world, keeping ourselves in separation. As Christ said in the Bible: "I am the gate." Idols are not just spritual teachers or texts, they can also include all things external to ourselves-a family member or other person, crystals, tarot cards, plant medicines, spiritual audio and videos, etc-as these are all external aids. And that is the key, idols are external and only helpful aids until we are able to drop all such external assistance and reside within-where all questions are answered. And this also applies to healing. While there are many wonderful healers, they cannot heal you (and they will tell you this); you can only heal yourself. Healers are only there to help facilitate a connection to God for you so that you can heal yourself. To put the responsibility on another to "heal" you, makes them an "idol," and gives your power away, and this holds you in separation. In Summary: It is important to understand that ALL external aids, no matter how helpful, must be considered as temporary and eventually must be let go-including any reliance on Christ-if one wishes to evolve spiritually.
This very theme has been showing up in my life, enough to make me pay attention and listen and learn about various things in my life that are and have been idols. Namely, yoga practice, Kwan yin statues and general beauty items like make up and clothing. This has been an eye opener for me to see how pervasive and sneaky idols creep into our lives. Purging is on my to-do list. Thankful for this message
I wish you success and newfound joy in getting rid of idols and trusting more in your loving father :)! This topic is probably one of the hardest ones for myself as well.
@@Xplosion919 Steven Bancarz, a Christian I respect a lot, has multiple videos about Yoga, so if this is the right time (led by God) for someone to approach the topic: ruclips.net/video/k-4vEXH5bcA/видео.html I haven't watched this one yet, but it seems like he talks to a former Yoga teacher who is now a Christian. Be blessed 👍
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a person is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.［Ephesians 5:5 NIV］ Appreciate Rev. John Piper's answer and the communications between members. I have to mention the above Scripture as an addition, which clearly tells us that immoral, impure or greedy are kinds of idols. Actually, spiritual war is in everywhere, including Satan and devils are trying to attack or tempt Christians. Trust in the Holy Trinity GOD faithfully with our pure hearts so that we can keep away from any visible and invisible idols. Repent timely when we have any sins on idols. Pray for the protection and guidance of HOLY SPIRIT in the Victory Name of JESUS CHRIST. Amen.
Paul says in Colossians 3:5 that covetousness (a desire rather than a physical object) is idolatry: "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." In Philippians 3:19, Paul speaks of the enemies of the cross of Christ and says that their "god is their belly" meaning that their appetites are the recipients of their idolatry. "Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things."
it seems so foolish but if we are being honest we worship idols more than we think and need to rely more on God than the idols we have built up either in real life or our minds
Praise the Lord, who is God. Give Him glory, that's our JOB. Who is the Lord? Few will say. Future tense? No, TODAY. The great falling away already started. From His truth, THEY departed. They love the world, and the things in it. Yet, it all was written FROM the beginning. Made manifest in the word. Once was flooded, Soon to burn. Prophesy is being fulfilled as I write this, Even as my flesh tries to fight this. Overcome, by HIS spirit. The end is near, and I don't fear it. Fear of the Lord IS the beginning of wisdom. A place for US, in HIS kingdom. Written before the foundation of the world, We jump over the swine, and retain our pearls. God absolutely, irrevocably is "A man of His word"
The best gift I ever received is in me. He died so we can receive Him. He is worshipped in SPIRIT and in TRUTH but that can not be in sin. He Himself chooses to whom He, His Self reveals Himself to. That is not something the law decides. It is something the law describes. It is something only God prescribes. Written long before the scribes, Obliterates the idea of tribes, Jew and Gentile futile pride, The word of truth is on our side, Made manifest in the flesh He resides, And puts the ways of the world aside for those souls of His He chose, He cries and He flies as He pries in hearts of His elect I confess these words are all true and you can know too what its like the know Christ in His spirit; renewed. Yet; It is God who measures the heart.
My grandparents have their criminal son as an idol above God. They literally worship him on levels. It’s like a self worship protecting him and shielding him of any consequences of his evil acts towards even children. They literally have a scanner playing all day so loud you can’t even have a conversation in fear if he gets busted or in trouble they can get down there asap. My grandma pays more attention to that police scanner more than she hears the word of God. If any of us kids come against my dad they disown us and control us with money. It’s absolutely disgusting and I cant even watch it much longer. It’s causing me a lot of spiritual pain.
Yes!!! ***ANYTHING*** that we put BEFORE, OR IN PLACE OF God such as lust for anything above God IS idolatry! This could be in the form of $, fame, sex, materials made by mad in the form of God such as statues, crosses, images of any kind that we BOW DOWN to & worship in place of God is idolatry. But, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to enjoy things, use tools in ADDITION TO worshipping God like anointing oil, incense, etc. Or have pictures & jewelry that we wear as a representation of our faith. It's only when we worship those things ABOVE God! This can be ppl too! Many ppl idolize famous ppl by making them as important as a "godly" being. Nothing & no one should ever take the place, or be above God & we should be willing to give up everything & everyone to follow the Lord, even our families! This is excellent! Thank you! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
So, not getting an answer pastor. I didn’t think you could answer anyway but thanks for still posting. I personally idolised a lot of things. Now I am idolising the lord
No, the Bible doesn't uniformly use 'idol' or 'idolatry' to refer to an actual object: "...greed, which is idolatry (Col 3:5). That's pretty much the whole story, except you have to define greed, of course, which, in my experience, church (501c3s, anyway) preachers typically water down or avoid all together. I can't recall ever hearing a sermon dealing with, certainly not focusing on, greed in a Biblically substantive way. Maybe in a context of church tithing, it might be mentioned.
I don’t worship the cross which I have in my house and car, but it comforts me to be reminded that Jesus is my God…I don’t worship the cross when I sing hymns that point to the cross. I think that praising children for good performance is not turning them into my idol. You have a lot more fine tuning in your exhortation to relate the subject in a way that is understandable. I wouldn’t be watching this if I didn’t have questions about it. Galatians 5 gives you a list of sins of the flesh and i think that’s so much more relevant than God’s face in a portrait. Get them to read the Word.
The Bible sayd where heart is, there is alsonyour treasure. If the thoughts of your marriage consume you. And Iu also have no time for the Lord. You have to take it a few notch down. Also the bible says That we don't get it because we so not consume it upon your lust. Or something like that. And this fits with your last point. Don't consume it up on your lusts. Surrender it to GOD. And let GOD get the glor in everything you do. He will bless you with everything that your heart desires. As long it is pure.
When one "Finds" God in their own heart through faith, JOY is replaced by pure spiritual bliss the second God sends his Holy Spirit to you through HIS grace, by YOUR Faith! The Holy Ghost comes from above Litterally and falls down upon and around the individual who is counted as righteous in Gods eyes and feels like a sheet of energy and pure love. Every hair stands up, you feel electrified and more than content. You feel the Holy spirit and you hear the holy spirit! Others "see" the Holy Ghost IN the true believer who all of a sudden becomes a TRUE KNOWER of God! That is How it happens. That is How It happened to me, and I never looked back. God is here. He truly is omnipresent. He saved me, he saved my life, and I showed others the power of God almighty who's Holy Spirit is very active in these days......For reasons that are biblical in scale and proportions. These days ARE those days prophesied millennia ago....If you have no idea of what I speak in any of it, you need to pray. Pray until you get Gods answer...His Holy Ghost.
He ends pretty well. I’ll say it this way: ANY thing that rules the heart, apart from God. As what rules your heart is YOUR God. For us in North America, a few I hope some will reflect on: sports, politics, our partners, our families, friendships, work, job, food, alcohol, mind altering substances, cars, hobby, and even religion itself…
A follow-up question to this I would have is, are we permitted to depict Jesus in art? Of course icons that you would pray to are not OK, but what about in paintings such as The Last Supper, cross necklaces, movies, etc.?
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man! If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
God said what he said because he knows satans every move and is trying to protect us as we do not know the power of our enemy, only think we do to our ability to understand which is limited to human existence cursed with sin. He said my ways our higher than your ways and there are things you cannot understand and if you could would not serve you in any positive way. He just trying to lead us back home…. Lord have mercy on our souls sometimes it’s hard to believe as horrible as we are grace could be sufficient. I sure hope so for my robe is filthy and dirty even though my heart is not sick. I hate evil and satan and fantasize about the lion devouring him in his time for the hurt that it is to watch ourselves and fellow humans do what we do in name of pride intelligence and science and ego. Should be such a simple but hard peaceful and joyful existence but…………so it is. Just trying to finish the race. His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
this is a great video. In orthodox faith we have icons (idols) that we pray to speak on our behalf to God or Jesus. I never understood that. but I do have a cross on the wall, which i know is a piece of wood, and I give it a kiss as though if Jesus was in the room, that would be for him. The wooden crucifix does not replace Jesus for me, but it does help me, remind of me Jesus. I may be totally wrong about this but I don't place this cross as an idol or rely on this to take care of me. God and Jesus only.
See, I am in the process of becoming Orthodox (I'm a catechumen)... But my heart is not 100% in it for this precise reason, among others. My Bible tells me I'm not supposed to worship graven images, and when I bring this gnawing doubt to the Father (second strike; i.e.: calling out priest "Father") he says we don't worship icons but venerate them. I wonder if this is a solid distinction that is able to put the matter to rest in favour of Orthodoxy or mere semantics at play. Strike three would be kissing the Father's hand as it were "Christ's hand". I'm sorry if I put anyone off from Orthodox Christianity, that's not my intention at all. I actually believe it's the most true-to-heart Church out there but these are genuine conflicting matters to me which can't be ignored, I believe. If this doubt is pride on my behalf, I pray the Lord that He sheds light upon these matters.
@@lucasmaugeri5372 I wish I was an expert in these matters to guide you or help provide clarity as I am still learning. I am 100% in agreement on all your strikes .... Including an icongrapher .... Hand drawing the likeness of Jesus?? Or the different garments the laymen need for each service? The one that gave me the most issue was when I finally started to read the Bible and Jesus calls out directly "do not call anyone father, or rabbi or teacher for you only have one father or teacher in heaven". The truth is .... And it's one that humbled me, the book is God's law and His story for us. And while many out there will say "it's man made or edited or created" which I used to say, the truth is, it's been persevered by God for his children. There are many things in the bible that may not make sense to us, but through wisdom, faith and humility you shall learn from it. So on that note - follow what the book says and trust in it. While I go to an Orthodox faith based church, and yes I do enjoy it very much, my faith is Jesus. I am CHRISTian first, not Orthodox. You also have to be wary of traditions each church has. These are not biblical and totally man made. As for idolatry, whatever replaces God worship, love and true focus on HIM, can be an idol. Work. Lust. Pleasures. Pride. The list goes on .... So make God first. Love Him with all your might and soul. Then love you neighbor as yourself and the rest will truly fall into place
@@jojoRizzle Thanks for your reply. I guess my instinct tells me I should stay away from church buildings and worship the Lord on my own, anywhere. Truth be told, I'm sort of a lone wolf, introverted and have a tough time having to deal with groups and group mentality - even if they are kind and loving Christians, as is the case at the Orthodox Church I attend. The fellowship is nice sometimes, too, but I constantly have this thought in the back of my mind that the real purpose of all Churches is that of a social club. But then again, I am doubtful about the possibility of spiritual growth and salvation without competent guidance and furthermore my pride has misled me more than once. Hence the dissonance. Let's pray to God that He may give us a discerning heart, since it is in the details that the devil likes to hide.
@@lucasmaugeri5372 I’d pray to find a Christ based Church. We should follow Him in congregation with believers; ill pray that you find one nearby God Bess!
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man! If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
An Idol is anything that takes away from God. Anything that is not God is temporary. Even your idols are temporary. God is worshipped in spirit and in truth. Your lusts and addictions and love for materialistic things and Money is all idols and deceptions. Just the truth.
Live free? Not for me. I shouldn't have to say it twice. The purpose of my own existence is to die a slave to Christ. I am a slave of the Lord. The world can have its freedom. Its deception.
People worship crucifix made from carved wood. The excess shavings from creating the wooden carved image are discarded but the idol's worshipped. The original piece of wood is still a piece of wood. What makes the material worshipable. The true worship from the heart is sacrate and rightly belongs to our heavenly father the son and the holy spirit.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man! If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
@@dimitrispeiraias Please read and try to really understand EXODUS 20 : 3-4...You shall not make for yourself a carved image- any likeness of anything that is in heaven above , or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth...etc. etc.
@@JOHN-yo6qk "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was GOD." John 1:1 "And the Word was made FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the ONLY BEGOTTEN of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14 By denying that the only begotten of the Father, the Word of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! By denying that the Son of God became visible, you deny that the He became man! By denying that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
🤦♀️every single day I find something else I’m doing wrong . I have a picture of someone’s idea of what Jesus looked like over my mantle . I was saved in January 2020 and my idea of the picture is just a reminder to my family how important Jesus is - we don’t actually worship the picture : for all I know It could be some other dude lol but I was unaware that I was making God jealous 🙄🤦♀️.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man! If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
As teenagers my sister and I made a life size dummy and we performed a ritual to invoke the Spirit of ZoSo into it, it was really life like. One night I noticed one of its hands move slightly so we kept our eyes on it and over a long time the hands would move just after dark, I put my ZoSo into my bedroom and it really began to limber up, the eyes would move and the arms flail about whenever we were alone. I’ve kept ZoSo over the years and regard him as my special friend and confidant. Eventually one night I heard a soft sigh and ZoSo whispered to me “I love you Lili” I have moved him into my bed and sometimes I swear he’s nearly human, I talk to him but he rarely replies, now whenever I have a man stay overnight I put ZoSo into another room but I can feel the jealousy, he’ll always be my best friend. People claim Jesus is their best friend so I guess it’s the same thing.
.In my view, an idol is something that is worshipped falsely. Something that one thinks has power or strength. Eventually the man-made church system would be called an idol. Many do not seem to understand that Jesus went to the man-made church every Sabbath day, trying to correct the teachings of the Jews of old. Jesus would finally make a decree in Matthew 23 versus 37 through 39. Through my studies I have found that many Christians are not aware of the separation that spoken of in the Bible. I'm not talking about the separation between good and evil. I'm talking about the separation between those that can learn from the Bible, and those that cannot. Understand some men and women are not searching, they have been made to feel as if they have found what they're looking for, they have joined a group of people with one mediator for that group. That mediator is their pastor or their priest or their minister. In truth, what they have done is set the created over the Creator. Have you not considered that when you settle down into the man-made church-system that you have found your home, that is your refuge. (Refuge, sanctuary, shelter, protection, asylum, harbor.) Was that not also with the Jews of Old believed? We must come to the truth, earthly men and women who take up the ministry, are just earthly men and women, Some with good intentions and some with bad. But none of us have the Spirit of God laid upon us full time. We falter we make mistakes, and we oftentimes misunderstand, which one of us have you put before the Son of God? The Chosen Messenger of God the Father. Do you see how you've been deceived? God has already given you one mediator, and that is Jesus Christ.
Is the bible an idol? If we are to look on God actually, does the bible, which is man's substitution for God's touch and conversations, thus become an idol?
The blind ministers of God cannot see the idols of the nations high and lifted up on a flag pole. The US is serving the star spangled of heaven, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem. The US made images of the stars, in the likeness of the stars of heaven and set the images in the flag to serve them. When the US plays the anthem at the sound of music the US stand on their feet to sing a song to the star spangled of heaven. Israel is serving the star remphan of heaven, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem. Canada is serving the leaf of the maple tree of the earth, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem. Mexico is serving the eagle of the earth, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem. Japan is serving the sun of heaven, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem. God is against serving objects, symbols, and images, in the likeness of anything in heaven above, or in the likeness of anything in the earth below, and the blind ministers of God don't even know it [ Exodus 20:3-5 ] and [ Deuteronomy 4:15-19 ]
i consider anything with a screen that draws your attention the worst of the idols. aka an "android"= artificial man. look at any waiting room, it looks an awful lot like everyone is looking down in prayer.. i still don't use a cellphone, so im always the only one in the room with my head up, eyes n ears open.
You need a fundamental understanding of the Daniels’s spirit in the time of the unveiling if you want to get into the depth of idolatry and not be misled by “traditions” and the “doctrines of men/demons”. What it simply means is the “books of the PROPHETS” have been shrouded/masked in secrecy or hidden till the “last days”. There is thus NO WAY, by the “traditions” and “doctrines of men/demons” you can ever conceive “the truth”. Also, in the spirit of Elijah who holds “the rain”, by “these” shall you know the days are coming ever closer to the cumulation of the ages. Dan 12:9 "He answered, 'Go on your way, Daniel, because these matters are wrapped up and SEALED until the time of THE END. Dan 12:13 Now as for you, go on your way until THE END-you'll rest and then rise to receive your reward at THE END of the age.'" Amo 3:7 For the Lord Jehovah will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. After all, aren’t those the books of the prophets you have been quoting from? Dan 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone. If you see nothing in that, I don’t think you know what you are talking about.
Are you only talking about the Old Testament in regard to the Bible not talking about idols outside of images and carved images??? I hope so. You should not have made a certain statement. You ruined what you said. The first thing you said was good. The person isn’t right and your getting too intelligent on the answer. The Word of God details idols outside of images, carved images and money. An idol is anything you find more value in over JESUS, period. What do you think about the most? Anytime you put the gift of God and creation which includes people over the giver and creator who is the same one you are an idolater. You look at the sun you look at the moon you look at the stars you look at the ocean you look at the water you look at a beautiful woman or a beautiful man if you don’t see more value in Christ if you don’t see Christ as more beautiful (for WHO HE IS) than everything else that’s idolatry. Your not married in Heaven.
Catholics don't worship images or crucifixes or relics. They are remembrances of that which they represent, in the same way as you have pictures of your loved ones.
Oh really... ...in my 89 yrs on this planet, I have seen myriads of catholics "WORSHIPING"; what you itemized. NOT to mention them going crazy "WORSHIPING" their so-called, "Mother of Gawd" stone statues and paintings. Also worshiping St Peter, etc, stone statutes. Etc. And IF you have not seen and/or heard that often; you are blind and/or deaf! Then your better be careful Buster Brown; because the RCC might excommunicate you. End of story.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man! If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
The Bible can be an idol... The Bible is a book that we have come to rely on for some blessing or help or guidance in the place of a wholehearted reliance on the true and living God that the Bible testifies of. The Bible is the work of human hands. People claim the Bible has a mouth but it does not speak. Has eyes but it does not see. Portions of the Bible misrepresent the nature of God in total ignorance. I have recently realized that the Bible is NOT inerrant. Fallible authors wrote it. Those authors also disagreed with each other pertaining to God's purpose, man's purpose, and the nature of God, etc. There are even failed prophecies in the Bible. The Bible testifies of the need for a Savior. The Apostles testified that the Savior is Jesus Christ. But the Bible is not perfect. It is a collection of history, stories, letters, songs, poetry, etc. that preach of God's goodness while claiming God commanded human sacrifice, genocide, raping of virgin girls/women, and prophecies that never came to pass... all in the name of God. Man has lifted up scripture beyond where God intended it to go. Jesus is the Word... not the Bible. _"You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me"_ John 5:39 There are people who profess faith in Jesus but will fall away when they find out the Bible has troubling contradictions and errors. Apologetics can only go so far to keep the façade going. The truth claims the Biblical authors made can be harmonized but the false/contradicting claims need to called out and rejected as evil. You cannot harmonize Jesus with the evils Israel did in the Old Testament even though they claimed God directed it. You cannot harmonize the Prophets and Apostles completely when they disagree on certain topics. All of scripture is really a beautiful revelation of God. I think it is more beautiful when you take the gag off its mouth by letting go of inerrancy. Inerrancy sounds like a Godly presupposition to hold to and I did for 30+ years. There are countless Christian books, some with 600+ pages trying to explain away contradictions and errors. This only happens when you force the Bible to be something its really not. I think the Bible, if viewed as equal to God, can possibly be an idol **IF** the Bible is fallible. I have been forced to believe the Bible is fallible by following the evidence and trying to stay consistent to the person revealed in Christ. I have chosen to believe who Jesus says and portrays God is vs who other Biblical authors claim He is. Only through the person of Jesus can we truly know God and recognize Him in the Old Testament.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man! If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
@@dimitrispeiraias @Dimitris Peiraias Thank you, sir. That settles my mind on that regard. Now bear in mind that I'm new to Christ and found Him through reading (blundering all the way throughout in my interpretation I'm sure) the Holy Bible. My questioning comes from the opposite view of that who wants to take people away from Orthodox Christianity, and that is the view of one who wants to be 100 percent certain that this is "home", the church I want to belong to. I guess now I'm uneasy with only two matters that I have found so far: the fact of addressing the priest as "Father" and the kissing of his hand when receiving a blessing "as if it was the hand of Christ".
Faith in God is faith in Jesus and conviction comes by His Holy Holy Holy Ghost who is a spirit who measures the heart. Faith reveals God. Salvation is by faith. Faith receives grace, grace is the increase, who is "the helper" who God sends as the comforter who is made manifest to those who "walk in the spirit" who reject this fallen world and its deceiver who the few sees because with the rebirth comes gifts of the spirit and the discernment that is given by God reveals the commandments inscribed in the heart by Gods doing, by His grace, not religions, not a church building, but within the spiritual body of Christ given even to the gentiles and the heathen to provoke to Jealousy even God for His people Jacob who is Israel His people who are grafted into the tree. Who is the Lord? Do you know the Lord? If you know the Lord, you have seen God. If you see God, you "know" God in and by and with His spirit. That is not a choice you or I can make but is an act of God Himself. No "works" impresses God. You can not "earn" your way to heaven. You do not impress God. You dont even recognize the law, which no man ever found salvation by. Salvation comes by faith at Gods choosing. Real faith is of the heart. If God measures the heart, would you be found lacking? When's the last time you gave to the homeless? When's the last time you helped someone change a tire in the street? Lead by example from the heart with faith in God and be rewarded in ways the eyes can not see or the ears hear and is more valuable than gold or silver because it is eternal whereas all you see with your eyes and hear with your ears is temporary and as long as you have your mind on those things your heart will follow that is why you should hang onto every word of God through the Holy name of Jesus who is Lord because He is messiah and through Him can you be saved.
By denying that the only begotten of the Father, the Word of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! By denying that the Son of God became visible, you deny that the He became man! By denying that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
IDOLATRY THROUGH CREATURES Explaining romans 1 21-25 KJV Gods children turned from him to idols and indoor and outdoor fourfooted beasts and such.. God gave them up to uncleanness, cancelled salvation, guilty of original sin once again. Because they worshipped the CREATURE more than the CREATOR. Idolatry is from the devil. The punishment of idolatry is eternal damnation. The remedy is to confess our sins to God through Jesus and turn from our wicked ways. Unrepentance is unforgiven to Jesus. Paul wrote romans in 57ad. So he KNEW to KNOW God is to KNOW Jesus first. He was talking about the saved that turned from God. The lost knew OF God but didnt KNOW God. "KNOWING" God John 14 [6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. [7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. John 19 [30] When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. THE NEW COVENANT IS IN AFFECT. Zero ad Romans 1.........57ad [21] Because that, when they KNEW God, they glorified him NOT as God, neither were thankful; but became VAIN in their IMAGINATIONS, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became FOOLS, [23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an IMAGE made like to CORRUPTIBLE man , and to BIRDS, and FOURFOOTED BEASTS, and CREEPING things. [24] Wherefore God also GAVE THEM UP to UNCLEANNESS through the LUSTS of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: [25] Who changed the truth of God into a LIE, and worshipped and served the CREATURE more than the CREATOR, who is blessed for ever. Amen WHAT??? HE GAVE THEM UP TO UNCLEANNESS?? This means THEY WERE ONCE CLEAN/SAVED. IDOLATRY means when a child of God spends more time with something or someone other than God. Leaning on them for the things God wants us to lean on HIM for. Like protection and emotional therapy, trust, companionship, etc. Worship can be just allegiance to someone or to something. Literally bowing down with arms flailing doesnt necessarily take place. They changed the glory of God by disrespecting him by replacing him with creatures and corruptible men as idols. Worshipping them instead by leaning on them for the things we are to lean on our jealous God for. And using his words to vindicate their beastie idolatry. As old to now. Fourfooted beasts means ANY AND ALL fourfooted ANIMALS on earth. LUST is the urge to covet anything followed by lack of self control. Romans 1 21-25 is referring to the saved worshipping and serving LIVE CREATURES More than worshiping and serving the CREATOR. IMAGE. An IMAGE is born in the IMAGINATION. To worship something is of what some have in their imagination as something more worthy than others. One can create an image in his imagination of a live animal being his king. So he worships him as his king by leaning on it for PROTECTION and emotional therapy and a fill in for a human and a god. He gave his image life. So to speak. So the fourfooted beast is his image of his king. And our jealous God isnt. So in our jealous Gods eyes he is worshipping and serving the fourfooted beast instead of God. This is IDOLATRY. Most people never realize it. Or maybe they do. No excuse. IMAGE is also a perception of somebody or something.. A graven image is tooled. Graven image is not mentioned here. A statue or picture is NOT a creature in this case. A creature is a living breathing being.. Romans 1 [25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the CREATURE MORE THAN THE CREATOR, who is blessed for ever. Amen Here saved people lusted their indoor beasts so much that they changed Gods truth into a lie to defend their indoor beastie covetness. To feel vindicated from their lusts. So much they still will fight to the death to defend their indoor beastie covetness. For thousands of years to current they have been bringing up scriptures from old out of desperation saying God gave us dominion and love your beast and such as a defense. Like proverbs 12 10 for example. Pitting scripture against scripture. (Blasphemy) That was their go to and still is. That never gave them the right to commit idolatry.The LIE is taking Gods word out of context to justify their coveting idolatry and for believing their idol can supply their needs more than God. Thats why paul wrote this and the holy ghost blessed it because they live a LIE and try to cover it with Gods word. It became a serious issue with Gods children turning away from our jealous God by the masses. IDOLATRY. Repent. Time spent reveals the God/god . This just covers fourfooted beasts. We are NOT talking about the infinity ways to commit idolatry here. We are ONLY talking about idols specific to this post. Revelation 21 [8] But the FEARFUL, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and IDOLATERS, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death Exodus 34 14) For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: This is spiritually discerned. Im not here to judge or condemn. Just to serve the Lord by raising awareness of these issues on this post. Bless you.
2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 1 John 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
By denying that the only begotten of the Father, the Word of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! By denying that the Son of God became visible, you deny that the He became man! By denying that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
@@dimitrispeiraias To do those things Dimitris, is to tell lies and not the truth. We look at how ignorant these people truly are when it comes to things like this. They don't know they are putting themselves in danger by that.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god! The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted! By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit! By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit! If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible! If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man! If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation! Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration! Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person! Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace! Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace! Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
@@dimitrispeiraias Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Amen brother Dimitris. Been getting revelations from God's Holy Spirit a lot of times since after December 13 2018 to understand the Scriptures one such revelation was about the false teachers mentioned in Matthew 7:15 Christ calling them ravening wolves, I came to a conclusion that them being called ravening wolves means the same thing as what one of Christ's apostles called them in 2 Peter 2:12 natural brute beasts it will make sense to anyone who becomes born again of God's Holy Spirit why they are called those things.
So, recently I had to cut off video games for my kids, because I felt they were idols to them, because it’s literally all they cared about. I couldn’t interest them on anything else, let alone God. Everything else in life became “boring” to them. Reading, playing outside, playing board games, educational things, even my oldest who loves art, all of his art was about video games. That is what filled their hearts desires. So I would add not only reliance on things, but the hearts desires that become greater than God. We need to love Him supremely, over everything in life, and our desire should be to do His will, seek His will, and desire to please Him above anything else. If something gets in the way of those things and they become first in our lives, it’s an idol, in my opinion.
I sincerely hope they can get to a point where games are not idols but rather passions under love for God. Video games are the great art form of this century, but that level of obsession with art and entertainment is indeed idolatrous.
AGREE 10000 percent
@@ead630 no sir. Video games are worthless, and do nothing to promote the Kingdom of God in our lives, but are a total waste of time. They certainly don’t pass the Philippians 4:8 and Psalms 101:3 tests. I will never allow them in my house again unless they pass those two scripture tests.
Definitely a fact
@@aurevoirugootubee3927 I respectfully disagree. Games are a blank canvas for whatever the creators wish, be it good or evil; just like books, music, or movies. There is a world of difference between something like "Breath of the Wild" and "Grand Theft Auto".
Behind the search for every idol lies the yearning for completion. To seek a special person or a thing to "add" to you to make yourself complete can only mean that you believe some form is missing, and by finding this, you will achieve completion in a form that you like. This is the purpose of an idol, that you will not look beyond it to the source of the belief that you are incomplete.
Completely reconciled too!!
Very profound Edgar
Well said
You made a good point, Edgar.
But i reckon,
Jesus is a carved statue image idol, too.
When we become dependent on something external to ourselves, we are holding ourselves in the material world, keeping ourselves in separation. As Christ said in the Bible:
"I am the gate."
Idols are not just spritual teachers or texts, they can also include all things external to ourselves-a family member or other person, crystals, tarot cards, plant medicines, spiritual audio and videos, etc-as these are all external aids. And that is the key, idols are external and only helpful aids until we are able to drop all such external assistance and reside within-where all questions are answered.
And this also applies to healing. While there are many wonderful healers, they cannot heal you (and they will tell you this); you can only heal yourself. Healers are only there to help facilitate a connection to God for you so that you can heal yourself. To put the responsibility on another to "heal" you, makes them an "idol," and gives your power away, and this holds you in separation.
In Summary:
It is important to understand that ALL external aids, no matter how helpful, must be considered as temporary and eventually must be let go-including any reliance on Christ-if one wishes to evolve spiritually.
This very theme has been showing up in my life, enough to make me pay attention and listen and learn about various things in my life that are and have been idols. Namely, yoga practice, Kwan yin statues and general beauty items like make up and clothing. This has been an eye opener for me to see how pervasive and sneaky idols creep into our lives. Purging is on my to-do list. Thankful for this message
I wish you success and newfound joy in getting rid of idols and trusting more in your loving father :)!
This topic is probably one of the hardest ones for myself as well.
Yoga is demonic. Please research this on RUclips. Tons of videos out there exposing its roots and what it’s really all about.
@@Xplosion919 I have, that's another reason I no longer do it.
@@Xplosion919 Steven Bancarz, a Christian I respect a lot, has multiple videos about Yoga, so if this is the right time (led by God) for someone to approach the topic:
ruclips.net/video/k-4vEXH5bcA/видео.html
I haven't watched this one yet, but it seems like he talks to a former Yoga teacher who is now a Christian.
Be blessed 👍
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a person is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.［Ephesians 5:5 NIV］
Appreciate Rev. John Piper's answer and the communications between members. I have to mention the above Scripture as an addition, which clearly tells us that immoral, impure or greedy are kinds of idols.
Actually, spiritual war is in everywhere, including Satan and devils are trying to attack or tempt Christians. Trust in the Holy Trinity GOD faithfully with our pure hearts so that we can keep away from any visible and invisible idols. Repent timely when we have any sins on idols. Pray for the protection and guidance of HOLY SPIRIT in the Victory Name of JESUS CHRIST. Amen.
Thanks for that word!
Paul says in Colossians 3:5 that covetousness (a desire rather than a physical object) is idolatry:
"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."
In Philippians 3:19, Paul speaks of the enemies of the cross of Christ and says that their "god is their belly" meaning that their appetites are the recipients of their idolatry.
"Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things."
Thank you desiring god and teams. First thing i like to do when i wake up is pray for GOD to be near me and then listen to videos of God
What is god and teams? You must capitalize God or you are actually referring to the gods.
Excellent answer from Pastor John - as always. Idol worship is easy to fall into, which is why churches need to talk more about it.
This was so thought-provoking! Thank you.
Im living through this right now
Amazingly put 🙌🏿👏🏿
With the making of a gold calf it would seem their hearts were in their stomachs. Thank you teacher, God bless the righteous.
Tank you very much
it seems so foolish but if we are being honest we worship idols more than we think and need to rely more on God than the idols we have built up either in real life or our minds
Praise the Lord, who is God.
Give Him glory, that's our JOB.
Who is the Lord?
Few will say.
Future tense?
No, TODAY.
The great falling away already started.
From His truth, THEY departed.
They love the world, and the things in it.
Yet, it all was written FROM the beginning.
Made manifest in the word.
Once was flooded,
Soon to burn.
Prophesy is being fulfilled as I write this,
Even as my flesh tries to fight this.
Overcome, by HIS spirit.
The end is near, and I don't fear it.
Fear of the Lord IS the beginning of wisdom.
A place for US, in HIS kingdom.
Written before the foundation of the world, We jump over the swine, and retain our pearls.
God absolutely, irrevocably is "A man of His word"
Excellent!
The best gift I ever received is in me.
He died so we can receive Him.
He is worshipped in SPIRIT and in TRUTH but that can not be in sin.
He Himself chooses to whom He, His Self reveals Himself to.
That is not something the law decides.
It is something the law describes.
It is something only God prescribes.
Written long before the scribes,
Obliterates the idea of tribes,
Jew and Gentile futile pride,
The word of truth is on our side,
Made manifest in the flesh He resides,
And puts the ways of the world aside
for those souls of His He chose, He cries and He flies as He pries in hearts of His elect I confess these words are all true and you can know too what its like the know Christ in His spirit; renewed.
Yet; It is God who measures the heart.
My grandparents have their criminal son as an idol above God. They literally worship him on levels. It’s like a self worship protecting him and shielding him of any consequences of his evil acts towards even children. They literally have a scanner playing all day so loud you can’t even have a conversation in fear if he gets busted or in trouble they can get down there asap. My grandma pays more attention to that police scanner more than she hears the word of God. If any of us kids come against my dad they disown us and control us with money. It’s absolutely disgusting and I cant even watch it much longer. It’s causing me a lot of spiritual pain.
Yes!!! ***ANYTHING*** that we put BEFORE, OR IN PLACE OF God such as lust for anything above God IS idolatry! This could be in the form of $, fame, sex, materials made by mad in the form of God such as statues, crosses, images of any kind that we BOW DOWN to & worship in place of God is idolatry. But, I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing to enjoy things, use tools in ADDITION TO worshipping God like anointing oil, incense, etc. Or have pictures & jewelry that we wear as a representation of our faith. It's only when we worship those things ABOVE God! This can be ppl too! Many ppl idolize famous ppl by making them as important as a "godly" being. Nothing & no one should ever take the place, or be above God & we should be willing to give up everything & everyone to follow the Lord, even our families! This is excellent! Thank you! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
🔥 love the answer!
So, not getting an answer pastor. I didn’t think you could answer anyway but thanks for still posting. I personally idolised a lot of things. Now I am idolising the lord
Thank you for explaining the definition of what an idol is - I was curious
No, the Bible doesn't uniformly use 'idol' or 'idolatry' to refer to an actual object: "...greed, which is idolatry (Col 3:5). That's pretty much the whole story, except you have to define greed, of course, which, in my experience, church (501c3s, anyway) preachers typically water down or avoid all together. I can't recall ever hearing a sermon dealing with, certainly not focusing on, greed in a Biblically substantive way. Maybe in a context of church tithing, it might be mentioned.
I don’t worship the cross which I have in my house and car, but it comforts me to be reminded that Jesus is my God…I don’t worship the cross when I sing hymns that point to the cross. I think that praising children for good performance is not turning them into my idol. You have a lot more fine tuning in your exhortation to relate the subject in a way that is understandable. I wouldn’t be watching this if I didn’t have questions about it. Galatians 5 gives you a list of sins of the flesh and i think that’s so much more relevant than God’s face in a portrait. Get them to read the Word.
Cross around neck. Belivers dont realky wear a cross we keepit in our hearts
So recently I was told that wanting marriage is an idol but yet I struggle with lust. I’m a confused individual especially being single at 27.
The Bible sayd where heart is, there is alsonyour treasure.
If the thoughts of your marriage consume you. And Iu also have no time for the Lord. You have to take it a few notch down. Also the bible says
That we don't get it because we so not consume it upon your lust. Or something like that. And this fits with your last point. Don't consume it up on your lusts. Surrender it to GOD. And let GOD get the glor in everything you do.
He will bless you with everything that your heart desires. As long it is pure.
When one "Finds" God in their own heart through faith, JOY is replaced by pure spiritual bliss the second God sends his Holy Spirit to you through HIS grace, by YOUR Faith! The Holy Ghost comes from above Litterally and falls down upon and around the individual who is counted as righteous in Gods eyes and feels like a sheet of energy and pure love. Every hair stands up, you feel electrified and more than content. You feel the Holy spirit and you hear the holy spirit! Others "see" the Holy Ghost IN the true believer who all of a sudden becomes a TRUE KNOWER of God! That is How it happens. That is How It happened to me, and I never looked back. God is here. He truly is omnipresent. He saved me, he saved my life, and I showed others the power of God almighty who's Holy Spirit is very active in these days......For reasons that are biblical in scale and proportions. These days ARE those days prophesied millennia ago....If you have no idea of what I speak in any of it, you need to pray. Pray until you get Gods answer...His Holy Ghost.
Great episode!
He ends pretty well. I’ll say it this way: ANY thing that rules the heart, apart from God. As what rules your heart is YOUR God.
For us in North America, a few I hope some will reflect on: sports, politics, our partners, our families, friendships, work, job, food, alcohol, mind altering substances, cars, hobby, and even religion itself…
…trinkets.
Nicotine is an idol. Drug addiction is an idol. Anything which one can become dependent on other than God.
Gluttony is an idol.
A follow-up question to this I would have is, are we permitted to depict Jesus in art? Of course icons that you would pray to are not OK, but what about in paintings such as The Last Supper, cross necklaces, movies, etc.?
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man!
If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
Good question
Reminds me of that song Jimmy Needham song “Clear The Stage”.
We can and do idolise other people.
thank you for this one : )
Amen
God said what he said because he knows satans every move and is trying to protect us as we do not know the power of our enemy, only think we do to our ability to understand which is limited to human existence cursed with sin. He said my ways our higher than your ways and there are things you cannot understand and if you could would not serve you in any positive way. He just trying to lead us back home…. Lord have mercy on our souls sometimes it’s hard to believe as horrible as we are grace could be sufficient. I sure hope so for my robe is filthy and dirty even though my heart is not sick. I hate evil and satan and fantasize about the lion devouring him in his time for the hurt that it is to watch ourselves and fellow humans do what we do in name of pride intelligence and science and ego. Should be such a simple but hard peaceful and joyful existence but…………so it is. Just trying to finish the race. His will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Super idol
What if you have a certain desire to buy something and you keep looking for it and seeking it this is a form of idolizing something?
Could be greed. ?? Unless you truly need it. ?? I guess to have a treat, but how often do we treat ourselves? I have a problem with this exact thing.
this is a great video. In orthodox faith we have icons (idols) that we pray to speak on our behalf to God or Jesus. I never understood that. but I do have a cross on the wall, which i know is a piece of wood, and I give it a kiss as though if Jesus was in the room, that would be for him. The wooden crucifix does not replace Jesus for me, but it does help me, remind of me Jesus. I may be totally wrong about this but I don't place this cross as an idol or rely on this to take care of me. God and Jesus only.
See, I am in the process of becoming Orthodox (I'm a catechumen)... But my heart is not 100% in it for this precise reason, among others. My Bible tells me I'm not supposed to worship graven images, and when I bring this gnawing doubt to the Father (second strike; i.e.: calling out priest "Father") he says we don't worship icons but venerate them. I wonder if this is a solid distinction that is able to put the matter to rest in favour of Orthodoxy or mere semantics at play. Strike three would be kissing the Father's hand as it were "Christ's hand". I'm sorry if I put anyone off from Orthodox Christianity, that's not my intention at all. I actually believe it's the most true-to-heart Church out there but these are genuine conflicting matters to me which can't be ignored, I believe. If this doubt is pride on my behalf, I pray the Lord that He sheds light upon these matters.
@@lucasmaugeri5372 I wish I was an expert in these matters to guide you or help provide clarity as I am still learning. I am 100% in agreement on all your strikes .... Including an icongrapher .... Hand drawing the likeness of Jesus?? Or the different garments the laymen need for each service? The one that gave me the most issue was when I finally started to read the Bible and Jesus calls out directly "do not call anyone father, or rabbi or teacher for you only have one father or teacher in heaven". The truth is .... And it's one that humbled me, the book is God's law and His story for us. And while many out there will say "it's man made or edited or created" which I used to say, the truth is, it's been persevered by God for his children. There are many things in the bible that may not make sense to us, but through wisdom, faith and humility you shall learn from it. So on that note - follow what the book says and trust in it. While I go to an Orthodox faith based church, and yes I do enjoy it very much, my faith is Jesus. I am CHRISTian first, not Orthodox. You also have to be wary of traditions each church has. These are not biblical and totally man made.
As for idolatry, whatever replaces God worship, love and true focus on HIM, can be an idol. Work. Lust. Pleasures. Pride. The list goes on .... So make God first. Love Him with all your might and soul. Then love you neighbor as yourself and the rest will truly fall into place
@@jojoRizzle Thanks for your reply. I guess my instinct tells me I should stay away from church buildings and worship the Lord on my own, anywhere. Truth be told, I'm sort of a lone wolf, introverted and have a tough time having to deal with groups and group mentality - even if they are kind and loving Christians, as is the case at the Orthodox Church I attend. The fellowship is nice sometimes, too, but I constantly have this thought in the back of my mind that the real purpose of all Churches is that of a social club. But then again, I am doubtful about the possibility of spiritual growth and salvation without competent guidance and furthermore my pride has misled me more than once. Hence the dissonance. Let's pray to God that He may give us a discerning heart, since it is in the details that the devil likes to hide.
@@lucasmaugeri5372 I’d pray to find a Christ based Church. We should follow Him in congregation with believers; ill pray that you find one nearby
God Bess!
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man!
If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
An Idol is anything that takes away from God.
Anything that is not God is temporary.
Even your idols are temporary.
God is worshipped in spirit and in truth.
Your lusts and addictions and love for materialistic things and Money is all idols and deceptions.
Just the truth.
Vanity too
@@SlimShady-sn1lz Vanity, of vanities. All is vanity. Ecclesiastes 1:2
Commenting for algorithm
Live free?
Not for me.
I shouldn't have to say it twice.
The purpose of my own existence is to die a slave to Christ.
I am a slave of the Lord.
The world can have its freedom.
Its deception.
People worship crucifix made from carved wood. The excess shavings from creating the wooden carved image are discarded but the idol's worshipped. The original piece of wood is still a piece of wood. What makes the material worshipable. The true worship from the heart is sacrate and rightly belongs to our heavenly father the son and the holy spirit.
Catholics do this not Protestants.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man!
If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
@@dimitrispeiraias Please read and try to really understand EXODUS 20 : 3-4...You shall not make for yourself a carved image- any likeness of anything that is in heaven above , or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth...etc. etc.
@@JOHN-yo6qk I have already mentioned the meaning of that verse in my previous message. Thank you for sharing the particular verse.
@@JOHN-yo6qk "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was GOD." John 1:1
"And the Word was made FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the ONLY BEGOTTEN of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14
By denying that the only begotten of the Father, the Word of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
By denying that the Son of God became visible, you deny that the He became man!
By denying that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
🤦♀️every single day I find something else I’m doing wrong . I have a picture of someone’s idea of what Jesus looked like over my mantle . I was saved in January 2020 and my idea of the picture is just a reminder to my family how important Jesus is - we don’t actually worship the picture : for all I know It could be some other dude lol but I was unaware that I was making God jealous 🙄🤦♀️.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man!
If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
Does drawing count as making idols
What is idol in industry field ?
As teenagers my sister and I made a life size dummy and we performed a ritual to invoke the Spirit of ZoSo into it, it was really life like.
One night I noticed one of its hands move slightly so we kept our eyes on it and over a long time the hands would move just after dark, I put my ZoSo into my bedroom and it really began to limber up, the eyes would move and the arms flail about whenever we were alone.
I’ve kept ZoSo over the years and regard him as my special friend and confidant.
Eventually one night I heard a soft sigh and ZoSo whispered to me “I love you Lili”
I have moved him into my bed and sometimes I swear he’s nearly human, I talk to him but he rarely replies, now whenever I have a man stay overnight I put ZoSo into another room but I can feel the jealousy, he’ll always be my best friend.
People claim Jesus is their best friend so I guess it’s the same thing.
It’s not the same
I pray you repent. That is idol worshiping and a sin against god. If you die in sin you will go to eternal hell fire
.In my view, an idol is something that is worshipped falsely. Something that one thinks has power or strength. Eventually the man-made church system would be called an idol. Many do not seem to understand that Jesus went to the man-made church every Sabbath day, trying to correct the teachings of the Jews of old.
Jesus would finally make a decree in Matthew 23 versus 37 through 39.
Through my studies I have found that many Christians are not aware of the separation that spoken of in the Bible. I'm not talking about the separation between good and evil. I'm talking about the separation between those that can learn from the Bible, and those that cannot.
Understand some men and women are not searching, they have been made to feel as if they have found what they're looking for, they have joined a group of people with one mediator for that group. That mediator is their pastor or their priest or their minister.
In truth, what they have done is set the created over the Creator.
Have you not considered that when you settle down into the man-made church-system that you have found your home, that is your refuge. (Refuge, sanctuary, shelter, protection, asylum, harbor.)
Was that not also with the Jews of Old believed? We must come to the truth, earthly men and women who take up the ministry, are just earthly men and women, Some with good intentions and some with bad. But none of us have the Spirit of God laid upon us full time.
We falter we make mistakes, and we oftentimes misunderstand, which one of us have you put before the Son of God? The Chosen Messenger of God the Father. Do you see how you've been deceived? God has already given you one mediator, and that is Jesus Christ.
I wish catholics can see this! Idolatry is rampant there and they deny it!
Is the bible an idol? If we are to look on God actually, does the bible, which is man's substitution for God's touch and conversations, thus become an idol?
Pastor John what abkut a season or circumstance, could this be an idol
Is the Catholic and Orthodox practice of honoring saints constitute idolatry?
nope
Can i please ask if you use your phone daily, is it idolatry?
The blind ministers of God cannot see the idols of the nations high and lifted up on a flag pole.
The US is serving the star spangled of heaven, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem.
The US made images of the stars, in the likeness of the stars of heaven and set the images in the flag to serve them.
When the US plays the anthem at the sound of music the US stand on their feet to sing a song to the star spangled of heaven.
Israel is serving the star remphan of heaven, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem.
Canada is serving the leaf of the maple tree of the earth, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem.
Mexico is serving the eagle of the earth, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem.
Japan is serving the sun of heaven, through the pledge of allegiance to the flag and anthem.
God is against serving objects, symbols, and images, in the likeness of anything in heaven above, or in the likeness of anything in the earth below, and the blind ministers of God don't even know it [ Exodus 20:3-5 ] and [ Deuteronomy 4:15-19 ]
i consider anything with a screen that draws your attention the worst of the idols. aka an "android"= artificial man. look at any waiting room, it looks an awful lot like everyone is looking down in prayer.. i still don't use a cellphone, so im always the only one in the room with my head up, eyes n ears open.
You need a fundamental understanding of the Daniels’s spirit in the time of the unveiling if you want to get into the depth of idolatry and not be misled by “traditions” and the “doctrines of men/demons”. What it simply means is the “books of the PROPHETS” have been shrouded/masked in secrecy or hidden till the “last days”. There is thus NO WAY, by the “traditions” and “doctrines of men/demons” you can ever conceive “the truth”.
Also, in the spirit of Elijah who holds “the rain”, by “these” shall you know the days are coming ever closer to the cumulation of the ages.
Dan 12:9 "He answered, 'Go on your way, Daniel, because these matters are wrapped up and SEALED until the time of THE END.
Dan 12:13 Now as for you, go on your way until THE END-you'll rest and then rise to receive your reward at THE END of the age.'"
Amo 3:7 For the Lord Jehovah will do nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
After all, aren’t those the books of the prophets you have been quoting from?
Dan 5:4 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, and of bronze, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
If you see nothing in that, I don’t think you know what you are talking about.
Are you only talking about the Old Testament in regard to the Bible not talking about idols outside of images and carved images??? I hope so. You should not have made a certain statement. You ruined what you said. The first thing you said was good. The person isn’t right and your getting too intelligent on the answer.
The Word of God details idols outside of images, carved images and money. An idol is anything you find more value in over JESUS, period. What do you think about the most?
Anytime you put the gift of God and creation which includes people over the giver and creator who is the same one you are an idolater. You look at the sun you look at the moon you look at the stars you look at the ocean you look at the water you look at a beautiful woman or a beautiful man if you don’t see more value in Christ if you don’t see Christ as more beautiful (for WHO HE IS) than everything else that’s idolatry.
Your not married in Heaven.
Catholics don't worship images or crucifixes or relics. They are remembrances of that which they represent, in the same way as you have pictures of your loved ones.
Oh really...
...in my 89 yrs on this planet, I have seen myriads of catholics "WORSHIPING"; what you itemized. NOT to mention them going crazy "WORSHIPING" their so-called, "Mother of Gawd" stone statues and paintings. Also worshiping St Peter, etc, stone statutes. Etc.
And IF you have not seen and/or heard that often; you are blind and/or deaf! Then your better be careful Buster Brown; because the RCC might excommunicate you.
End of story.
@@MrPatdeeee amen brother 🙏
Wait...
I have a portrait of Jesus on my shelf.
What should I do with it?
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man!
If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
I'd get rid of it if I were you.
Remove it sir, don't need of it, god is in spirit
The Bible can be an idol...
The Bible is a book that we have come to rely on for some blessing or help or guidance in the place of a wholehearted reliance on the true and living God that the Bible testifies of. The Bible is the work of human hands. People claim the Bible has a mouth but it does not speak. Has eyes but it does not see. Portions of the Bible misrepresent the nature of God in total ignorance.
I have recently realized that the Bible is NOT inerrant. Fallible authors wrote it. Those authors also disagreed with each other pertaining to God's purpose, man's purpose, and the nature of God, etc. There are even failed prophecies in the Bible. The Bible testifies of the need for a Savior. The Apostles testified that the Savior is Jesus Christ. But the Bible is not perfect. It is a collection of history, stories, letters, songs, poetry, etc. that preach of God's goodness while claiming God commanded human sacrifice, genocide, raping of virgin girls/women, and prophecies that never came to pass... all in the name of God. Man has lifted up scripture beyond where God intended it to go. Jesus is the Word... not the Bible.
_"You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me"_
John 5:39
There are people who profess faith in Jesus but will fall away when they find out the Bible has troubling contradictions and errors. Apologetics can only go so far to keep the façade going. The truth claims the Biblical authors made can be harmonized but the false/contradicting claims need to called out and rejected as evil. You cannot harmonize Jesus with the evils Israel did in the Old Testament even though they claimed God directed it. You cannot harmonize the Prophets and Apostles completely when they disagree on certain topics.
All of scripture is really a beautiful revelation of God. I think it is more beautiful when you take the gag off its mouth by letting go of inerrancy. Inerrancy sounds like a Godly presupposition to hold to and I did for 30+ years. There are countless Christian books, some with 600+ pages trying to explain away contradictions and errors. This only happens when you force the Bible to be something its really not.
I think the Bible, if viewed as equal to God, can possibly be an idol **IF** the Bible is fallible. I have been forced to believe the Bible is fallible by following the evidence and trying to stay consistent to the person revealed in Christ. I have chosen to believe who Jesus says and portrays God is vs who other Biblical authors claim He is. Only through the person of Jesus can we truly know God and recognize Him in the Old Testament.
Sooo ... Venerate icons = worship idols?
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man!
If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
@@dimitrispeiraias @Dimitris Peiraias Thank you, sir. That settles my mind on that regard. Now bear in mind that I'm new to Christ and found Him through reading (blundering all the way throughout in my interpretation I'm sure) the Holy Bible. My questioning comes from the opposite view of that who wants to take people away from Orthodox Christianity, and that is the view of one who wants to be 100 percent certain that this is "home", the church I want to belong to. I guess now I'm uneasy with only two matters that I have found so far: the fact of addressing the priest as "Father" and the kissing of his hand when receiving a blessing "as if it was the hand of Christ".
Faith in God is faith in Jesus and conviction comes by His Holy Holy Holy Ghost who is a spirit who measures the heart.
Faith reveals God. Salvation is by faith. Faith receives grace, grace is the increase, who is "the helper" who God sends as the comforter who is made manifest to those who "walk in the spirit" who reject this fallen world and its deceiver who the few sees because with the rebirth comes gifts of the spirit and the discernment that is given by God reveals the commandments inscribed in the heart by Gods doing, by His grace, not religions, not a church building, but within the spiritual body of Christ given even to the gentiles and the heathen to provoke to Jealousy even God for His people Jacob who is Israel His people who are grafted into the tree.
Who is the Lord? Do you know the Lord? If you know the Lord, you have seen God. If you see God, you "know" God in and by and with His spirit.
That is not a choice you or I can make but is an act of God Himself.
No "works" impresses God. You can not "earn" your way to heaven.
You do not impress God.
You dont even recognize the law, which no man ever found salvation by.
Salvation comes by faith at Gods choosing. Real faith is of the heart.
If God measures the heart, would you be found lacking?
When's the last time you gave to the homeless?
When's the last time you helped someone change a tire in the street?
Lead by example from the heart with faith in God and be rewarded in ways the eyes can not see or the ears hear and is more valuable than gold or silver because it is eternal whereas all you see with your eyes and hear with your ears is temporary and as long as you have your mind on those things your heart will follow that is why you should hang onto every word of God through the Holy name of Jesus who is Lord because He is messiah and through Him can you be saved.
By denying that the only begotten of the Father, the Word of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
By denying that the Son of God became visible, you deny that the He became man!
By denying that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
IDOLATRY THROUGH CREATURES
Explaining romans 1 21-25 KJV
Gods children turned from him to idols and indoor and outdoor fourfooted beasts and such..
God gave them up to uncleanness, cancelled salvation, guilty of original sin once again.
Because they worshipped the CREATURE more than the CREATOR.
Idolatry is from the devil.
The punishment of idolatry is eternal damnation.
The remedy is to confess our sins to God through Jesus and turn from our wicked ways.
Unrepentance is unforgiven to Jesus.
Paul wrote romans in 57ad. So he KNEW to KNOW God is to KNOW Jesus first. He was talking about the saved that turned from God.
The lost knew OF God but didnt KNOW God.
"KNOWING" God
John 14
[6] Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
[7] If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
John 19
[30] When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, IT IS FINISHED: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
THE NEW COVENANT IS IN AFFECT. Zero ad
Romans 1.........57ad
[21] Because that, when they KNEW God, they glorified him NOT as God, neither were thankful; but became VAIN in their IMAGINATIONS, and their foolish heart was darkened.
[22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became FOOLS,
[23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an IMAGE made like to CORRUPTIBLE man , and to BIRDS, and FOURFOOTED BEASTS, and CREEPING things.
[24] Wherefore God also GAVE THEM UP to UNCLEANNESS through the LUSTS of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
[25] Who changed the truth of God into a LIE, and worshipped and served the CREATURE more than the CREATOR, who is blessed for ever. Amen
WHAT??? HE GAVE THEM UP TO UNCLEANNESS??
This means THEY WERE ONCE CLEAN/SAVED.
IDOLATRY means when a child of God spends more time with something or someone other than God. Leaning on them for the things God wants us to lean on HIM for. Like protection and emotional therapy, trust, companionship, etc.
Worship can be just allegiance to someone or to something.
Literally bowing down with arms flailing doesnt necessarily take place.
They changed the glory of God by disrespecting him by replacing him with creatures and corruptible men as idols. Worshipping them instead by leaning on them for the things we are to lean on our jealous God for.
And using his words to vindicate their beastie idolatry. As old to now.
Fourfooted beasts means ANY AND ALL fourfooted ANIMALS on earth.
LUST is the urge to covet anything followed by lack of self control.
Romans 1 21-25 is referring to the saved worshipping and serving LIVE CREATURES
More than worshiping and serving the CREATOR.
IMAGE.
An IMAGE is born in the IMAGINATION. To worship something is of what some have in their imagination as something more worthy than others.
One can create an image in his imagination of a live animal being his king. So he worships him as his king by leaning on it for PROTECTION and emotional therapy and a fill in for a human and a god. He gave his image life. So to speak.
So the fourfooted beast is his image of his king. And our jealous God isnt. So in our jealous Gods eyes he is worshipping and serving the fourfooted beast instead of God.
This is IDOLATRY.
Most people never realize it. Or maybe they do. No excuse.
IMAGE is also a perception of somebody or something..
A graven image is tooled. Graven image is not mentioned here.
A statue or picture is NOT a creature in this case. A creature is a living breathing being..
Romans 1
[25] Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the CREATURE MORE THAN THE CREATOR, who is blessed for ever. Amen
Here saved people lusted their indoor beasts so much that they changed Gods truth into a lie to defend their indoor beastie covetness. To feel vindicated from their lusts. So much they still will fight to the death to defend their indoor beastie covetness.
For thousands of years to current they have been bringing up scriptures from old out of desperation saying God gave us dominion and love your beast and such as a defense. Like proverbs 12 10 for example. Pitting scripture against scripture. (Blasphemy) That was their go to and still is. That never gave them the right to commit idolatry.The LIE is taking Gods word out of context to justify their coveting idolatry and for believing their idol can supply their needs more than God.
Thats why paul wrote this and the holy ghost blessed it because they live a LIE and try to cover it with Gods word. It became a serious issue with Gods children turning away from our jealous God by the masses.
IDOLATRY.
Repent.
Time spent reveals the God/god .
This just covers fourfooted beasts.
We are NOT talking about the infinity ways to commit idolatry here.
We are ONLY talking about idols specific to this post.
Revelation 21
[8] But the FEARFUL, and UNBELIEVING, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and IDOLATERS, and ALL LIARS, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death
Exodus 34
14) For thou shalt
worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
This is spiritually discerned.
Im not here to judge or condemn. Just to serve the Lord by raising awareness of these issues on this post.
Bless you.
God is not against indoor pets.
@@Mutasis_Mutandis
Prove it.
@@rodneywade8643 please see Proverbs 26:4-5
2 Thessalonians Chapter 2
11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
1 John 4:3
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
By denying that the only begotten of the Father, the Word of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
By denying that the Son of God became visible, you deny that the He became man!
By denying that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
@@dimitrispeiraias To do those things Dimitris, is to tell lies and not the truth. We look at how ignorant these people truly are when it comes to things like this. They don't know they are putting themselves in danger by that.
God's commandments have to do with not directing your worship at what is not True God! God prohibited the depiction of His Divinity that is not depicted, because such a false depiction directs your worship at a false god!
The incarnated Son of God is visible! The incarnated Son of God is depicted! You never worship the matter, but you certainly worship the Incarnated Son of God Who is Depicted!
By venerating Christ's depiction we acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God on the one hand and on the other we worship His Divinity which is of His Father and of His Spirit!
By disrespecting Christ's depiction we don't acknowledge the incarnation of the Son of God and at the same time we are disrespectful towards the Divinity of Christ's ONE Person which is also the Divinity of His Father and of His Spirit!
If you deny that the Son of God can be depicted, you deny that He became visible!
If you deny that our Lord became visible, you deny that the Son of God became man!
If you deny that the Son of God became man, you deny your own salvation!
Keep also in mind that any other sacred figures(e.g. cherubim on the ark of the covenant) are not without figure! Therefore their depiction is possible! However we solely worship God! God is the Only One Who is worshipped! The veneration of any sacred is not worship, because worship is much more than veneration!
Venerating an icon is analogous to emotionally kissing the picture of a beloved person! You could never confuse the paper with the person! You don't love the paper, but you certainly love the person!
Furthermore, the matter is not evil, because it was created by God! For this very reason the Son of God partakes the matter of the human nature! Therefore matter can be blessed by God's grace! Icons are not an exception! By disrespecting a blessed Icon, we disrespect God's grace!
Just remember the punishment of the slightest disrespect for the ark of the covenant and you will find out what really is about being disrespectful towards anything blessed by God's grace!
Just remember the handkerchiefs and the aprons of the Apostle Paul in the book of Acts(19:12) and you will find out that any material blessed by God's grace is miraculous!
@@fightthegoodfightoffaithmi8676 P.S. I am an Orthodox Christian and I shall keep speaking the truth in Love.
God bless you my friend!
@@dimitrispeiraias Matthew 1:21
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Acts 11:18
When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
Amen brother Dimitris. Been getting revelations from God's Holy Spirit a lot of times since after December 13 2018 to understand the Scriptures one such revelation was about the false teachers mentioned in Matthew 7:15 Christ calling them ravening wolves, I came to a conclusion that them being called ravening wolves means the same thing as what one of Christ's apostles called them in 2 Peter 2:12 natural brute beasts it will make sense to anyone who becomes born again of God's Holy Spirit why they are called those things.
Idols of toumors as to be a shrine to combat toumors/cansors/lepercy
Amen