Idolatry

Since one person has brought it up. I have decided to write a blog about Idolatry. It is in our society today, and it is scary. Idolatry is a scary thing. Idolatry is defined as this:

i‧dol‧a‧try 1. the religious worship of idols. 2. excessive or blind adoration, reverence, devotion, etc.

Now I am not sure what "blind adoration" is...but it basically seems to me that the definition is saying that it is putting an idol above God. It is thinking about this idol and worshipping this idol over God. It is thinking about nothing but the idol. Your whole life is that idol. That is a scary thing. It is something I do not want to get involved in, because in my opinion it leads to death. It might be a harsh thing, but one of the commandments says to not take up for ourselves any idols.

Deuteronomy 4:15-19 says "Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air, or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.

So what is an idol? In this verse it says it can be a man or woman, living and non-living things.

What should we do instead? Well the obvious thing is to worship God only. If you like a man or woman, or like creation or anything, that is fine, but continually thank God for them instead of worshipping them. God created them, so he is the one who deserves the awe and adoration for creating something so wonderful. Take nature for example, when I look at pictures of nature, or I am in a park with beautiful scenery etc. I always take time to thank God for creating something so beautiful. There is no point in worshipping the flowers, they are dead. Another example is celebrities. For some people, celebrities are their whole lives. They think about nothing except that celebrity. They worship and adore that celebrity. What we need to do instead is to thank God for creating them. God deserves the credit for it. The celebrities didn't create themselves. If you think a celebrity is so wonderful, think about their creator (God obviously), and thank Him for creating someone so wonderful. Don't act like the celebrity is god. Because they aren't.

God created everything, so why worship something who isn't powerful. ESPECIALLY compared to God. God is all powerful, so why worship something that is below him and definitly weak.

I encourage you all to live for God and not for things of the world. We tend to do that sometimes, myself included. This is a good reminder for everyone. Live for God. Worship God. Love God. Serve God. Things of this world will pass away, but God will never. Things of this world will fail us, God will never. God will always love us, the world will not.

I will leave you with this verse that I read tonight.

The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. ~Galatians 5:19-26