Do you bow down to idols? I think we all do...
As New Testament Christians how often have we shaken our heads at the behavior of the Old Testament Israelites and wondered with incredulity how they could witness God’s literal presence within their midst and be on the receiving end of His miracles only to turn their backs on His precepts the next instant? However, if we take a moment to carefully reflect on our own lives, we might find that some 2,500 years later, while we have full access to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, we are no closer to understanding the holiness of God than they were. Prevailing moral failures in our churches have led to wide-spread spiritual corruption and improperly set worldviews in our congregations (Isaiah 7-12; Malachi 6). Christians know the law and the truth but they fail to act on that knowledge. Their inaction is due to a heart issue. It is a heart problem that has plagued man since his creation. Man’s insatiable pride has made him an idolatrous creature who clothes himself in the self-righteousness of ritualism and produces only works of social injustice due to his moral destitution.
Is God at the center?
SUCCESS Magazine February 2016 - Joel Osteen $5.95. (2016). Retrieved August 24, 2016,
from https://store.success.com/by-media/magazines/success-magazine-february-2016-joel-osteen.html
We need to examine ourselves and decide if God is really at the center of our worship. As God’s first commandment, it is not unexpected that all of the major and minor prophets speak directly or indirectly about the idolatry of man. Our union with God is so important to Him that He describes it as a marriage covenant where He is our husband and we are his bride (Isaiah 54:5). The Bible says that all constructs made by man are futile as they lack the ability to provide salvation (Habakkuk 2:18-19). God also says that those who put their trust in anything or anyone other than Him are an abomination to Him and will receive only His divine judgement as their reward (Malachi 2:11-13). Perhaps the most direct rebuke regarding the worship of the works of man’s hands comes from Jeremiah (10:15, ESV) where he writes, “They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish.” Hosea (13:3, NET) also provides a sobering analysis of their lives, “Therefore they will disappear like the morning mist, like early morning dew that evaporates, like chaff that is blown away from a threshing floor, like smoke that disappears through an open window.” Finally, Isaiah (44:9, ESV) says “All who fashion idols are nothing…” To be “nothing” in the eyes of God is a grim thought. Modern idolatry can be found in almost every facet of our lives. Inside of the church it is most easily noted in so-called “pastor worship”, but it can also be found in certain aspects of worship that verge more on entertainment than glorifying God. (Note: I am not implying that Pastor Osteen seeks to be idolized, rather because of his popularity and dynamic preaching, people may idolize him based upon his success) Outside of church, idolatry is found in the self-indulgences of materialism and obesity, the self-worship of extreme exercise, and self-esteem in professional success and in the elevation of our children. Perhaps one of the most horrible consequences, aside from all of those who choose rebellion over grace, is abortion on demand. In modern day American, Baal and Molech have been replaced by the “Idol of Self” and their priest, Planned Parenthood.
Do you listen to the Holy Spirit? Even though Christians have cast off ritualism in the classic sense, do we still leave room for the Spirit to move? Many of the Old Testaments prophets spoke of empty sacraments and urged that our service should reflect our inner righteousness from God. Hosea (6:6, NET) instructs, “For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings.” Jeremiah (7:4, NET) also warns about faulty thinking that believes that God will be satisfied by anything other than His justice in the passage, “Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says, “We are safe! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here! The temple of the Lord is here!” Indeed, it is in Isaiah 58 that we can find God’s disgust with man’s self-serving traditions. Ritualism can be identified more easily in some church denominations than others. For instance, most Protestants would be quick to point out the flaws of Catholicism where there is a heavy focus on specific religious actions such as scripted prayers and liturgy, but how many would recognize their own ritualism in prayers that start and end the same way and vary little in the middle, the particular worship songs associated with certain activities, or communion observed on a particular cycle. Do you find yourself automatically expressing an “Amen!” or lifting your hands during worship? How about mindlessly uttering the stanzas from 200-year-old hymnals? One might argue that our formalities conform with the orderly worship passage of 1 Corinthians 14:26-40. However, if we examine ourselves honestly, we might find that we are not fully engaged in the activities we are partaking in.
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Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital Image].
Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574242302614607
Then and now...
Suttle, T. (2013, October 13). Have You Outgrown Modern Worship Music? [Digital Image]. Retrieved August 26, 2016, from http://www.patheos.com/blogs/paperbacktheology/2013/10/have-you-outgrown-modern-worship-music.html
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Have you strayed from the Gospel?
The close ties of idolatry and ritualism cause a heart sickness in us that produces the unrighteous works of social injustice. However, if our hearts are right with God, Amos (5:24) says that justice should flow freely from us like water, powerful and unstoppable. Zechariah (7:9-10, NET) declares God’s commands for social justice as, “The Lord who rules over all said, ‘Exercise true judgment and show brotherhood and compassion to each other. You must not oppress the widow, the orphan, the foreigner, or the poor, nor should anyone secretly plot evil against his fellow human being.’” All people are created in the image of God and therefore we are commanded to treat them with dignity and value (Genesis 9). God is very clear in His authority that He will dispense justice against those who disregard His commands (Amos 6). It might be easier to identify social injustice outside of the church as it can easily be found the education system, modern sexual slavery, the criminal justice system, world-wide poverty, homelessness, the abortion issue, euthanasia concerns, the refugee crisis, and political corruption. Though, if one looks carefully at present-day Christianity, it can be found in churches that have strayed from The Gospel to the man-centered social gospel. Even more subtly it can be detected in churches who themselves do not tithe to “missions” projects but rely on their congregation to make special offerings or by simply being unfriendly to “outsiders” and judging people by their lifestyles or appearance before being willing to render aid. Loving one another is a cornerstone of the Gospel and the launching point for evangelism. “It was Jesus who taught us that every person is a potential child of God”
Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital Image].
Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574242282614609
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Yesterday
vs Today |
Zagorski, S. (2015, October 12). United Methodist and Episcopalian Church Clergy Lead Prayer
Rally to. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.lifenews.com/2015/10/12/united-methodist-and-episcopalian-church-clergy-lead-prayer-rally-to-bless-abortion-clinic/
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God is Holy Holy Holy...
The good news is that both the major and minor prophets write that if we repent of our spiritual infidelity and give honor and glory to God, He is faithful and will restore us. We need to re-set our Biblical worldviews. That may mean reassessing our church to see if the idolatrous viewpoints of humanism, moralism, universalism, and even atheism have crept in. We also need to honestly evaluate our ritualistic behaviors. God originally designed worship as a way for His people to express their love and devotion to Him (Hindson et al., 2012). Lastly, we need to ask ourselves if we are displaying Christ-like behavior to those around us—especially to those who may not be able to exercise their “rights”. A natural result of receiving grace, is dispensing justice to all of those created in the image of God. God is “holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). That should provide great comfort to us because “His actions towards us are always perfect and just”. We should have extreme reverence anytime we enter His presence, be it through prayer, worship, or fellowship. Whether it be the Old Testament or New Testament, the first commandment is the same, God is to be first and foremost in our lives and we are to be faithful and trust Him with our minds, bodies, and souls (Exodus 20:1-4; Mark 12: 29-30).
The good news is that both the major and minor prophets write that if we repent of our spiritual infidelity and give honor and glory to God, He is faithful and will restore us. We need to re-set our Biblical worldviews. That may mean reassessing our church to see if the idolatrous viewpoints of humanism, moralism, universalism, and even atheism have crept in. We also need to honestly evaluate our ritualistic behaviors. God originally designed worship as a way for His people to express their love and devotion to Him (Hindson et al., 2012). Lastly, we need to ask ourselves if we are displaying Christ-like behavior to those around us—especially to those who may not be able to exercise their “rights”. A natural result of receiving grace, is dispensing justice to all of those created in the image of God. God is “holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). That should provide great comfort to us because “His actions towards us are always perfect and just”. We should have extreme reverence anytime we enter His presence, be it through prayer, worship, or fellowship. Whether it be the Old Testament or New Testament, the first commandment is the same, God is to be first and foremost in our lives and we are to be faithful and trust Him with our minds, bodies, and souls (Exodus 20:1-4; Mark 12: 29-30).
References
Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital
Image]. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574241652614672
Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital Image].
Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574242302614607
Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital Image].
Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574242282614609
Bridges, J. (2006). The pursuit of holiness. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
Graham, B., Rev. (2015, April 28). Billy Graham on Social Injustice. Retrieved April 26, 2016,
from https://billygraham.org/story/billy-graham-on-social-injustice/
Hindson, E. E., & Yates, G. E. (2012). The Essence of the Old Testament: A survey. Nashville,
TN: B & H Academic.
SUCCESS Magazine February 2016 - Joel Osteen $5.95. (2016). Retrieved August 24, 2016,
from https://store.success.com/by-media/magazines/success-magazine-february-2016-joel-osteen.html
Suttle, T. (2013, October 13). Have You Outgrown Modern Worship Music? Retrieved August
26, 2016, from http://www.patheos.com/blogs/paperbacktheology/2013/10/have-you-outgrown-modern-worship-music.html
Zagorski, S. (2015, October 12). United Methodist and Episcopalian Church Clergy Lead Prayer
Rally to. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.lifenews.com/2015/10/12/united-methodist-and-episcopalian-church-clergy-lead-prayer-rally-to-bless-abortion-clinic/
Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital
Image]. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574241652614672
Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital Image].
Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574242302614607
Botelho, K. L. (2013, July). Dead Sea Scrolls-Boston Museum Science 07-2013. [Digital Image].
Retrieved August 24, 2016, from https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=574242282614609
Bridges, J. (2006). The pursuit of holiness. Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress.
Graham, B., Rev. (2015, April 28). Billy Graham on Social Injustice. Retrieved April 26, 2016,
from https://billygraham.org/story/billy-graham-on-social-injustice/
Hindson, E. E., & Yates, G. E. (2012). The Essence of the Old Testament: A survey. Nashville,
TN: B & H Academic.
SUCCESS Magazine February 2016 - Joel Osteen $5.95. (2016). Retrieved August 24, 2016,
from https://store.success.com/by-media/magazines/success-magazine-february-2016-joel-osteen.html
Suttle, T. (2013, October 13). Have You Outgrown Modern Worship Music? Retrieved August
26, 2016, from http://www.patheos.com/blogs/paperbacktheology/2013/10/have-you-outgrown-modern-worship-music.html
Zagorski, S. (2015, October 12). United Methodist and Episcopalian Church Clergy Lead Prayer
Rally to. Retrieved August 24, 2016, from http://www.lifenews.com/2015/10/12/united-methodist-and-episcopalian-church-clergy-lead-prayer-rally-to-bless-abortion-clinic/