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Discussion Forum : General Topics : Idol Worship- what does it really mean?

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TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Idol Worship- what does it really mean?

The posts about the "Baal" arches spurred this post.

There is a lot of talk about TV, music, sports etc being idols.

At what point does interest turn into worship?

Surely a mere watching of a ballgame on TV does not amount to worship.

What does amount to worship?


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Todd

 2016/3/28 13:52Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re: Idol Worship- what does it really mean?

The reason I am asking is that watching TV or listening to an iPod is not the same as sacrificing your child to Molech, or actually praying to an idol.

I don't think people should be accused of doing something they aren't really doing.


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Todd

 2016/3/28 13:57Profile
dolfan
Member



Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

My .02 for a shorthand of what an idol is:

"Jesus and ____." Whatever we put into that blank as necessary for our lives, that is an idol. We have lots of things on this side of the and. Family. Work. Church (oh, boy). Politics. Hobbies. Food. Sex.

I really do agree with Richard Wurmbrand's tale of "shopping for things you can do without", where you walk into a store and say, "I don't need THAT, I don't need THAT, and I don't need THAT," and walk out thanking Him for all the things you can live without.

In the case of the Baal arches, what is on the other side of the and? "Art", as they say, or "cultural history". I'll take their word for their own motives. Is it necessary to life? Is it worth a monument? No? Ok.


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Tim

 2016/3/28 15:22Profile
TMK
Member



Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

Define "necessary." Not trying to be a smarty pants.

AC is not "necessary" even in AL or NC. Is having AC an "idol?"


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Todd

 2016/3/28 15:30Profile









 Re: Idol Worship- what does it really mean?

Brother Todd, I understand your question totally. I have wrestled with these things all of my Christian life. Since I came out of a highly legalistic religion (Mormonism) I veer towards the law and not grace. However I am so aware of His grace and mercy that sometimes I just don't even want to go back to worldly things which often makes me look like a party poop or a 'legalistic' in the eyes of fellow Christians. And the balance sometimes mystifies me.

Have you ever noticed that some small enjoyment seems like a blessing from God and then the next time you do it or repeat it, the Lord does not bless it and even convicts you that it is not right time or place. For instance one day ( and I don't have cable tv or an Internet connection in my house but I do have an I-phone which I have to be really careful of because I am not interacting with real people who are around me!) anyway one day I was at my daughter's home and watched some Netflix documentaries which gave me insight to some things I was praying about. But the next time I say and watched old movie after old movie (classics) and wasted so many hours I knew that was disobedience heading into an old idolatry, you know what mean? I don't care about sports so that is no temptation. One day I knew that the Lord wanted me to sit and watch soccer with my son-in-law who is an unbeliever.

I absolutely cannot get on you-tube and control it. Lisa posted a link to s very funny song but before long I was clicking on more, I know my weaknesses and where I'm tempted so I have to decide beforehand, I'm just not going to get near that idol. An idol replaces our relationship with God. I totally enjoy getting on SI but even that can turn into idolatry. We just really have to be in constant and ever increasing awareness of our precious Lord in our daily walk.

PS I do not have this down yet, do any of us? But that is no excuse to ignore the discipline of the Lord and His still small voice. We do have an inner warning light that goes off, wow am I grateful for the Holy Spirit within.
Well that is my cents worth as folks say around here :-)

Signing off
L

 2016/3/28 15:40
dolfan
Member



Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

Jesus, I think honestly, set a floor for necessity. Himself, food, clothing. Those are the only things He says we need. Not even in our families do we move, live and have our being. Indeed, Jesus says we must "hate" (His word, not mine) mother, father, wife, children (not an objective hate that stands on its own bottom, of course, but a hate that commands us to look at the "and _____" after Jesus and assess, "do I NEED that?". That's hard.


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Tim

 2016/3/28 15:50Profile









 Re: Idol Worship- what does it really mean?

Dear children, keep and guard yourselves from idols. From false Gods. Keep away from anything that might take God's place in your hearts. (1 John 5:21 - several translations combined)

When does an interest become worship?

If we cannot give up something, wouldn't that suggest we in essence worship that thing?

Money, possessions, sports, career, entertainment etc.

I don't mean forgoing it every now and then. I mean COMPLETELY give it up. For good. Cut it off. Finito!!!

Isn't that what Jesus was saying to the rich young ruler? But he couldn't. He worshiped, adored, was dependent on - his riches. They had become an idol to him.

If we find ourselves so absorbed in an interest that it has become impossible to tear ourselves away from it, then I would suggest we are obeying that "thing" rather than God. We have made that thing the object of our worship. An idol.

 2016/3/28 16:15









 Re:

When you love someone or something more than Jesus.

In other words, you do everything too protect your idol, even ignoring the Lord's words.

That is how you know you have an idol in your heart.

We see the example in the Scriptures many times with OT Israel.

It is that part of your life where you are not submitted to God, but would rather serve your idol.

2 Kings 21:21
And he walked in all the way that his father walked in, and served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them:

Turning your heart away from the Lord to another.

2 Chronicles 24:18
And THEY LEFT the house of the Lord God of their fathers, and served groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.

 2016/3/28 16:25
dolfan
Member



Joined: 2011/8/23
Posts: 1727
Tennessee, but my home's in Alabama

 Re:

What scares me is how we sanctify things we don't consider idols.

I won't pick on politics here, but that is one.

Another is church. Not "the church" or the assembly of believers. But our denominational or style preferences of church. Or, within all that, certain ways that *must be* or *must not be* for reasons that really don't meet the same necessity for us as Himself as the bread of life/river of life and the food/water/clothing of our physical self.

We sanctify a lot of things He doesn't. Those things are, I submit with all humility, idols.


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Tim

 2016/3/28 16:30Profile









 Re:

No argument there, dolfan.

That is actually a very astute observation. If we "sanctify" it, then we can easily justify it as not an idol when in reality it still is. Spiritual adultery is having many suitors but our God is a jealous God and rightly so. How can idols match up to Jesus Christ and what He has done and is doing, today?

I won't pick on politics either, but it would be an easy one.

 2016/3/28 17:31





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