When you think of idols, do you who live in the United States think of American Idol? How about in Europe? Do you think about British Idol and Pop Idol? There are other TV shows in other countries just like these. They are all produced for the public’s viewing and hearing pleasure and entertainment. The audience in the studio and at home can vote to choose the singer they think should be idolized. The singer whose voice is voted as best is chosen based on individual taste and appeal.
May I please tell you something very important? If you don’t know this already, the only One who should be idolized is our God, the creator of every human being, and the creator of Heaven and earth.
“… We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but One.” (1 Corinthians 8:4)
In fact, in The Holy Bible, we can read what God told Moses: “I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt, the place of your slavery. You must not have any other god but me. You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind, or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.” (Deuteronomy 5:6-8)
Whoa! We have idols all around us. People, things, and places are idolized. Even those we think are deserving of our adoration and special attention are idolized. What do I mean by that?
When I was growing up in the religion of my youth, I was taught to kneel down in front of statues. These statues represented Mary and Joseph (the human parents of Jesus Christ [our God in the flesh]). I was taught not only to kneel down in front of them, but also to pray to them. I was also taught to place money in the box for the poor in honor of my prayers.
This religion taught me that Mary and Joseph were praying to God on my behalf. This teaching is incorrect! This is not Biblical! These teachings and practices have been created and taught by man, not God!
God’s Word (The Bible) teaches us the truth:
“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is One.” (Galatians 3:20)
I never felt very comfortable kneeling down and praying to those statues. Somehow, something within me was telling me that it was not right, but I didn’t know why. What was wrong? My parents taught me that it was correct, good, and holy. But my conscience and my heart were struggling with what I was being taught.
I’ll tell you why I was struggling. It was because these statues are idols! That gnawing feeling I had inside of me was meant to make me question this practice. In reality, I was idolizing Mary and Joseph, and I was praying to the dead. Yes! That’s correct! They are dead, and we are not to put anyone in between God and ourselves. We are to only to give God our love and our prayers, and adore only Him.
When I was reading my Bible diligently, I came across this scripture and everything became quite clear: “… and you saw their abominations and their idols which were among them — wood and stone and silver and gold.” (Deuteronomy 29:17)
“Then God gave the people all these instructions:” (Exodus 20:1) … “You must not have any god before me.” (Exodus 20:3)
Giving someone or something other than God any idolization is placing that person or that object as a god before the real God. We cannot do this! We must not do this!
We may or may not realize we’ve been doing this. We must be very careful. All of our love, adoration, and any type of idolization must be given only to the One and only Almighty God.
Otherwise: “… You shall serve other gods… — [of] wood and stone.” (Deuteronomy 28:64)
These are “idols of gold, andsilver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk.” (Revelation 9:20)
This is what has been done: “You took the very jewels and gold and silver ornaments I had given you and made statues of men and worshiped them. This is adultery against me!” (Ezekiel 16:7)
If we idolize a person or an object (even if it represents a person), then we are committing adultery against our God! We must be careful. We must seek forgiveness for our idolizations.
“You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea. You must not bow down to them or worship them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God who will not tolerate your affection for any other gods. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children; the entire family is affected — even children in the third and fourth generations of those who reject me. But I lavish unfailing love for a thousand generations on those who love me and obey my commands.” (Exodus 20:4-6)
After having left that religion of my youth (that I had actually continued on throughout most of my adulthood and through marriage…), I realized that I had sinned against God. I had committed “adultery” through my idol worship (through my religious upbringing). How awful, I realized, as I repented of my sin. Although I was not certain why I felt uncomfortable when being taught and following the actions of my parents in praying to these statues (these idols), God was faithful in showing me the truth. He will show you, too, if you are open to Him.
That discomfort when bowing and kneeling down to statues was there for a reason. I simply needed to find out why. God will lead. We simply need to seek Him for He is calling you to Himself.
Although my parents’ instructions were wrong, I believe it’s because they never really sought God out enough to really know Him. They would pray the rote (repeated) prayers they were taught, and they would follow the church’s man-made teachings, but would they come to know the truth? According to the scriptures, “… the entire family is affected…”
God allowed me to understand the error of my ways from the error of my parents when I diligently sought Him and His Word. He allowed me to learn, to repent, and to be saved.
It is really quite simple to earnestly seek God and His truth with all our heart. Let go of the world and everything in it, and stop and seek your Creator!
God tells us: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
I pray you will seek God with all your heart. I pray you will see the truth, too. I pray you will not allow any idols to pull you in the wrong direction away from God. I pray you will repent of any idolization in your life that is not of God.
For God says in His Word, the Bible: “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.”
Don’t be left out of your eternal salvation to enter into Heaven. I want to see you there someday!
Until we virtually meet again, may God call you to Himself.
God’s Word for Today: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols [or] from anything that might take God’s place in your heart.” (1 John 5:21)
Copyright © 2014 by Patricia Shehan
All scripture is quoted from various translations of the Holy Bible (God’s Word) and is set in italics and quotation marks.
