The French philosopher Voltaire once said,
2nd Corinthians 10:4-6 says,
The famous 15th century theologian John Calvin said,
When the word Idolatry comes up, we tend to think of a gold calf, or some kind of statue being worshiped by man, but the truth is anything can become an idol. A person can worship a measurement of God than fits their own standards of living, or their own ideology.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 says,
In verse 15 we see that Paul reassures them "by the word of the Lord." Paul didn't pull out a chart and attempt to debate the false doctrines that were taught. Instead he " cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God" by simply reminding the people of what Jesus said.
Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us,
Let's examine 2 opposing extremes. Westboro Baptist Church will tell you that "God hates Gay People" for they have wrapped God up in a mix of their own philosophy of hatred and added to it misinterpreted scripture. They now worship a god of their own making. Likewise, some in the Gay community have taken their philosophy that God made them gay from birth and they also have used scripture out of context to support their lifestyle. The fact that they strive through such great lengths to do this makes one wonder why they would even accept God's existence to begin with. The truth is, both extremes have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit, so they have embraced His existence, but didn't want to accept Him "as is." So they created a god that fit their lifestyle, and used scripture out of context to back it up. They also now worship a god of their own making.
Before being too hard on others for this ultimately we should each examine our own heart. I personally have been guilty of placing my own vain speculations on God. As I've been in a variety of different denominations I've done this, but even prior to becoming born again I held a foolish speculation in my heart about God. I used to smoke marijuana on a regular basis (I'm not proud to admit). I honestly believed that since God created marijuana, it was not a sin for man to consume (smoke) it. Instead of noting the damaging effects it had on my body, which is according to God's word the body is, "the temple of the Holy Spirit" and deciding not to smoke it, I chose to continue smoking it and believing it was not a sin. My belief system had a god included in it that did not condemn this sin, so I was okay (or so I thought).
Today, I no longer smoke marijuana thankfully, I've sought God, I've found Him, and became born again on July 27, 1997, but I find today I'm still seeking Him, but in a different way. Now I'm seeking more and more to know Him in a deeper way. As I continue to pursue Him I'll let nothing stand in my way. Not an ideology, or a scripture twisted out of context to fit my desires, or a tradition, or anything else.
As Deuteronomy 29:29 has told us, not everything is going to be revealed to us from God. He has given us exactly what we need however and it "belongs to us" and we are therefore accountable for it.
Are you seeking God?
Will you obey Him when you find Him?
Or will you settle, and worship something less than Him - a false god.
"If God did not exist, he would have to be invented." But all nature cries aloud that he does exist: that there is a supreme intelligence, an immense power, an admirable order, and everything teaches us our own dependence on it.Sadly, instead of seeking God truthfully and continually, we often fall short and settle for our own image of God instead. Often this comes through the perceptions of God that the Church teaches us, but unfortunately many times it is filtered through a doctrine created in a man made denomination, and people simply quit seeking and begin accepting that view of God. This is not to say the doctrine is necessarily wrong, but as we seek for God and admire His attributes we find that He shatters any image we attempt to place on Him, for He is so much more than our minds can conceive. When man gets to the place in his mind where he believes he has God figured out, then he is in error, for God is so much more. We can say God is just, holy, loving, etc... However we can only measure His attributes with the teaspoon of man's knowledge, when in fact He is the waterfall, and even this illustration falls short.
2nd Corinthians 10:4-6 says,
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. (Paul, the Apostle)
“Mingled vanity and pride appear in this, that when miserable men do seek after God, instead of ascending higher than themselves as they ought to do, they measure Him by their own carnal stupidity, and neglecting solid inquiry, fly off to indulge their curiosity in vain speculation. Hence, they do not conceive of Him in the character in which He is manifested, but imagine Him to be whatever their own rashness has devised. This abyss standing open, they cannot move one footstep without rushing headlong to destruction. With such an idea of God, nothing which they may attempt to offer in the way of worship or obedience can have any value in His sight, because it is not Him they worship, but, instead of Him, the dream and figment of their own heart.” ( John Calvin - Institutes of the Christian Religion)All of this being said by Calvin, I'd like to zero in on his last point where he stated, " ..it is not Him they worship, but, instead of Him, the dream and figment of their own heart.”
When the word Idolatry comes up, we tend to think of a gold calf, or some kind of statue being worshiped by man, but the truth is anything can become an idol. A person can worship a measurement of God than fits their own standards of living, or their own ideology.
For example, if a man loves his sin enough he may rationalize it and reinforce it by bending misinterpreted scripture around it until he (or she) feels secure within it. They sought God, but when they felt He may actually change something in their life, man changed God (their perception of Him).
Truthfully what actually happened is that man sometimes seeks God, but hides his own sin within his heart. However the God they are seeking sees into the heart and no sin is hidden from His eyes. When the conviction of the Holy Spirit comes the man instead of allowing God to change his heart, will attempt to change God into something more fitting to his own liking. They are searching for God about like a bank robber is searching for the police. They then turn to speculations ranging from God's non-existence to his existence within their own parameters.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-15 says,
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.In the church at Thessaloniki, just 50 miles from Mount Olympus where the Greeks worshiped Zeus and other false gods, the people here asked Paul many questions about God, but specifically about the resurrection of the dead in Christ. False teachers had come in while Paul was away and many speculations were being made about God and what the future holds.
In verse 15 we see that Paul reassures them "by the word of the Lord." Paul didn't pull out a chart and attempt to debate the false doctrines that were taught. Instead he " cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God" by simply reminding the people of what Jesus said.
Deuteronomy 29:29 tells us,
“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."Why is it that man believes in their heart that they should know everything. If man had all knowledge then he would be God himself and have no need for God. Sadly, this New Age view has been embraced by Oprah Winfrey, Shirley McClain, Morgan Freeman, and many other celebrities in our modern culture. In the same way, when we settle in our search for God and wrap Him in our frail, human knowledge - we become our own God, for we are calling our own shots and are not allowing the true God to lead us.
Let's examine 2 opposing extremes. Westboro Baptist Church will tell you that "God hates Gay People" for they have wrapped God up in a mix of their own philosophy of hatred and added to it misinterpreted scripture. They now worship a god of their own making. Likewise, some in the Gay community have taken their philosophy that God made them gay from birth and they also have used scripture out of context to support their lifestyle. The fact that they strive through such great lengths to do this makes one wonder why they would even accept God's existence to begin with. The truth is, both extremes have felt the conviction of the Holy Spirit, so they have embraced His existence, but didn't want to accept Him "as is." So they created a god that fit their lifestyle, and used scripture out of context to back it up. They also now worship a god of their own making.
Before being too hard on others for this ultimately we should each examine our own heart. I personally have been guilty of placing my own vain speculations on God. As I've been in a variety of different denominations I've done this, but even prior to becoming born again I held a foolish speculation in my heart about God. I used to smoke marijuana on a regular basis (I'm not proud to admit). I honestly believed that since God created marijuana, it was not a sin for man to consume (smoke) it. Instead of noting the damaging effects it had on my body, which is according to God's word the body is, "the temple of the Holy Spirit" and deciding not to smoke it, I chose to continue smoking it and believing it was not a sin. My belief system had a god included in it that did not condemn this sin, so I was okay (or so I thought).
Today, I no longer smoke marijuana thankfully, I've sought God, I've found Him, and became born again on July 27, 1997, but I find today I'm still seeking Him, but in a different way. Now I'm seeking more and more to know Him in a deeper way. As I continue to pursue Him I'll let nothing stand in my way. Not an ideology, or a scripture twisted out of context to fit my desires, or a tradition, or anything else.
As Deuteronomy 29:29 has told us, not everything is going to be revealed to us from God. He has given us exactly what we need however and it "belongs to us" and we are therefore accountable for it.
Are you seeking God?
Will you obey Him when you find Him?
Or will you settle, and worship something less than Him - a false god.
