View source for Template:Idolatry

[[File:Calf.jpg|right|400px|thumb| [[Idolatry]] like most of the  [[adultery]] and [[fornication]] mentioned in the [[Bible]] was ''"national"'' in nature because the people were establishing illicit<Ref name="makeno">{{makeno}}</Ref> [[Contract|compacts]]<Ref name="beriyth">{{1285}}</Ref> and [[lasciviousness|lascivious]] relations with the systems of men and their [[gods]] which made men subject like they were in [[Egypt]]. <Br>The building and [[worship]]ing of the [[Golden calf]] would be considered [[idolatry]]. It was done to bind the people together politically and economically. This was a form of the [[One purse]] prohibition in [[Proverbs 10]] which warns us against and it also became a system of [[Corban]] which would eventually 'make the word of God to none effect'. Aaron was setting up a system with the [[Golden calf]] that would bring the people back into the [[bondage of Egypt]]. God's plan like [[The Way]] of [[Christ]] was [[The Blessed Strategy]] of [[righteousness]].]]

== [[Idolatry]] defined ==

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We are told today that [[idolatry]] means "the worship of a cult image or physical object as though it were [[gods|God or a god]]". But anthropologically it is almost impossible to find followers of any [[religion]] who actually regards a ''cult image'' as the deity itself. In fact, they view the  images as symbol or representation of a spirit or icons of spiritual ideas, or even the embodiment of the divine ideal and not a being for that entity is believed to exists elsewhere.

To understand what idolatry meant or should mean we need to understand the context of the word it is used with. What is [[religion]], who or what are [[gods]], what does it mean to [[worship]], what were they doing in the pagan [[temples]] and what were the golden statues like the [[Golden calf]]?

The word [[idolatry]] comes from the Greek word ''eidololatria'' (εἰδωλολατρία), a compound of ''eidolon'' (εἴδωλον "image/idol") and ''latreia''<Ref name="latreia">{{2999}}</Ref> (λατρεία "[[worship]]"). The  Greek word ''latreia'' is said to mean "[[worship]], service paid to the gods, hired labor". 

We can see these words for [[worship]] used by Christ during His own [[temptations]]:

<blockquote>
[[Matthew 4]]:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, [[Satan]]: for it is written, Thou shalt '''[[worship]]'''<[[4352]] proskuneo> the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve <[[3000]] latreuo>. 
</blockquote>

So this would means if you labor for men who are ''[[gods|ruling judges]]'' like in the days of [[Pharaoh]], [[Caesar]] or any government provided "labor" like in the days of [[Egypt]] that labor would be a form of [[worship]] as the word was used at the time the Bible was written.

The  Greek word ''latreia''<Ref name="latreia">{{2999}}</Ref> is related to ''latron'' (n.) "pay, hire," ''latris'' "servant, [[worship]]per". It is from a root *le- "to get". Even the Latin ''latrocinium'' meaning "robbery, freebooting, highway-robbery, piracy," and is from latro "robber, bandit," but also "hireling, mercenary" from which we get ''larceny''.

<blockquote>
[[Ephesians 5]]:5  For this ye know, that no whoremonger<Ref>{{4205}}</Ref>, nor unclean person<Ref>{{169}}</Ref>, nor covetous man<Ref>{{4123}}</Ref>, who is an [[idolater]]<Ref>{{1496}}</Ref>, hath any [[Not inherit the kingdom|inheritance in the kingdom]] of Christ and of God. 
6  Let no man [[deceive]] you with vain<Ref>{{2756}}</Ref> words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.<Ref>{{543}}</Ref> 7  Be not ye therefore partakers<Ref>{{4830}}</Ref> with them.

[[Colossians 3]]:5 "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; [[fornication]], uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil [[lust|concupiscence]], and [[covetousness]], which is [[idolatry]]:<Ref name-"isidolatry">{{isidolatry}}</Ref> 6  For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7  In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them."

[[1 Corinthians 10]]:6 ¶  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. 7  Neither be ye [[idolaters]], as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and [[Golden calf|rose up to play]]. 8  Neither let us commit [[fornication]], as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. (See [[Peor]])...
14  Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from [[idolatry]]. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the [[communion]] of the [[blood]] of [[Christ]]? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18  Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the [[altars|altar]]?
19  What say I then? that the [[idols|idol]] is any thing, or that which is offered in [[sacrifice]] to idols is any thing?
20  But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they [[sacrifice]] to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have [[fellowship]] with devils.
21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the [[snare|table of devils]].

[[Galatians 5]]:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; [[Adultery]], [[fornication]], uncleanness, lasciviousness,20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the [[kingdom of God]].

</blockquote>

== Seeking Answers ==

These idols of old like the  [[Golden calf]] were not just superstitious mumbo-jumbo of people dancing around a statue, but they were a part of systems in ''paganism with a purpose''. The statues were at least symbols for social systems created by the hand of men to unite communities. How those systems functioned was often more important than the image itself. To bow down to an [[idols|idol]] was to make yourself subject to the system it represented. The men who held authority in those social system were the ruling judges of those system and they made choices for the members who were often bound within those systems. Bowing down and serving those systems was often called [[idolatry]].

You were told to "Let no man deceive you with vain words…" The Bible is full of metaphor and symbols, allegories and parables. Unmooring the symbols from their meaning is a recipe for delusion. The Pharisees had distorted the meaning of words in the Old Testament and turned wisdom into [[fables]]<Ref>1 Timothy 1:4  Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do].
: 1 Timothy 4:7  But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself [rather] unto godliness.
: 2 Timothy 4:4  And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Titus 1:14  Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
: 2 Peter 1:16  For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.</Ref> and superstitions. Christ did not change the nature of God, His Creation nor what our relation to God should be or not be.

[[Altars]] of [[Clay and stone]] were not just piles of stones piled up so that men could kill sheep and [[Burnt offering|set them on fire]] to make God happy. That was a fable. The [[Essenes]], one of the most popular religious groups at the time of Christ, saw the interpretation of the [[Pharisees]] concerning animal sacrifice to be a fiction and a fraud. They read the [[Torah]], knew Hebrew, but did not participate in their animal sacrifice. They did make sacrifices but it was to take care of the social [[welfare]] of the needy of society through [[Pure Religion]].

: "Deliver me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.  Quicken me, O LORD, for thy name’s sake: for thy [[righteousness]]’ sake bring my soul out of trouble.  And of thy [[mercy]] cut off mine enemies, and destroy all them that afflict my [[soul]]: for I am thy servant." Psalms 143:9-12 

We must be led by the [[Trees|tree of life]], by the [[Holy Spirit]] of God and not by the tree of knowledge nor the [[Sophistry]] of men. If we seek and strive and persevere in walking in [[The Way|the way]]s of Jesus the Christ according to the character of His name He will show mercy and grace. We must forgive to be forgiven, we mus give to be given to, we must serve to be served and in the sacrifice of our life He will give us life more abundant.

Sometimes the inconsistencies in the translation of words in the [[Bible]] can reveal a clear agenda, a conspiracy of the spirit to deceive and mislead. Often modern Greek English dictionaries have already been altered by men with an agenda that was contrary to Christ and even the Holy Spirit. The Bible has been used to bring a [[Strong Delusion|strong delusion]] into the minds of the people so that they might believe a lie.

The purpose of these writings is to make you uncomfortable with the lie in hope that you would [[Repent|repent]] and [[Confess|confess]]. 

If we carved a tree into an image of our own imagination and held it up as something sacred we would say that it was an ''idol''. We allow men to carve the written accounts of men who walked with Jesus into what we call the Bible and then look at it through the glasses given by dictionary writers and call it sacred too. That is idolatry also. 

Everyone has an imagination. It is the screen upon which we project our thoughts... But what is the source of those thoughts? Is it the spirit and will of God the [[Father]] or is it our own will or the will of sophists and spirit of demons? 

'''What is the answer?'''

The way most people use the [[Bible]] and churches is to make themselves comfortable with the lie. The ministers are hired to tickle our ears and scratch our back and justify our sins.  This eventually leads to the defense of the deception mentally if not physically. This leads to attacks, that lead to wars and murder. In order to maintain our own vanity and pride we must reverence those things that are not true and the images that represent that lie whether they are physical or only mental images and perceptions and put down or even destroy and kill those who point to or merely know the truth. All because men make a thing sacred which is idolatry. 

What most people call the [[Bible]] did not exist until a few centuries ago. The early texts of what was translated into the Bible did not exist as a book until centuries after Christ, so it is true that Jesus never quoted from the Bible. He did quote from books that were eventually included in the original source for the Bible but also quoted and referred to books that were not included in the [[Bible]]. Some of His very same parables and metaphors are also found in the writings of Buddha. 

I believe that the word of God is not found in a book or even in the words that I say or write to you. That is not for any reason than words are finite and cannot impart the infinite nature of the truth because they are inadequate by their nature. The truth is a spiritual thing, a thing not only of another dimension but a thing at the core of all dimensions. It can not be heard by the ears on the side of your head or read by your eyes or deciphered by the brain by which they function and interpret. The spiritual truth is not subject to private interpretation. 

The [[Bible]] speaks of the truth, alludes to it, references the preachers of the truth but to know the truth requires the anointed Spirit of [[Christ]] dwelling in us.

Only those who have ears to hear and eyes to see can receive the word of God. Those are a gift of grace. There were those who stood around Jesus and listened to him speak but still did not hear the word of God. How do we believe that a written translation after sophists have had access to dictionaries and scripts that we could have the word of God in our hand. 

That is vain thinking because it ultimately depends upon us to interpret it. If it requires the spirit to tell us what it means then the Spirit must be independent of the text. 

I believe that the [[Bible]] as we have it is a valuable book but it may not be sacred as in holy. Holiness cannot reside in dead stones or the printed words of a book. It listeth where it will<Ref>John 3:8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.</Ref> and dwells in the living souls of men. You can not receive the word of God from books or magic lamps. Nor can men give it to you for men and the things they make are not the source of truth nor of life. To make them the source is to make them the god of your understanding which is to make the things men make your god before the God of heaven and earth. 

Again this is idolatry to reverence a thing or its image, even in your own mind. It does not matter that the idol is the KJV or Peshitta or Black's Law dictionary or the Constitution our loyalty must be to the Spirit that giveth life. <Ref>John 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
:2 Corinthians 3:6  Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.</Ref>

Although one might call the [[Bible]] a gift or testimony so also are the trees and creatures of earth and the stars of heaven. Even our own sin and the products of devastation and destruction they wrought in the world is the testimony of God and His righteous truth. 

'''How do we know what is true?'''
 
Can we decide the good and evil, the right and wrong, in our own mind? 

Is that eating of the [[Trees|tree of knowledge]]?

Most idols are constructed in our private imagination because we care about our self more than God or others. Our selfish nature lets us think we know more than God and can figure things out our self. These IMAGES in our mind are often formed of our ideas about things we imagine to be true. Doctrines constructed by men by taking pieces of the gospel are often used to form images of God which people believe in which is a form of idolatry.

Is our own attempt to make such decision the very sin that brought us to this desperate chaos? 

The answer is determined by our ''[[Romans 13|exousia]]'', our right of choice. We choose to accept the Truth or not. To eat of the [[trees|tree]] of life or not. We may choose to project good and evil in our own imagination to our own egotistical advantage or not.

Shall we hide from the light of truth or seek that light and the whole truth and provide for it? 

We may pretend what we have done or allowed is good but that requires vanity, pride selfishness and a willingness to accept a lie. If we do that we must use something to project this lie upon our imagination. We need a source other than the spirit. We can easily use the bible to do this or other books, music, philosophies or philosophers. 

You must shut off these other sources that are not spirit. You must let them go, see past their imaginary imagery.... You must still your own ambition, your own lust, desires of self. You cannot do this with will but you can do it with humble repentance and a truthful confession. 

Christ gives us a way to go to help us in this journey to the light. You must forgive others, you must give up what you once coveted, you must set aside your own pride and will to seek that will of the Father... you must be still and know that He is God. 

The problem is not that we have imagination but that our imagination has us and someone or something else has the control of that imagination. This is the essence of delusion. To make a thing "sacred" takes you away from things of the spirit. It is a falling of the mind to the flesh and the things of the flesh and the Bible can do this the same as any other book or source. It is the way of evil to take the words, written or spoken, and turn them to his own will. This is the power of Babble. The only defense against this adversary is the Spirit of God which is the word or vibration of God. 

You will not return to the [[Father]] until you let go of that which is not compatible with God and receive that which is. Reading, hearing with your ears will not make this happen. Only repentance, forgiveness and walking with the Spirit of God.