Heidelberg 93- 95 Idolatry

⁹Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, ¹⁰thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Thoughts: The Ten Commandments are divided into two tables- one about how to love God and the other in how to love neighbor.  John Calvin rightly pointed out that for every negative command there was an implied positive.  So, for instance, having no other Gods before the Lord not only forbids creating things to worship- or worshiping stuff- it also encourages us to put God first and give ourselves solely and devotedly to Him.  In our day in America this is the commandment we struggle with most.  Some say it is the key commandment for all time.  We put money, stuff, business and things ahead of God.  One of the hidden reasons some major businesses do not like religion is they would like to have primacy instead of faith.  They would like to tell us what to value, while they tell us to not keep the Sabbath, that adultery is to be accepted as the new norm, and coveting is a wonderful past time.  The worship of things leads us to an illusive nowhere that ends in death and the grave.  Thinking that things- however creative, shiny, innovative, and new-- will bring ultimate peace and eternal life, is false worship and an afront to the real Creator and innovator. 

Prayer: Keep me from thinking i can create you, Lord.  Keep me from thinking I can make you in the way I want and instead give me listening and hopeful ears to hear your living voice.  

Q & A 93

Q. How are these commandments divided?

A. Into two tables. The first has four commandments, teaching us how we ought to live in relation to God. The second has six commandments, teaching us what we owe our neighbor.1

1 Matt. 22:37-39

Q & A 94

Q. What does the Lord require in the first commandment?

A. That I, not wanting to endanger my own salvation, avoid and shun all idolatry,1 sorcery, superstitious rites,2 and prayer to saints or to other creatures.3 That I rightly know the only true God,4 trust him alone,5 and look to God for every good thing6 humbly7 and patiently,8 and love,9 fear,10 and honor11 God with all my heart. In short, that I give up  anything rather than go against God’s will in any way.12

1 1 Cor. 6:9-10; 10:5-14; 1 John 5:21
2 Lev. 19:31; Deut. 18:9-12
3 Matt. 4:10; Rev. 19:10; 22:8-9
4 John 17:3
5 Jer. 17:5, 7
6 Ps. 104:27-28; James 1:17
7 1 Pet. 5:5-6
8 Col. 1:11; Heb. 10:36
9 Matt. 22:37 (Deut. 6:5)
10 Prov. 9:10; 1 Pet. 1:17
11 Matt. 4:10 (Deut. 6:13)
12 Matt. 5:29-30; 10:37-39

Q & A 95

Q. What is idolatry?

A. Idolatry is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in the Word.1 1 1 Chron. 16:26; Gal. 4:8-9; Eph. 5:5; Phil. 3:19

[Pictures- Above left- Ba'al idol of Canaan; Above right- Apple watch]

8/14/14- Ephesians 5

3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.^a 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.7Therefore do not be partners with them. (Ephesians 5)

Thoughts: "Not even a hint of sexual immorality" is our goal.  Don't even put yourself in a position so that your actions hurt your witness as a Christian.  Impurity, greed, sexual immorality, obscenity, coarse joking are the kinds of immorality spoken against here.  Basically it is a lack of self-control and animal-like behavior.  Paul says that someone who does these things is an idolater.  How can this be?  Idolatry is putting something or someone in the place of God.  Greed puts out selfishness in the place of listening to God's command to have self-control and to be generous.  Sexual immorality and obscenity are putting our sexual desires ahead of God.  
     Some in the church do not know that fornication and adultery- sex outside of marriage is forbidden in the Bible.  They cannot even define sexual immorality- unless they have watered it down to say if you don't "love" someone.  Today the statistic from The National Center for Health Statistics said that 58% of non-marital births were to cohabiting relationships.  Over half of new partner relationships are cohabiting and not marriage.  The way of upholding sexual purity is going away, as if it is evil.  But the wounded bodies and hearts of others testify to the truth of the better ideal of one lifetime partner.  The grace of God is not to say that sin doesn't exist but to offer a way out of sin.  The grace of God is the way of forgiveness and getting past the hurt and harm of our own failed deeds.  Jesus did not condemn the woman caught in adultery- but He did command her to go and sin no more.  God offers us, while we live, a second chance.  Let us take it- and strive to be as pure as we can be this moment forward.  

Prayer: Lord, take all of me.  Take my desires, my excesses, my wrongs and make them right.  

1/31/12- Worship God alone

Q. How many God's are there?
A. There is only one, the living and true God. 


 ⁶ “This is what the LORD says— Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: 
I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God. (Isaiah 44:6)


so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other. (1 Kings 8:60)


⁴ So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” ⁵ For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), ⁶ yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6)


¹⁹ Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. (1 Cor. 10:19-20)

(Solomon's Idolatry- Ricci Sebastiano)


Thoughts: There are two trains of thought about idols in scripture.  One is that idols are nothing at all but pieces of wood (1 Cor. 8:4).  The other is that idols and other gods are demonic, and there are indeed spiritual powers or beings behind the idol but not for good.   Once when I was in Cuba I spoke to a vudu priest (they called it African religion there).  He told me that they believe in a high and holy God, but that there are other gods not quite as powerful that pave the way between us and Him.  Christians recognize angels, demons, and other powerful spiritual beings but do not worship them.  Calvin spoke of anything that claims first love in our heart (money, work, sports, even family members) can become an idol for us.  We should remember that the Lord alone is worthy of our worship.  


Prayer: May I give my heart and soul to you alone, O Lord.  

1/18/12- Defining God

WSC- Define God.
A: God is a Spirit, whose being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth are all infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.

²⁴ God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

(Michelangelo's picture of God in creation)

Thoughts: Is it possible to define God?  In the post-modern world, many would say that is a hopeless cause.  It would be hopeless except that God has given us a Word in order that we would know what He is like.  The children's shorter catechism has the answer- "God is spirit and hath not a body like men."  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints says that God has a body and we are made in His image.  The commandment to not make an image/idol of God is based on the idea that God is spirit.  As great as Michelangelo's Cistine Chapel picture is, it is misleading and limits God.  God's power and presence is not limited by a body.  God's omniscience is not limited by the space of a brain.

Prayer: Give me grace, Lord, to not limit you in my thinking, in my praying, in my trusting.


Q. 4. What is God?
A. God is a spirit, Whose being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth are infinite,
eternal, and unchangeable.