How can sin be said to be a form of idolatry

How many statues in the United States are there of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and many other famous political and military figures? Is the American public worshipping these people by making these statues? No, they are made to honor these people because of the great things that they have done for our country. How much greater are the holy Christian men and women that have done so much for kingdom of God on Earth. How much greater is the Mother of God who brought Jesus Christ into the world?

One last objection that Protestant Christians bring up is how Catholics kneel before a statue or image of Mary or one of the Saints; that this is a form of idolatry. Again in the context of Exodus 20 this applies to bowing down before a false idol in order to worship it. In Catholic Churches as well as Orthodox Churches and some older Protestant groups there are shrines to honor Mary and other Saints where Christians would light a candle and pray to God or ask the Saints intercession.

The statue is a representation of that particular Saint. Catholics sometimes even kiss the statue to represent their love and respect for the living Saint that statue represents in Heaven. This practice transcends Catholicism and is seen in many cultures.

Many people keep pictures of family members in their homes and wallets. When a person dies, friends and family kneel before the body in the coffin and say a prayer, are they worshipping that dead person? Adriana Rodriguez Press Secretary Email.

Twitter: BQDiocesePress. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Scripture does not tell us whether Eve was aware of the character and power of her adversary in the garden. It would appear not, though the text does not preclude it. But all of us have no such excuse. But do we take that truthfully to heart? Do we realize that the subtleties of temptation, its promises of pleasure or comfort, its outright direction to disbelieve and disobey God, are all lies?

And lies by their nature will not deliver as promised. Even those that seem to provide pleasure for a time will become revealed as the deceptions that they are. And the temptation of relief is packaged in things that appear to make sense, appear to be harmless, and appear to offer fulfillment. Things we come to believe we need or deserve. At times it can even feel as if we invite temptation and its promises in order to justify pursuing our cravings and numbing our pain.

Negotiating with sin is a losing game. Count on it. Eve already has pushed through every protective boundary along the way. She engaged the discussion when the instructions of God were clear and well known. She negotiated with temptation and with herself , trying to find some common ground from which she could sample what was offered. She surrendered to confusion, having stepped away from the certainty she once knew and believing it just might be possible that God had been holding out on them by commanding restrictions which no longer made sense to her.

She found herself believing the lie that treasure awaited, and that God would not mind. And we know and live with the tragic consequences. Posted in Becoming People of Understanding , Stop. Tagged with idols , idolatry , temptation , lies , sin. No Comments Add Your Comment. May How is Good to be Measured? And It Has. Psalm 73 Reading the Bible without Snoring. July Messiah in the Psalms. This had need be spoken to, for men are apt to make light of these sins, to think that Ministers are more zealous then wise, to preach against them, and that the Lord himself will not be so severe to punish them, nay, which is some what strange, they hope to please God by them, and are apt to alledge their Idolatry as an excuse, and to hold it up as a Shield of defence, when reproved for other sins.

But therefore the Scripture lays load upon it. Hos 8. Ephraim hath made many Altars to sin : they thought to worship God, but the Text saith, it was to sin against him. No sin like this. The greatness of it will appear, if you Consider, 1.

The nature of it, 2. The Causes from whence it comes, 3. The effects that flow from it. In the nature of this sin, there be four things that make it very odious in the sight of God.

Because it is a sin of high Rebellion against the will of God. The worship required in the First Commandment is called Natural worship, because it ariseth from the very nature of God, and the Creature. Jer 4. Men account it happiness to have their wills, and misery to be crost of their wills, and were they subdued to the will of God, it would be so indeed. Because they will be wiser then God, he makes them more foolish then men.

It is a sin of Whoredome against that spiritual Chastity that the Lord requires of his people : There is nothing more frequent in the Scripture then to express Idolatry under the name of Whoredome and Adultery, for it is a breach of the Marriage-Covenant, and a yielding that honour to another, to a Creature, to an Idol, which is due to none, but God.

They shall no more offer their Sacrifices unto Devils, after whom they have gone a whoring ; Gideons Ephod, Judges 8. They have Committed Adultery with Stocks and Stones. Hence Rome is called the Mother of Harlots, Rev And pure Worshippers, who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, are called Virgins, Rev. For although Superstition is a sin directly against the means of worship, yet it is ultimately against the Object of worship.

Therefore the Lord so Interprets false worship, that a new God is devised for the Object of it. Ieroboam ordained Priests for the Devils which he had made. Hence Rome is called an habitation of Devils, and foul Spirits. Hence, that Objection vanishes, what? Can we honour God too much? But you may mistake, and honour the Devil, when you think you honour God.

For it doth not elevate and raise up the mind towards God, but presseth it down from him, and debaseth it as low as Hell. Thus you see from the nature of this sin, how evil it is in the eyes of God. For men do not know their own hearts, nor the springs and principles of their own actions, but the Lord he knows, and the Scripture discovers, and searcheth the deepest corners and Secrets of the Heart.

Therefore let us see what the Scripture saith to it. We must be very circumspect herein to speak nothing, but what the Scripture saith. For to speak without the Scripture is Censoriousness, but to speak plainly according to it, is Faithfulness.

It was Ierusalems Calamity and ruine, that her Prophets did see vain and foolish things for her, and did not discover her iniquity, to turn away her Captivity : Lam. Now the Scripture takes notice of many distempers and Corruptions in the hearts of men, whereby they are inclined to this sin of Idolatry and Superstition, and in some respects more propense and prone to it, then to open profaneness.

Forgetfulness of God, Hos. Israel hath forgotten his Maker, Page 16 and buildeth Temples, and when they made the molten Calf, though they did proclaim an holy day to Iehovah, yet it is said, they forgat God their Saviour, Psal. This will seem very strange to carnal reason, for men are apt to think, they do it out of very good devotion, because they do, or would remember, and put themselves in mind of their duty towards God, as when men bow to a Crucifix, or to the name of Jesus, or the like, surely they remember Christ one would think, but let them pretend what they will, the Text is clear, they forget God their Saviour, it is because they forget the Lord Jesus, they do not remember him with any true and right affection.

It comes from pride, Col. Iezabel, therefore, when she intended murther, proclaims a Fast. The Pharisees devour Widows Houses, but for a pretence they made long prayers.

Hence, Idolaters and Superstitious persons, have never wanted pretence of Reason for it: they think first, to please God by it. To secure themselves. To Circumvent and over-reach others. Having run into great arreares by gross neglects in moral obedience, they think to make it up with Ceremonials, either of Gods appointing, or of their own devising. Wherewith shall I come before God? So the Pharisee, I fast Page 17 twice a week ; but who requires this at his hands?

Their hands are full of blood, but yet full of Oblations and Sacrifices, and Mat. For it is an easy thing to walk in their own wayes, and to follow their own devises. What an easy thing is it to nod and bow to an Altar? It was an easy thing to the Pharisees to Tyth Mint and Cummin, and to wash their Cups and Platters, but it is a great and difficult work to cleanse and wash the heart from filthiness. So that Superstition though it seems to be overbusy, yet it is indeed but a lazy thing, and suits that distemper of spiritual Sloth; A mans Conscience would torment and tear him in pieces, Hell from beneath would rise up for him, if he should have no Religion at all: but the power and life of godliness is difficult, Hence men rest in shadows, and sit down with Superstitious empty Forms and shews of Devotion, by which Conscience being charmed, they think God is pacified, and all is clear above head.

They hope to secure themselves by it, as to this World. This made Jeroboam to set up the Idolatry at Dan and Bethel, and Jehu to continue it, for he said in his heart, if this people go up to Ierusalem to do Sacrifice in the House of the Lord at Ierusalem, the Kingdom will return to the House of David.

The third design of Superstition is to Circumvent and go beyond others. But what was the issue and effect of this Carnal policy? It proceeds from a Spirit of folly and delusion. For a mans own wisdom is folly, such things indeed have a shew of wisdom, Col.

But that's all, for professing themselves to be wise, they become fools. So that all the Zeal and affection men have in a Superstitious way is but blind Devotion, and zeal without knowledge.

Thou blind Pharisee, every man is bruitish in his knowledge, every Founder is confounded by the graven Image, For his molten Image is falshood, and there is no breath in them, they are vanity, and the work of errors, in the time of their visitation they shall perish. The Prophet is as the Snare of a Fowler in all his wayes. But his House happening to be on fire, and going in to fetch out some of his Goods, he was burnt in his own House.

He that could not burn at a Stake for the Truth, was burnt to death in his own House; but it had been better to burn in the Cause of God, then in the way of his judgements.

Now if this be one Cause of Idolatry and Superstition, It must needs be a very great sin. When men shall fear men more then God, and those that can but kill the body, more then him that is able to destroy both Soul and body in Hell. Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall dye, and of the Son of man that shall be made as grass, and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath stretched forth the Heavens, and laid the Foundations of the Earth, and best feared continually every day because of the fury of the Oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy?

Lastly, It proceeds from secret enmity and hatred of the blessed God. For as it is assign of love to God, to love his Ordinances, so on the contrary, for men to cast the second Commandment behind their backs, it is a sign they hate Him.

Hence the Lord there threatens I will visit the sin of them that Hate mee, and shew mercy to thousands of them that love mee. So in Hos. And it is the worse, because that Superstitious persons pretend much love and devotion, as though they thought nothing too dear, nor too much for God, when there is the poyson of Asps underneath.

No wonder therefore, if the Lord abhorrs them. For there is nothing more odious both to God and men, then hatred masked over with pretences of love. And thus you see from the Causes of this sin, how great a sin it is. Consider also the Cursed effects and Fruits of it, the bitter Fruits that grow upon this root of bitterness, These will yet further discover the evil of it.

But the Lord hath said the graven Image is profitable, or good for nothing. It is a sin that hath many woeful effects.

It deceivs and deludes, it is a very deceiving and infatuateing sin. It is the Lords direction to Joshua to keep close to the Rule, and to the Law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper, or as it may be rendred, that thou mayest deal understandingly wherever thou shalt goe : Josh.

And the molten Image a teacher of lyes, Heb. Superstitio est res insana, as he said, Superstition is a mad thing, folly is the Cause of it, and folly the Effect. It is a very defiling sin, thou hast defiled thy self in thine Idols which thou hast made, Ezek.