God created us so that we would find our greatest joy in Him when He is our greatest treasure. In light of that glorious truth, there is nothing we should fear more than the wrath of an omnipotent, sovereign God who is angered when people show more reverence to idols. Many ignore the clear and present warnings in His Word to flee idolatry and to keep away from idols (1 Cor. 10:14; 1 John 5:21). God is rightfully jealous of anything we value above Him. This is why His wrath is coming against all idolatry (Col. 3:5-6). His divine commandment is clear: "You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God" (Ex. 20:4-5).
It was only a matter of time before God had to demonstrate His righteous anger and holy jealousy against idolatry. The Israelites created and worshipped a golden calf as the god who delivered them out of Egypt (Exo. 32:8). His hatred for idolatry was displayed when He ordered the idolaters to be slain with the sword, and about 3,000 were put to death (Exo. 32:28). We can only wonder why so many religious people, who lift up the name of Christ, would ignore or dismiss such terrifying warnings concerning idolatry.
When Roman Catholics worship a wafer as the Christ who delivers people out of darkness, they are sinning like the Israelites who worshipped a golden calf as the god who delivered them out of Egypt. It is the same blasphemous sin of idolatry that is punishable by death. However, it is a worse form of idolatry because Catholics have reduced the glory of the ascended, immortal and majestic King of kings to a wafer created from flour and water. We must warn Catholics that they are worshipping a false Christ. The true Christ does not return every day to be re-presented as a sin offering on an altar at the beckoning call of a sacerdotal priest. God's Word says He will return a second time, and not in relation to sin (Heb. 9:28). He will not return in the form of a Eucharist, but in the same way He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:11). His glorious return will not take place until after the tribulation (Mat. 24:27-30).
As a former Catholic of over 34 years, I believe many Roman Catholics are committing this mortal sin of idolatry simply because they do not know God's Word. They do not read the Bible because their priests have told them it is too difficult to understand. They are not allowed to interpret the Scriptures on their own because the Bishops are said to be the only ones who can interpret them correctly. Yet Paul presented the truth clearly to every man’s conscience. He renounced the disgraceful, underhanded ways of those who tamper with God's word (2 Cor. 4:2). Catholic Bishops have twisted and distorted Scripture to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). They have also tampered with God's Holy Word by adding their ungodly traditions to it. The only hope for Catholics is to abide in God's written Word. Only then will they know the truth and be set free from religious deception and idolatry (John 8:31-32).
Mike Gendron, “Proclaiming the Gospel” e-mail news, 5/1/15
1 comment:
Please help me flee from this sin i did not know was hounding me a long time. When i was a young wife, thought i could take some Greek lessons, but God did now allow, and for a reason. Much earlier, I did not know that getting a scholarship at a young age would make me so prideful. I knew it was a gift from the Lord, but the way i handled it and my life later on showed i wasn't being humble. Education, music, good health, kids' honors... these have been idols God wants me to give up. As well as wasting time on unessentials rather than redeeming the time. May God have mercy on things and teachings we put up as props, when all we need is Jesus.
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