Topical Bible: Idolatry: Saints should Flee From

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Idolatry, in its essence, is the worship or reverence of anything or anyone other than the one true God. It is a pervasive theme throughout the Bible, consistently condemned as a grievous sin. The Scriptures provide numerous admonitions for believers to avoid idolatry and to remain steadfast in their devotion to God alone.

Biblical Definition and Examples

Idolatry is often associated with the worship of physical idols or images, as seen in the practices of ancient cultures surrounding Israel. The first and second commandments explicitly prohibit such practices: "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol" (Exodus 20:3-4). The Israelites frequently fell into idolatry, as illustrated by the golden calf incident (Exodus 32) and the worship of Baal (1 Kings 18).

However, idolatry extends beyond physical idols. It encompasses any form of allegiance or devotion that supersedes one's commitment to God. The Apostle Paul warns against greed, equating it with idolatry: "Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

New Testament Warnings

The New Testament continues to caution believers against idolatry. The Apostle John succinctly advises, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21). Paul, addressing the Corinthians, emphasizes the incompatibility of idolatry with Christian worship: "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:14). He further explains that participation in idolatrous practices is tantamount to fellowship with demons (1 Corinthians 10:20).

Spiritual Idolatry

Idolatry is not limited to external practices but also includes internal attitudes. Jesus highlights the danger of serving two masters, warning that one cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24). This underscores the broader principle that anything—be it wealth, power, relationships, or personal ambitions—that takes precedence over God can become an idol.

The Call to Flee

The call to flee from idolatry is a call to purity and exclusive devotion to God. Believers are urged to examine their hearts and lives, ensuring that nothing rivals their love and obedience to the Lord. The Apostle James admonishes, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). This submission involves a conscious rejection of idolatrous influences and a commitment to holiness.

Consequences of Idolatry

The Bible consistently portrays idolatry as leading to spiritual ruin and separation from God. The prophets frequently warned Israel of the dire consequences of their idolatrous practices, which ultimately led to exile and judgment. In the New Testament, Paul warns that idolaters will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

Encouragement for Believers

Despite the pervasive temptation of idolatry, believers are encouraged by the promise of God's faithfulness. Paul reassures the Corinthians, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear" (1 Corinthians 10:13). This assurance empowers Christians to resist idolatry and remain devoted to God.

In summary, idolatry is a significant concern for believers, who are called to flee from it and maintain their allegiance to God alone. The Bible provides clear guidance and warnings, urging the faithful to guard their hearts and lives against any form of idolatry.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Corinthians 10:14
Why, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Spiritual Idolatry
... Rome; whether angels, or the souls of departed saints, or images ... exceeding guilt,
baseness, and madness of the idolatry that has ... 5. What should you ask for next ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 78 spiritual idolatry.htm

Over the Mountains. "My Beloved is Mine, and I am His: He Feedeth ...
... promise that the Seed of the woman should bruise the ... He not hear us now that we are
weeping saints? ... mountains of sin, and error, and idolatry, and superstition ...
/.../spurgeon/till he come/over the mountains my beloved is.htm

V. ...
... the sake of gold, set up such idolatry and ruin ... But the other saints, truly such,
they have burnt to ... But though they should already have been delivered from ...
/.../the epistles of st peter and st jude preached and explained/chapter ii v 2.htm

The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Commonly Called the Didache
... Moreover, have no wish to observe or heed such practices, for all this breeds idolatry. ...
2Every day you should seek the company of saints to enjoy their ...
/.../richardson/early christian fathers/the teaching of the twelve.htm

Answer to the Objection of the Heathen, that it was not Right to ...
... received your souls from Him, and belong wholly to God, should be subject ... "The saints
of the ... instead of the evil one, and prefer wisdom to idolatry, and take ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter x answer to the objection.htm

Paul's Departure and Crown;
... Judah to Bethel, to prophesy against the idolatry that was ... is work above us; now
our patience should look up ... not all the miscarriages of the saints and people ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/pauls departure and crown.htm

The Census of Israel
... The taint of slavery and idolatry must be lessened if it could not be ... the faithful
should become so few that all the saints together should only make ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 37 1891/the census of israel.htm

An Exhortation to virtue -- and Particularly Upon the Passage...
... fallen into a net, is taken; but the Saints when they ... is a thing impossible that
His law should not be ... of the Homily against the Peril of Idolatry, quoted from ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/homily viii an exhortation to.htm

Other Self-Asserting Augustae --Verina, Ariadne, Sophia, Martina ...
... relics were esteemed, so much the more should be the faithful copies of the persons
of the saints, as delineated ... souls began to see that this idolatry of the ...
/.../women of early christianity/xii other self-asserting augustaeverina ariadne.htm

What are the Clouds?
... What black clouds of Catholic superstition, Mahommedanism, and idolatry. ... of them,
if we are saints, because they ... flee to the mountain lest ye should be consumed ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/what are the clouds.htm