Topical Bible: Idolatry: They Who Practise: Hold Fast Their Deceit

◄ Idolatry: They Who Practise: Hold Fast Their Deceit ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

Idolatry, the worship of idols or the excessive reverence for something other than God, is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, often associated with deceit and spiritual unfaithfulness. Those who practice idolatry are frequently depicted as clinging to falsehoods and being led astray by their own desires and the deceitfulness of their hearts.

In the Old Testament, the prophets repeatedly warned the Israelites against the dangers of idolatry. Jeremiah, in particular, highlights the deceitful nature of idolatry. In Jeremiah 8:5, the prophet laments, "Why then have these people turned away? Why does Jerusalem always turn away? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return." Here, the act of holding fast to deceit is directly linked to the practice of idolatry, as the people of Jerusalem persist in their unfaithfulness despite the call to repentance.

The deceitfulness of idolatry is further emphasized in Isaiah 44:20, where the prophet describes the futility of idol worship: "He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray. He cannot deliver himself or say, 'Is there not a lie in my right hand?'" This passage illustrates the self-deception inherent in idolatry, as the idolater is unable to recognize the falsehood of his actions, being led by a heart that is deluded.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul addresses the issue of idolatry in his letters to the early Christian communities. In Romans 1:25, Paul writes, "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen." This exchange of truth for a lie underscores the deceitful nature of idolatry, as individuals turn away from the worship of the true God to serve false gods and material objects.

The practice of idolatry is not merely an external act but is deeply rooted in the heart's inclination towards deceit. In Ezekiel 14:3, God speaks through the prophet, saying, "Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all?" This passage reveals that idolatry begins within, as individuals harbor idols in their hearts, leading them away from the truth and into spiritual deception.

Throughout Scripture, idolatry is consistently portrayed as a betrayal of the covenant relationship between God and His people. It is an act of spiritual adultery, where the deceitful heart leads individuals to forsake their Creator for the worship of false gods. The Bible calls believers to recognize the deceitfulness of idolatry and to turn back to the one true God, who alone is worthy of worship and devotion.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Jeremiah 8:5
Why then is this people of Jerusalem slid back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

An Exhortation to Theodore after his Fall. Letter I.
... and shut up the temple, and caused the deceit of idolatry to flourish ... that they exercise
more vehement energy; if only, as I said, they can lay hold of the ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/an exhortation to theodore after.htm

Seasonable Counsel: Or, Advice to Sufferers.
... evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry (Colossians 3:5 ... Some, indeed,
when they see these things, take ... thou seest in any, but hold fast to thy ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/seasonable counsel or advice to.htm

Period iv. The Age of the Consolidation of the Church: 200 to 324 ...
... in his letter, Basilides and Martial have been contaminated by the abominable
certificate of idolatry. ... It is likely that they did not hold to strict ...
/.../ayer/a source book for ancient church history/period iv the age of.htm

Twenty-Seven Articles Respecting the Reformation of the Christian ...
... of faith, soon began to set up idolatry and their ... usefully studied in a condensed
form, to practise young people ... be deceived and fooled by them as they choose. ...
/.../iii twenty-seven articles respecting the.htm

A Discourse
... all debauchery, inhumanity, profaneness, superstition, and idolatry,' will be ... may
be made able to lay hold of the ... we see them, and receive them, they make us ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm

part ii
... "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God ... "It is good for
me to hold me fast by God "; [669] but"what blindness and perversion! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part ii.htm

Life and Works of Rufinus with Jerome's Apology Against Rufinus.
... But, since one who turns to idolatry does not ... up similar expressions against him
when they occur in his ... suspicion, while he himself does not hold himself bound ...
/.../various/life and works of rufinus with jeromes apology against rufinus /

part i
... every means to chill our hearts and fill them with deceit in a ... mind cannot grasp,
although they have concrete forms, yet they exist, with their mysteries. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/calvin/my life in christ/part i.htm