IDOL IN CHURCH SERVICE
1 Corinthians 10:13-14 KJV
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [14] Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
A lot of the young generation 'christians' became actively conscious of idolatry in the church!
Though they have the knowledge(through history) of the existence and practice of the same in/by their ancestry,, ...their consciousnes, contact and even participation in/of idolatry grew by leaps and bounds in the church!
This happened as they witness and participate in strange spi-RITUALS such as; salt services, bow and arrow service, anointing oil service, the stone of David service, coconut services, praying into offerings, praying with sand from fathers compound in the village for deliverance, bathing in a stream for victory over the troubles of life, carrying about olive oil, anointed handkerchief, stickers, etc for protection or good luck; ..the list goes on!
A young lady having difficulties getting married came to our meetings. She narrated to me her ordeal with many preachers in the bid to solve her problem! Chief among her experiences was with a 'prophet' who told her to go buy a male goat, with which he would 'work for her' to get married. He instructed her specifically that the male goat must be a mature one, sniffing behind a female goat. That after his prayers with the animal, men will be sniffing around her like male goats do with female goats!
Now, this lady had never visited a native doctor in her life,...but she engaged in this act of idolatry in church!
A lady who had difficulty having children due to incessant miscarriages told me of her ordeal with many 'men of God'. The highlight of which a pastor told her to buy an egg, which after some days of 'prayers' told her to hang it in her room. That as long as the egg is hanging, the pregnancy will be retained! ....of course it didnt work!
This same pastor told someone to bring 70000naira, 7000naira, 700naira, 70naira, 7naira, 70kobo, 7kobo for prayer rituals for the fruit of the womb! This seems to have become a formula in some quarters, as I have heard of it again and again!
A lady narrated to me how she was having problems with relationship, the guys would come and go. And when a new guy came,... her pastor prayed and told her to collect her menstrual blood and use it to make stew for the new guy, ...and she did!
I can give more than 50 strange narratives here of pure idolatry acts, which I was told first hand by the victims, ..and all happened in churches, and instructed by 'men of God'!
The greek 'eidōlolatreia' traslated as "idolatry" in our opening text is a compound word comprising the greek word 'eidolon' meaning a phantom or image; and 'latreia' meaning service, homage, worship. Hence idolatry is giving the service, worship and faith due to God, to entity, image, or symbols.
The greek 'eidōlolatreia' is used four times in the New Testament, with its first mention in the book of Acts, where it contextually implies visible attention, worship, faith in, and service to images and symbols, ....ignorantly as unto God. This was a case with unbelievers.
Acts 17:16-23 KJV
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
[17] Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.
[18] Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.
[19] And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is ?
[20] For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
[21] (For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)
[22] Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
[23] For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD . Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
A second mention, our opening text, is a warning from the example of Israel in connection to offering in sacrifice to idols(gk- phantoms or symbols). This was a warning to believers.
1 Corinthians 10:11-14 KJV
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
[12] Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
[13] There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
[14] Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
The third mention is specifically described as the works of the flesh;...in instructions to believers, in which we are warned against the same and encouraged to walk in the Spirit(love) to avoid it.
Galatians 5:17-20 KJV
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
[18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
And the last mention, which contextually implies the works of the flesh, is also a case of ADMONITION to believers against the same.
Colossians 3:5-7 KJV
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
[6] For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
[7] In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Now its worth noting that in all the four usages, three times(75%) it is used in connection with LUST directly or indirectly, and in WARNINGS AND COUNSELS to believers, and one time it is used directly of pure idol worship, and involve unbelievers. See it again;
1 Corinthians 10:13-14 KJV
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [14] Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
Here he counsels believers against yielding to the temptation of idolatry.
Galatians 5:17-20 KJV
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
[18] But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
[19] Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
[20] Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Here again, it is a direct manifestation of the LUST of the flesh, and believers are counselled against it.
Colossians 3:5 KJV
Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Here, its is specifically equated to COVETEOUSNESS, and believers are counselled against it.
It is therefore worthy of note that the temptation or tendency to idolatry lurks within the church. And whereas the believers in the early church were cautioned against it, we in many quarters today, seem to have outgrown these cautions and therefore plunged into idolatry for convenience.
Also, it is note worthy that whereas ignorance is a good diagnosis of many cases of idolatry, as Paul pointed out;
Acts 17:16, 22-23 KJV
Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.
[22] Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.
[23] For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD . Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
However, such diagnosis is primarily the case with unbelievers.
In the case of idolatry tendencies among believers, ...LUST, COVETEOUSNESS, GREED are its primary drive and feeds;...where faith, service, attention and worship meant for God and/or his word ONLY, are given to THINGS, FORMULA and RUTUALS for personal gratification.
It is my observation that, though not stated, many see the church as a "godly shrine", where as long as the name of Jesus is mentioned, ANY THING can be practised! And if it works, it becomes a doctrine and a norm. And this(sadly) is the case in many quarters, even in our many elevated pulpits.
Well, I believe strongly that this trend will not continue anymore. The TRUTH has no mentor, hence it has no allegiance to anyone or group.
Its just a matter of time,...and this time is a short one. I see a tomorrow not too far from today, and IDOLATRY in every form, measure and disguise will be TOTALLY OUT of the Nigeria churches, and africa as a whole; one stride at a time. And WHOLESOME preaching, teaching and praying, centred on the revelation knowledge of JESUS, what HE has done for us, what HE is doing in us, who we are in Him, what we have and can do IN HIM, would be considered ENOUGH!
Now, it is worthy of reiteration, that the purpose of the local church, or Christian garthering is very clear in scriptures, and emphatically so, that it is both visible to the blind and audible to the deaf!
Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 KJV
Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.
[2] Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.
Be MORE READY TO HEAR!
Hence the house of God is primarily for hearing the word of God.
Mark 11:15-17 KJV
And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
[16] And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
[17] And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
The house of God is primarily THE HOUSE OF PRAYER,...of all nations. It doesn't change purpose with locations!
Also, the purpose of ministers(ministry gifts) in the house of God is already defined, and emphatically too.
Acts 20:28 KJV
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Ephesians 4:11-12 KJV
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Hence the minister must learn to/and behave accordingly.
1 Timothy 3:15 KJV
But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
There is a way to BEHAVE in the house of God, and it is the minister's responsibility to know it, and stick to it. It is not our house, hence our personal behavioural curriculum, is not welcome!
The written word is all that we have to prove and approve all we do and practise in church. And all the above mentioned "services" and practises are neither stated nor implied in the New Testament by any of its characters. Not once in the gospel, not once in Acts of the apostle, not once in the epistles.
The New Testament ministry is a spiritual one. Hence its attention, faith and communication is not in things, but in the ministry of the word and prayers.
It is faith in the word, and faith in prayers.
It is NEVER FAITH IN THINGS!
Paul's admonition should suffice.
1 Corinthians 10:13-15 KJV
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. [14] Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
[15] I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
Selah!