Golden Calf
04-25-13 Any Idols in Your Mind?
During research for an upcoming sermon I dug up enough information to speak on the subject, with more than adequate content, for at least a month. It’s a touchy and for the most part, totally misunderstood topic. The subject is idolatry. Many assume they worship the one true God when in fact they pay homage to a god of their own creation.
Anne Lamott made a very insightful statement concerning learning how to discern whether you are worshiping God, or kidding yourself, with this line:
“You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”
Strange as it may be, Anne’s statement, more often than not, is the acid test of fellowship among many groups. Any sane person grasps the truth that God is on record as loving people that we would not wish to be seen with in public, let alone the monthly meeting of the brethren.
When we consciously take the position so graphically stated by Anne Lamott, we are creating a god in our image based on our own understanding. Not all whom God loves may have our exalted level of understanding the deep things of God. A preacher stated, “My concept of God does not permit a hell.” The poor man fails to grasp he has fashioned an idol of his own intellect.
1 John 5:21, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
Copyright © 2013 Larry Lilly
During research for an upcoming sermon I dug up enough information to speak on the subject, with more than adequate content, for at least a month. It’s a touchy and for the most part, totally misunderstood topic. The subject is idolatry. Many assume they worship the one true God when in fact they pay homage to a god of their own creation.
Anne Lamott made a very insightful statement concerning learning how to discern whether you are worshiping God, or kidding yourself, with this line:
“You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”
Strange as it may be, Anne’s statement, more often than not, is the acid test of fellowship among many groups. Any sane person grasps the truth that God is on record as loving people that we would not wish to be seen with in public, let alone the monthly meeting of the brethren.
When we consciously take the position so graphically stated by Anne Lamott, we are creating a god in our image based on our own understanding. Not all whom God loves may have our exalted level of understanding the deep things of God. A preacher stated, “My concept of God does not permit a hell.” The poor man fails to grasp he has fashioned an idol of his own intellect.
1 John 5:21, “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”
Copyright © 2013 Larry Lilly
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