IDOLS
Idols or idolatry are constantly spoken against in the Bible. Anything that is an object of worship,* prayed to, or we put trust in, other than God, is an idol. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (the second commandment, Exodus 20:4–5). Some churches have “statues” (idols) in every corner, but if people bow down to them or burn incense to them or pray to them, it is idolatry. God is “jealous” when we have substitutes in His place. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16). “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:29).
The Bible says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). It is God Who decides how our worship of Him is to be carried out, and He said we need (“must worship”) only two things, “in spirit” (not things) and “in truth” (the Bible). Other things, as a piano or even a church building, are of course nice, but not required by God; the early church had neither. But today it is possible to “steal” a religion if it has idols and other “things” that the Bible either speaks against or does not mention. Our worship of God should not be tied to things, but with our spirit, and the truth of the Bible: “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). One of the main reasons God judged Israel and sent her into captivity for 70 years was idolatry, and when she returned from this captivity many things were still not solved, but she never again turned to idols. Idolatry can also be in one’s heart and not a physical idol; covetousness is said to be idolatry (Colossians 3:5). We can want something so much that we bow down to it, and not to the will of God.
*(The Statue of Liberty, dolls for girls or toy soldiers for boys does not constitute idolatry as these are not objects of worship.)
ILLUMINATION
Illumination is when God’s Spirit helps us understand what He has inspired (the Bible). “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45). Though God has given gifted men to His church to instruct the believer, He has also given to each believer the Holy Spirit. “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (1 John 2:20; see also v. 27). Even if a believer reads the Bible without understanding a passage, he can still be strengthened by it, as the Bible is a spiritual book and is received through our spirit also. But God’s Spirit can help one understand what is written in the Scriptures. Of course, this is not true for the lost. “But the natural man [lost] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). God wants us to understand His Word and a short prayer asking God to guide us by His Spirit will put our dependence on the Lord and not our own wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:21).
Idols or idolatry are constantly spoken against in the Bible. Anything that is an object of worship,* prayed to, or we put trust in, other than God, is an idol. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (the second commandment, Exodus 20:4–5). Some churches have “statues” (idols) in every corner, but if people bow down to them or burn incense to them or pray to them, it is idolatry. God is “jealous” when we have substitutes in His place. “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God” (2 Corinthians 6:16). “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:29).
The Bible says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). It is God Who decides how our worship of Him is to be carried out, and He said we need (“must worship”) only two things, “in spirit” (not things) and “in truth” (the Bible). Other things, as a piano or even a church building, are of course nice, but not required by God; the early church had neither. But today it is possible to “steal” a religion if it has idols and other “things” that the Bible either speaks against or does not mention. Our worship of God should not be tied to things, but with our spirit, and the truth of the Bible: “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17). One of the main reasons God judged Israel and sent her into captivity for 70 years was idolatry, and when she returned from this captivity many things were still not solved, but she never again turned to idols. Idolatry can also be in one’s heart and not a physical idol; covetousness is said to be idolatry (Colossians 3:5). We can want something so much that we bow down to it, and not to the will of God.
*(The Statue of Liberty, dolls for girls or toy soldiers for boys does not constitute idolatry as these are not objects of worship.)
ILLUMINATION
Illumination is when God’s Spirit helps us understand what He has inspired (the Bible). “Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures” (Luke 24:45). Though God has given gifted men to His church to instruct the believer, He has also given to each believer the Holy Spirit. “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things” (1 John 2:20; see also v. 27). Even if a believer reads the Bible without understanding a passage, he can still be strengthened by it, as the Bible is a spiritual book and is received through our spirit also. But God’s Spirit can help one understand what is written in the Scriptures. Of course, this is not true for the lost. “But the natural man [lost] receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). God wants us to understand His Word and a short prayer asking God to guide us by His Spirit will put our dependence on the Lord and not our own wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:21).
