(Ga.5:20) is Idolatry and Demonism.
Idolatry is to assign the status of Deity to images and/or worship of those images. Paul and John warned Christians to flee from, and resist idolatry. Hundreds of millions, in the name of Christ, worship idols. Believers can still turn from God to idolatry all around us. We discussed present day idolatry.
WORKS OF THE FLESH INCLUDE, IDOLATRY AND WITCHCRAFT
Galatians 5:19-20
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,
PAUL WARNED CHRISTIANS NOT TO BE IDOLATERS...
Even after salvation, believers could fall away from God and fall into idolatry, this is why Paul warned believers to flee from idolatry.
1 Corinthians 10:7, 14, 20-21
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
JOHN WARNED CHRISTIANS NOT TO BE IDOLATERS ...
1 John 5:21
21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
IDOLATERS EXCLUDED FROM ETERNAL LIFE...
Ephesians 5:5
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Colossians 3:5
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Revelation 21:8
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
IDOLATRY ADDRESSED IN TEN COMMANDMENTS...
Exodus 20:4-5
4 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:
5 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;
CATHOLICISM DOES NOT NAME IDOL MAKING AND WORSHIPING AS COMMANDMENT...
It is interesting that Roman Catholicism does not number the making of idols as one of the ten commandments. Instead, they split 20:17 into two separate commandments, forbidding the coveting of the neighbors wife, as the ninth commandment, and forbidding the coveting of the rest of the neighbors goods as the tenth commandment. This allows them avoid the uncomfortable position of dealing with graven images, which is a long held and defended practice of Romanism.
It is worthy of note that the Romanists and Lutherans share the same list of commandments, while the major part of Protestantism agrees with the Septuagint (the Old Testament that Jesus and the Apostles used), which recognizes that the third commandment forbids the making and worship of idols.
Exodus 20:17
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.
Rome has not always approved the use of statues or pictures representing Deity. However, through the centuries the Roman Religion embraced statues and incorporated them into their religion until they became part of their belief system and practice. THIS IS IDOLATRY.
ROMAN PRAYERS OFFERED TO PATRON SAINTS...
The Roman Religion encourages prayers be offered to approved “patron saints.” There are specific prayers to be offered to specific “patron saints” for nations, occupations, conditions, events and animals For instance, there are three patron saints for BREWERS, three for COMEDIANS; two for DOGS and the list goes on. Hundreds of these “patron saints” can be found by looking on the internet, under CATHOLIC PATRON SAINTS.
Many of these prayers are offered to Mary, as the Queen of Heaven (whom they blasphemously claim is the mother of God), asking her to intercede for people. In fact, there are groups of prayers (novenas) that are to be offered to these saints for periods of nine days at a time. It is interesting that the Bible uses the term "Queen of Heaven" in reference to an idol god.
The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is the only Intercessor and the only One, to Whom we are to pray, therefore, praying to anyone besides God IS IDOLATRY.
ROMAN PRIESTHOOD IS NOT CHRISTIAN...
Rome's problem with idols goes far beyond the question of statues (graven images). Rome made the mistake of bringing Old Testament Temple and Priesthood concepts into the New Testament Church. Christ is the fulfillment of the Priesthood, He is the Great High Priest and the Jewish priesthood ended with the death and resurrection of Christ. The New Testament teaches that all believers are priests of God, but Rome has persisted in teaching that there is a ministerial priesthood, separate from and above the priesthood of believers, actually making the Pope the Head of the Church on Earth. Remember, there is only One Head to the Church, and His name is Jesus.
Colossians 1:18
18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Various false doctrines have grown up around the error of ministerial priesthood, such as denying ministers the right to marry, ascribing mystery powers to the priesthood and claiming infallibility for the Pope. Paul addressed this problem specifically in 1 Timothy.
1 Timothy 4:1-5
1 Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Notice how God said that forced celibacy and forcing a diet that denies the eating of meat is a doctrine of demons. This is another place where the words of Galatians 5:20 (...idolatry, witchcraft) are applied to the Roman Religion.
Rome claims its priesthood has special powers given to them, which allows them to change the bread and cup into the actual body, blood and deity of Jesus Christ. No man has any power to change the unchangeable God into anything or change anything into the unchangeable God. THIS IS IDOLATRY.
THE IDOLATRY OF THE EUCHARIST...
Though the Bread and Cup were intended to be symbols of His body and blood (not symbols of His Deity, and certainly not intended to be worshiped), the whole Eucharistic service is predicated on the idea that the bread and cup actually becomes Christ.
Rome teaches that the wafer used in the celebration of the Eucharist is the actual body, blood and divinity of God. It would be bad enough if they said it was the symbol of God, but they go the whole distance and claim that it is the real God. This is because they believe the wafer is changed into the actually God by the mystery of words spoken by the Roman priest. THIS IS IDOLATRY.
Though Jesus spoke to His disciples on one occasion about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He proceeded to made it clear that it was the Spirit Who gives life, not some ritual. He explained that eating and drinking His physical body and blood was not what He wanted them to understand. He was speaking in imagery, because He plainly said;
John 6:63
63 It is the spirit that quickens; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
THE EUCHARIST IS IDOLATRY.
Rome killed countless numbers during the Reformation, because they denied the divinity of the Eucharist and the anti-Rome movement of the 1500-1800s stood firmly against the idolatrous practice of the Eucharist. As a side note, in an open discussion with people of various faiths, I explained that the bread and the cup never become the actual body and blood and divinity of Jesus. A very vocal Romanist argued his point and finally said, in a matter of fact tone, that I would be the kind of person that Catholicism would have killed 400 years ago. He was right.
This was not a class on Catholic Bashing. It was a class on the works of the flesh, specifically, Idolatry and Demonism. The information concerning the Roman Religion is accurate and was intended to show that the words of Paul and John are timeless and the problem of idolatry and demonism is still present in the world around us.
People are drawn to the occultic appeal of "Mystery Religions and Magic," therefore we, as believers, must guard ourselves against idolatry.
We also addressed several other important issues, including the problem of Baptismal Regeneration and the heresy of trusting rituals for salvation rather than trusting Christ for salvation.
This was not a class on Catholic Bashing. It was a class on the works of the flesh, specifically, Idolatry and Demonism. The information concerning the Roman Religion is accurate and was intended to show that the words of Paul and John are timeless and the problem of idolatry and demonism is still present in the world around us.
People are drawn to the occultic appeal of "Mystery Religions and Magic," therefore we, as believers, must guard ourselves against idolatry.
We also addressed several other important issues, including the problem of Baptismal Regeneration and the heresy of trusting rituals for salvation rather than trusting Christ for salvation.
