KEEP YOURSELF AWAY FROM ICONS AS IN IDOLS: FOR THERE IS A SIMILARITY ATTACHED ON MATTER OF IDOLS AND ICONS!
“. . . 15 And the EVIL spirit answered and said, Jesus I KNOW, and Paul I KNOW; but who ARE ye? . . .” Acts 19:13-20.
What then is it about IDOLS And ICONS? – what then is it about the similarity and relationship and attachments in matters of IDOLS And ICONS per se, especially in this generation of so much of hypes and applause to things and persons more than toward obtaining God’s approval in our act of doing life and living godly in Christ Jesus stead.
I believe in life, there’s that act of the good, goodness, graciousness and gracefulness to look up to people or someone you admire to learn of them and to be challenged and charged up to become what you wants to be for yourself in LIFE and GRACE in Christ Jesus; but to REVERED and BELIEVED in them firstly as your DEFINITION knowingly and unknowingly, and to place them to be ABOVE and EQUAL to God is troubling and troublesome; and secondly, to loose the essence of your OWN WELL-BEING and WORTH in God by Christ Jesus for someone else’s validation as a measure for yourself in contrary and in contravening to BECOME whom God made YOU to BE, is not only fallacy, stupidity, ignorance, foolishness and such like, but also signifies bondage, demonic and satanic.
“And Herod was highly DISPLEASED with them of Tyre and Sidon: but they came with ONE ACCORD to him, and, having made Blastus the king’s chamberlain their friend, desired peace; because their country was nourished by the king’s country. 21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 and the PEOPLE gave a SHOUT, SAYING, it is the VOICE of A GOD, and NOT OF A MAN. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord SMOTE him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost” Acts 12:20-23.
It’s imperative that as a Believer of God in Christ Jesus, to know and note that while being close to any or looking up to any, let it be that you do it through the mirror of the WORD in Christ Jesus stead and by the promptings and lead of the indwelling Holy Spirit within you; this is important, so that you don’t derail when such a one does derail from the truth of God’s word and go off the glamour light ray that you’ve become accustomed to with such a person or group – knowingly and unknowingly. For in life, and under the Sun, nothing is permanent – things once the lamplight of today fades away with time and most cases never to be known and remembered anymore – but God and His WORD in Christ Jesus is eternal and will always be there for all eternity – PAUSE and THINK about it, SELAH. [James 1:22-25; 1 Peter 1:22-25; Hebrews 12:1-2; Hebrews 1:1-4; Galatians 4:8-16].
And why so, or such a fuss anyway about this writ? – it’s purely for the reason that sometimes you hear someone say – that’s my IDOL and or that’s my ICON; and all these, is in order to make them feel to belong with a sense of VALUE and WORTH in their reverence to such; and it’s so disheartening that in some or most occasions, nothing could be said by anyone else’s in their presence of such a person as their acclaimed IDOL or ICON, without them putting up a defence and sometimes a fight, especially these days of social media trolls; and as the saying goes – tell me your friend and I will tell you who you are, which indicates it will tell you how much you’re WORTH and VALUED, and can be CHARACTERISED. And overtime it has become a norm in our worlds especially now in the Christian FAITH where many have replaced God with human’s and things; and some sects in their sectarianism can hardly READ their BIBLE regularly anymore for self-knowledge and UNDERSTANDING in order to save them from the deceptions that are in our worlds and in some misplaced called Churches with doctrinal falsehoods just as Bereän Christian’s did to save their days in honour and dignity as in Acts 17:10-12.
“The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to BEREA; and when they arrived, they entered the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now these people were more NOBLE and OPEN-MINDED than those in Thessalonica, so they RECEIVED the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, EXAMINING THE SCRIPTURES DAILY to see if these things were so. 12 As a result many of them became believers, together with a number of prominent Greek women and men” Acts 17:10-12/AMP.
And for these deceptions in having adored IDOLS and ICONS, many have resolved that their adored person is the one they REVERE and BELIEVE to give the final statement of facts to what they SAY or DO unreservedly, and it’s become their norm and more important positions for them. And overtime this have influenced our worlds and Churches in many ways. Its effect has led many to all forms of BELIEF and ATTACHMENTS, leading to bondage with little or no self WORTH anymore except what the adored IDOL and ICON signifies directly or indirectly to them.
“I marvel that ye are so soon REMOVED from him that CALLED you into the grace of Christ unto ANOTHER gospel: 7 which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” Galatians 1:6-9.
Herein is something likely for you to know and recall on the likeness, similarity and representation of an ICON and an IDOL:
- An IDOL from my previous post, is usually a STATURE but could be a PICTURE or IMAGE or PERSON and is REVERED and BELIEVED to have an actual link to the ENTITY it DEPICTS – in power or and essence.
- An ICON is similarly looked up to and at, in representation as an IDOL; as a result in this wise – When you look at an ICON while COMMUNICATING (say PRAYING) in picture or mind, it seems you are praying to God but not, instead to a god, and if you PRAY looking at the IDOL directly (in STATURE), you are PRAYING to the IDOL. In either way you attribute an essence of praying to God but it’s to gods – which scripturally is demonic and to spirits – spiritism.
Have FAITH in God and not in and on any thing or another person and any such like, in order to live free and freely in doing life and living godly in Christ Jesus stead. Amen. [Mark 11:20; Galatians 5:1/AMP].
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“And Jesus answering saith unto them, HAVE FAITH IN GOD” Mark 11:22.
“It was for this FREEDOM that Christ set us FREE [completely LIBERATING us]; therefore KEEP STANDING FIRM and do not be SUBJECT again to a YOKE of slavery [which you once removed]” Galatians 5:1/AMP.
“For [God DOES NOT OVERLOOK SIN and] the WRATH of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who in their wickedness suppress and stifle the truth . . . 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree and His judgment, that those who do such things deserve death, yet they not only do them, but they even [enthusiastically] APPROVE and TOLERATE others who PRACTICE them” Romans 1:18, 32/AMP.
“We know [for a fact] that WE ARE OF GOD, and the whole world [around us] lies in the power of the evil one [opposing God and His precepts]. 20 And we [have seen and] know [by personal experience] that the Son of God has [actually] come [to this world], and has given us understanding and insight so that we may [progressively and personally] know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true—in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children (believers, dear ones), GUARD YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS—[false teachings, moral compromises, and anything that would take God’s place in your heart]” 1 John 5:19-21/AMP.
“Howbeit then, when ye KNEW NOT God, ye did SERVICE unto them which by NATURE are NO GODS. 9 But now, after that ye have KNOWN God, or rather ARE KNOWN of God, HOW TURN YE AGAIN to the weak and BEGGARLY ELEMENTS, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye OBSERVE DAYS, and MONTHS, and TIMES, and YEARS. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. 12 Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. 13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first. 14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but RECEIVED ME AS AN ANGEL of God, even as Christ Jesus. 15 Where is then the BLESSEDNESS ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. 16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you THE TRUTH?” Galatians 4:8-16.
“Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 16 the one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 17 but the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel. 18 What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice” Philippians 1:15-18.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI