DO WE BOW DOWN TO IDOLS

DO WE BOW DOWN TO IDOLS

  Exodus 20:4-5 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;

  1Corinthians 10:12-14 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 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. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

  Years ago I was a counselor at a Baptist Youth Camp. One day I was helping my girls memorize the Ten Commandments, and one of the girls asked what it meant by “bowing down to graven images”. I explained that the statues of Mary, Jesus, St. Peter etc. in the Catholic church she attended are graven images and every time she or anyone bowed (genuflect) to them as they entered the church they were breaking the 5^th commandment.

  I have changed and matured since then and I now realize that kind of “idol worship” is no worse than some other things we do or temptations we give into (bow down to – if you will) on a day to day basis.

  If I let anything come between me and God I am guilty of idolatry! This would include letting loneliness, depression, with longing for earthly love keeping me from rejoicing in my Father’s love, I am guilty of idolatry.

Leslie Nivens