Idolatry 101

The LORD said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place where I will rest my feet. I will live here forever among the people of Israel. They and their kings will not defile my holy name any longer by their adulterous worship of other gods or by honoring the relics of their kings who have died. They put their idol altars right next to mine with only a wall between them and me. They defiled my holy name by such detestable sin, so I consumed them in my anger. [Ezekiel 43.7-8]

To depend on things saying, "God uses them," is to put these idols right next to God in His very own Temple. In so doing, God's holy name is defiled.

To understand how this applies to us today, refer to the post One Shepherd from a few days ago:

"God's "Temple among them forever" can only be the work of the Holy Spirit within each and every true believer."

Well, that about sums it up, ...oh, except for the part that says God "consumed them in my anger," concerning those who committed this idolatry. Perhaps the Church's mostly powerless existence on earth today, regardless how much "faith people" confess otherwise, or "cessation people" demand the Holy Spirit's power manifestations passed away, is instead God simply withholding His power to protect His holiness in the presence of idols.

“I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not give my glory to anyone else, nor share my praise with carved idols. [Isaiah 42.8]

I will rescue you for my sake— yes, for my own sake! I will not let my reputation be tarnished, and I will not share my glory with idols! [Isaiah 48.11]

As much as people wish to believe that God gave us debt, insurance, medicine and technology so that we might live better lives, it doesn't appear the Bible supports such fallacy. 

Anything we defend our dependence upon by demonstratively claiming, "God uses it," is highly likely to be an idol. Idolatry 101.

Father, please forgive us our idolatry as we rid ourselves of idols.