To Whom do you Bow?

Last week we looked at why it was important to know the God of the Bible. How not to trade the truth for a lie. What are the ramifications for the Christian who does trade the truth about God for a lie.

Can a Christian fall prey to a wrong understanding of God? If so, what does that look like?

Intro

PCUSA church in Binghamton NY that brought a false God into the sanctuary.

The United Presbyterian Church of Binghamton hosted “the Sviatovid idol” which depicts a ninth-century Slavic deity, as part of a September 6-7 festival of lights.

Perun the Slavic god of thunder and lightening is equal to Zeus or Thor.

https://juicyecumenism.com/2019/09/12/binghamton-presbyterian-sviatovid/

Late term abortion bill is passed by the senate in NY and received with standing ovations and glorious applause.

https://www.faithwire.com/2019/01/23/new-york-senate-erupts-in-applause-after-passing-horrific-late-term-abortion-bill/

At pro-abortion rally in front of the supreme court (May 2019) Calif. Rep. Jackie Speier announces she was one of the 1 in 4 women who have had an abortion. The crowd cheers.

https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/michael-w-chapman/rep-speier-boasts-her-abortion-crowd-cheers

This is an example of one of the worlds idols. People dedicate their lives to this cause. It is obviously not a biblical practice nor a Christian approved practice.

This is an example of what happens when we deviate from an understanding of who God.

If we know the God of the Bible, we know that all humans are created in his image. We know that he commands us not to murder. We know that Jesus proclaims that even “these little ones” are welcomed into his kingdom. ()

Yet, when men begin to

Knowing the God of the Bible keeps us from chasing after false idols.

Principles of Faith

False gods (21-28)

things that we place above God

Commerce

Silversmith - Demetrius - made shrines

Paul was disturbing his livelyhood

ultimately saw it as an attack on their goddess - Artemis

Earthly items placed above God

App: What things do we place above God? What idols do we have in our life?

False security (29-34)

faith and trust we place in other people or things

Worldview/theology/philosophy

Confusion of the crowd

Confused because what they thought they knew was challenged by the gospel

True security comes from the God of the Bible

Paul (34) true security/protection

App: In what things do you place your trust?

God protected Paul and his disciples Gaius and Aristarchus from death and injury

Their faith and security was in God

Illus: This crowd placed their faith in commerce and Artemis

False religions (35-41)

false religion in Artemis

Greek goddess of the hunt, moon and chastity

Roman goddess Diana

false stories believed

We see society today believe almost anything don’t we?

: trading the truth for a lie.

Conclusions

The ungodly exchange the truth about God for a lie and it shows!

The ungodly respond: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!

Illus: The applauding of abortion by women’s rights advocates

And so on Wednesday evening, Ilyse Hogue, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, took the stage at the Democratic National Convention and told the story of the time she aborted her first child because it was an inconvenient time to become a parent.

"To succeed in life, all we need are the tools, the trust, and the chance to chart our own path," Hogue said during her DNC speech. "I was fortunate enough to have these things when I found out I was pregnant years ago. I wanted a family, but it was the wrong time. I made the decision that was best for me—to have an abortion and get compassionate care at a clinic in my own community." At this point, applause and cheers could be heard in the crowd. "Now years later, my husband and I are parents to two incredible children," Hogue continued.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/weekly-standard/dnc-speaker-shouts-her-abortion-and-the-crowd-cheers

A world where evil and murder are not just allowed, they are cheered and celebrated.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Christians can be guilty of the same thing although a bit more subtle!

We too can be guilty of exchanging the truth for a lie.

“Millions call themselves by His name, it is true, and pay some token respect to Him, but a simple test will show how little He is really honored among them. Let the average man be put to the proof on the question of who is above, and his true position will be exposed. Let him be forced into making a choice betwen God and money, betwen God and men, between God and personal ambition, God and self, God and human love, and God will take second place every time. Those other things will be exalted above. However the man may protest, the proof is in the choices he makes day after day throughout his life.” - A. W. Tozer, Pursuit of God, p. 84-85.

Illus: Rich Young Ruler

Luke 18:18–30 ESV

And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

App:

What false idols do we have in our life?

Do we have a false sense of security by placing our faith in things other than God?

Do we practice false religions?

If we exchange the truth about God for such lies we have idols in our life.

What is our defense of these things?

Seek to remove idols in your life.

Avoid placing faith in anything but God

Be careful that you are not practicing things religiously that do not honor God

Be intentional about not trading the truth (God’s Word) for a lie.

Let us repent of these things and ask God to remove them from our lives that He may once again reign as the one true God in our life.