Are there certain sins which grieve God, Christ and The Holy Spirit more than others? Are we supposed to be: “Our brothers keepers?” What about the lost world of unbelievers who have no chosen relationship with God through His Son Jesus; how should we relate to them? Since most today do not bow down before statues, trees, and other similar alters to worship, does this mean that there is no more idolatry? What is “idolatry” anyway? Listen in as Pastor Landis teaches on these pertinent matters in today’s lesson as we approach finalization of our current study in the epistle of First John.
Old Testament Scripture Reading: Leviticus 26:1 – 12 (KJV)
Lev 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God.
Lev 26:2 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
Lev 26:3 If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them;
Lev 26:4 Then I will give you rain in due season, and the land shall yield her increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.
Lev 26:5 And your threshing shall reach unto the vintage, and the vintage shall reach unto the sowing time: and ye shall eat your bread to the full, and dwell in your land safely.
Lev 26:6 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land.
Lev 26:7 And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword.
Lev 26:8 And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Lev 26:9 For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.
Lev 26:10 And ye shall eat old store, and bring forth the old because of the new.
Lev 26:11 And I will set my tabernacle among you: and my soul shall not abhor you.
Lev 26:12 And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and ye shall be my people.
New Testament Scripture Reading: 1 John 5:16 – 21 (NASB)
1 John 5:16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should make request for this.
1 John 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin not leading to death.
1 John 5:18 We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him and the evil one does not touch him.
1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, in order that we might 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.
1 John 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
Transforming Power Statements:
#1) Idolatry is the sin of failure to give God your highest devotion from the heart but instead replacing such devotion by placing anything else above God’s honor and glory by word, thought or deed.
#2) The sin of idolatry is at the top of God’s list of abominations because if one fails at this point, there shall be no end to what further sins they might commit, in that victory over sin can only be obtained when there is first a right attitude of love toward God.
#3) Selfishness is at the heart of much idolatry and also produces an ill view of other members of the body of Christ which in effect makes one become an idol to themselves.
