Understanding Idolatry: True Worship Beyond Images

 

Summary

In our exploration of the second commandment, we delve into the profound implications of God's instruction against creating idols. This commandment challenges us to consider the images and representations we create in our minds and through art, which often fall short of capturing the true essence of God. These images can distract us from the divine rather than draw us closer. The second commandment urges us to avoid the temptation of using physical or mental images as aids in worship, as they can distort our understanding of God.

We often find ourselves trying to fit God into our limited experiences and understanding, which is a form of idolatry. This is not just about physical idols but also about the ways we might try to use God for our own purposes, treating Him as a resource rather than the Creator to be worshiped. Augustine's definition of idolatry as "worshiping what should be used or using what should be worshiped" is a powerful reminder of the subtle ways we can fall into idolatry.

The sermon also explores the spectrum of love and ownership, from "my boots" to "my God," illustrating how we can mistakenly treat God as a possession or tool for our benefit. This is contrasted with the true nature of worship, which involves submitting ourselves to God and recognizing His sovereignty.

Idolatry is offensive to God because it attempts to reshape Him into something He is not, which is deeply insulting. It is also destructive, as it leads to generational consequences and societal decay. However, the grace of God offers a new beginning, breaking the cycle of sin and idolatry.

Ultimately, the second commandment points us to Jesus Christ, the true image of God, through whom we can know and worship the Creator. Embracing Christ as He is allows us to experience the fullness of God's love and begin a life of true worship.

Key Takeaways:

- The second commandment warns against creating idols, which can distract us from the true nature of God. Images and representations, whether physical or mental, often fall short and can distort our understanding of the divine. We must be cautious not to let these images become substitutes for genuine worship. [02:29]

- Idolatry is not just about physical idols but also about how we might try to use God for our own purposes. Augustine's definition highlights the danger of worshiping what should be used and using what should be worshiped. This subtle form of idolatry can infiltrate our relationship with God, turning it into one of convenience rather than reverence. [08:01]

- The spectrum of love and ownership, from "my boots" to "my God," illustrates how we can mistakenly treat God as a possession or tool for our benefit. True worship involves recognizing God's sovereignty and submitting ourselves to Him, rather than trying to fit Him into our limited understanding. [15:03]

- Idolatry is offensive to God because it attempts to reshape Him into something He is not, which is deeply insulting. It is also destructive, leading to generational consequences and societal decay. However, God's grace offers a new beginning, breaking the cycle of sin and idolatry. [24:51]

- Jesus Christ is the true image of God, through whom we can know and worship the Creator. Embracing Christ as He is allows us to experience the fullness of God's love and begin a life of true worship. This is the essence of the second commandment, pointing us to the ultimate revelation of God in Christ. [37:09]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:16] - Introduction to the Second Commandment
- [01:26] - The Natural Instinct to Create Images
- [02:29] - The Problem with Images of God
- [03:17] - Icons and Devotional Aids
- [04:30] - The Crucifix and Its Limitations
- [05:16] - Art and the Glory of the Creator
- [06:20] - The Struggle of Worship
- [07:29] - Augustine's Definition of Idolatry
- [08:17] - The Spectrum of Love and Ownership
- [10:01] - My Boots, My Dog, My Wife
- [13:39] - My Country and My God
- [15:20] - Idolatry and the Use of God
- [19:39] - The Temptation to Use God
- [24:51] - The Seriousness of Idolatry
- [29:11] - Idols as Offensive and Destructive
- [33:28] - Idols as Useless
- [36:49] - Jesus Christ: The True Image of God
- [38:33] - Conclusion and Prayer

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
- Exodus 20:4-6: "You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments."
- Romans 1:25: "They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does the second commandment specifically prohibit, and why is this significant? [00:16]
2. How does the sermon describe the natural human tendency to create images of God? [01:26]
3. What examples from art and culture were mentioned in the sermon as potentially distorting our understanding of God? [03:17]
4. According to the sermon, how does Augustine define idolatry, and what are the two dimensions involved? [07:29]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the sermon explain the danger of using images or representations as aids in worship? What might be the consequences of this practice? [02:29]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that we might be guilty of idolatry in our modern context, beyond the worship of physical idols? [15:03]
3. How does the sermon illustrate the spectrum of love and ownership, and what does this reveal about our relationship with God? [09:28]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the generational impact of idolatry, and how does God's grace offer a new beginning? [29:30]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: Are there any "idols" you have created, either physical or mental, that might be distorting your understanding of God? How can you address these? [02:29]
2. Consider Augustine's definition of idolatry. Are there areas in your life where you might be using God as a resource rather than worshiping Him? How can you shift your perspective? [08:01]
3. The sermon discusses the spectrum from "my boots" to "my God." How do you ensure that your relationship with God is one of worship rather than ownership or utility? [15:03]
4. How can you actively embrace Jesus Christ as the true image of God in your daily life, ensuring that your worship is genuine and not influenced by distorted images? [37:09]
5. The sermon mentions the destructive nature of idolatry and its generational impact. How can you break any cycles of idolatry in your family or community? [29:30]
6. In what ways can you cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of God's sovereignty in your life, moving away from trying to fit Him into your limited understanding? [06:20]
7. How can you incorporate the teachings of the second commandment into your prayer life, ensuring that your prayers are acts of worship rather than attempts to manipulate God? [23:31]

Devotional

Day 1: The Danger of Idols in Worship
The second commandment warns against creating idols, which can distract us from the true nature of God. These idols, whether physical or mental, often fall short and can distort our understanding of the divine. We must be cautious not to let these images become substitutes for genuine worship. Idolatry is not just about statues or images but also about the ways we might try to use God for our own purposes. This subtle form of idolatry can infiltrate our relationship with God, turning it into one of convenience rather than reverence. [02:29]

Isaiah 44:9-11 (ESV): "All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together."

Reflection: What are some "idols" in your life that might be distracting you from truly worshiping God? How can you begin to remove these distractions today?


Day 2: The Subtlety of Idolatry
Idolatry is not just about physical idols but also about how we might try to use God for our own purposes. Augustine's definition highlights the danger of worshiping what should be used and using what should be worshiped. This subtle form of idolatry can infiltrate our relationship with God, turning it into one of convenience rather than reverence. It challenges us to examine our motives and the ways we might be manipulating our faith to serve our own ends. [08:01]

Ezekiel 14:3-5 (ESV): "Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and set the stumbling block of their iniquity before their faces. Should I indeed let myself be consulted by them? Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Any one of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart and sets the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and yet comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him as he comes with the multitude of his idols, that I may lay hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, who are all estranged from me through their idols."

Reflection: In what ways might you be using God for your own purposes rather than truly worshiping Him? How can you shift your focus to genuine reverence and submission?


Day 3: Ownership and Worship
The spectrum of love and ownership, from "my boots" to "my God," illustrates how we can mistakenly treat God as a possession or tool for our benefit. True worship involves recognizing God's sovereignty and submitting ourselves to Him, rather than trying to fit Him into our limited understanding. This requires a shift from seeing God as a means to an end to seeing Him as the ultimate end in Himself. [15:03]

Psalm 24:1-2 (ESV): "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers."

Reflection: How do you view your relationship with God? Are there areas where you treat Him more as a possession than as the sovereign Creator? What steps can you take to change this perspective?


Day 4: The Offense and Destruction of Idolatry
Idolatry is offensive to God because it attempts to reshape Him into something He is not, which is deeply insulting. It is also destructive, leading to generational consequences and societal decay. However, God's grace offers a new beginning, breaking the cycle of sin and idolatry. This grace invites us to turn away from idols and towards a life of true worship and obedience. [24:51]

Jeremiah 2:11-13 (ESV): "Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water."

Reflection: Are there ways in which idolatry has affected your life or the lives of those around you? How can you embrace God's grace to break free from these patterns?


Day 5: Jesus Christ: The True Image of God
Jesus Christ is the true image of God, through whom we can know and worship the Creator. Embracing Christ as He is allows us to experience the fullness of God's love and begin a life of true worship. This is the essence of the second commandment, pointing us to the ultimate revelation of God in Christ. By focusing on Christ, we can avoid the pitfalls of idolatry and enter into a deeper, more authentic relationship with God. [37:09]

Colossians 1:15-17 (ESV): "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Reflection: How does your understanding of Jesus as the true image of God influence your worship and relationship with Him? What steps can you take to deepen your connection with Christ today?

Quotes


The problem with any image that is intended to represent God is that it can never do him Justice. Any image will in its nature be far, far, far, far less than God is to the point where it will distract us from him more than it will draw us to him. [00:02:03]

Remember that images do as much to distract us from God as to represent him to us. Think of the famous piece of artwork in the Sistine Chapel, the image of God, the Finger of God coming out of the sky gives some representation of his awesome power, none whatsoever of his love. [00:03:10]

Idolatry, says Augustine, is worshiping what should be used or using what should be worshiped. Very important definition. Idolatry, what is condemned within the second commandment, idolatry is worshiping what should be used or using what should be worshiped. [00:07:43]

These five statements take you all the way from ownership to worship, from that which is to be used as a resource to the one who is to be worshiped alone. And I found it helpful to understand that spectrum and then to ask the question, what do I mean when I say my God? [00:09:29]

If you say my God with the same sense of wanting to try and use him as a resource as you would mean when you say my boots, you are an idolater. That's what idolatry is. It confuses The Creation With The Creator. [00:14:58]

Idolatry then is very much closer to home than we often think, taking what's to be used and worshiping it, taking the one who's to be worshiped and attempting to use him. Now that's the second commandment. Why is it so serious? [00:24:12]

Idols are offensive. They are deeply insulting to God. Look at verse 5: you shall not bow down to them or worship them for I the Lord your God am a jealous God. Now here we can use something that we learned last week. [00:24:51]

Idols are destructive. They're offensive to God, but they're distractive. Look at verse five and six again: I the Lord your God am a jealous God punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me. [00:29:19]

The good news of Jesus Christ says that the grace of God can reach into these otherwise continuing lines, and some of us have known that we've come from incredibly dysfunctional backgrounds. We've suffered from the example and perhaps the actions of others. [00:31:51]

Jesus Christ is the one true image of God. That is why Christian worship must always center around the word and must always focus on Jesus Christ because this is how the God who is has made himself known, not through a projection of our experience. [00:37:17]

You will not find God through an endless exploration of spiritual experience. That is a labyrinth from which you will find no exit. You will find God through Jesus Christ. This is why he has come into the world. [00:38:01]

The one Eternal God reaches out to you in Jesus and if you will Embrace him as he is in Christ he will embrace you as you are in Christ, and that is the beginning of worship, it's the beginning of eternal life. [00:38:56]

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Transcript
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