In this day and age, when God's instructions are readily available to us from both the old and new testaments, why do we still resort to "statues" as a form of worship? Or, in this situation below, a reference point for the good news gospel of Jesus Christ? I can only imagine how grieved our Lord God and Saviour must be -- knowing that we have been instructed NOT to make unto Him any graven image, and yet, many who proclaim to be "religious" still do.
This issue became front and centre after visiting a loved one at the hospital yesterday. At the front door entrance, there stood a statue of which someone nearby informed me was "a statue of God." How misled we are. Moreover, how far from the truth have we come when we replace the good news gospel of Jesus Christ with various forms of idolatry.
What the modern day religious culture (that create statues intended to represent Almighty God) does not tell us is that God is Spirit. (John 4:24) Jesus told the woman at the well -- "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God [is] a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship [Him] in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24)
God a Spirit, or the Spirit of God has not changed from the beginning of time. Right from creation, the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters when He created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:2) But note also that this same Spirit of God did not mince words when it came to man-made graven images.
And God spake all these words, saying, "I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage -- Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 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, and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep My commandments." (Exodus 20:1-6)
And later in Leviticus: "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." (Leviticus 26:1)
The Spirit of the Lord God. This same Spirit was in the world -- all things were made by Him-- but the world knew Him not. (Isaiah 9:6)
"God with us" for He shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21-23)
"The Spirit of the Lord God [is] upon Me, because the Lord hath anointed Me to preach good tidings unto the meek, He hath sent Me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to [them that are] bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn ..." (Isaiah 61:1-2)
But once Jesus shed His precious blood on the cross, and then ascended forty days after showing Himself alive by many infallible proofs, He is now the Spirit that dwells within those who believe in Jesus by faith.
"Until the day in which He was taken up, after that He THROUGH the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom also He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, and being assembled together with [them], commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but WAIT for the promise of the Father, which, [saith He] "ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." (Acts 1:1-5)
Yes, when we repent of our sins and are baptized in the precious name of Jesus, the Spirit of the Lord God lives within us. (Acts 2:37-38)
The Word that was with God in the beginning and the Word that was also God in the beginning -- "the "same" was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made ... He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not ... and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us ..." (John 1-14)
Not another Spirit but the same One Spirit -- Almighty God Himself who willingly dwelt on this earth so that He could redeem us from our sin, once and for all.
But even Jesus said to His disciples, "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you, but if I depart, I will send Him unto you ... and when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement, of sin, because they believe not on Me. Of righteousness, because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more." (John 16:7-10)
Once ascended, He said, "Ye will see Me no more." (John 16:10)
But, as Jesus told us beforehand, "And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever, [even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:17)
Jesus said, "... the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)
"Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, [that] shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come." (John 16:13)
The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2) But this does not give us a license to create graven images and statues and refer to them as God. His Word still stands true.
"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me. 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 ..." (Exodus 20:1-6)
This explains why we are no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit -- if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. (Romans 8:9)
And yes, He is still the Lord thy God -- a jealous God who wants more than our money. His name in this dispensation of grace is Jesus -- the only name under heaven whereby we can be saved!
"Neither is there salvation in any other for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Therefore, be of sound mind and sound doctrine. Don't believe the religious whims and idol creations of this modern day culture. Rather, read His Word for your understanding and let our Lord God and Saviour -- Jesus the Christ -- teach you all things. Stand in the offering plate.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
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