The Golden Calf Is in the Church Today: Exposing Idolatry in the Church (PART 2) (False Teachers)

The Golden Calf Is in the Church Today: Exposing Idolatry in the Church (PART 2) (False Teachers)
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(Click to see Part 1)

In the Church today are many people who believe that they can live in sin and still go to Heaven. Deception and false teaching are replacing the teaching of all of God’s counsel (Acts 20:27). There are rave parties at some Churches. Worship at many Churches has become entertainment with loud rock groups. Many Church youth groups have video game nights or movie nights, where they play worldly video games and watch worldly movies. Does this agree with God’s Word? 2 Corinthians 6:16-17 says:

[2 Corinthians 6:16-17]

“[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”

God wants us Christians to come out from the world and forsake sin. Let’s look at Hebrews 10:26-30, to explain this better. It says:

Hebrews 10:26-30

“[26] For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, [27] But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

[28] He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: [29] Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

[30] For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.”

Hebrews 10 speaks of a person who trampled under his feet Jesus Christ, and treated with contempt the blood of Christ, by which he was made clean and saved. He actually was set apart to Abba God by the blood of Jesus (i.e. sanctified by the blood). This person will be judged with God’s fiery indignation and vengeance because this man forsook Christ in order to have his sin.

What we are seeing in Hebrews 10 and throughout the Bible is that God’s Word clearly teaches something that few Churches actually teach. The Bible teaches that sin ultimately produces eternal separation from God because of the person’s choice to harden his (or her) heart against God and not repent (change one’s mind and choice) from sin. This hardness of heart is warned about in Hebrews 3 and elsewhere.

Hebrews 3 and the Falling Away

Hebrews 3:7-8 says: “[7] Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, [8] Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:” How could we harden our hearts? Hebrews 3:12-14 gives the answer.

Hebrews 3:12-14

“[12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. [13] But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. [14] For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;”

The Golden Calf Is in the Church Today: Exposing Idolatry in the Church (Part 1) (Apis, the bull "god")

The Golden Calf Is in the Church Today: Exposing Idolatry in the Church (Part 1)
(Apis, the bull "god") [Print Document]

(Click to see Part 2)

In the Church today are many people who believe that they can live in sin and still go to Heaven. Deception and false teaching are replacing the teaching of all of God’s counsel (Acts 20:27). There are rave parties at some Churches. Worship at many Churches has become entertainment with loud rock groups. Many Church youth groups have video game nights or movie nights, where they play worldly video games and watch worldly movies. Does this agree with God’s Word? 2 Corinthians 6:16-17 says:

[2 Corinthians 6:16-17]

“[16] And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

[17] Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”

God wants us Christians to come out from the world. To strengthen this point, look at 1 John 2:15-17. Please pay attention to the word “any” in verse 15 and pay attention to the end of verse 17.

1 John 2:15-17

“[15] Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. [17] And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Only those who do the will of God abide forever. If we love the world, God’s love is not in us. Because God is love, and God’s love is not in someone who loves the world, then God is not in that person. God would not be in someone who loves the world, if that person’s love toward God has grown cold. Jesus said:

[Luke 16:13] “[13] No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

If we serve anyone or anything other than Abba God, and that interest is what (or who) we set most of our heart on, then that would be an idol. If we don’t repent (i.e. change our mind toward) from that idol, it will take over our life. Galatians 5:9 says: “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.”

The Golden Calf and the Ways of the World

The Holy Spirit, through James, warns believers to not love the ways of the world.

James 4:4-8

“[4] Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. [5] Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? [6] But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

[7] Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.”

How do we resist the devil (verse 7)? It starts when we submit ourselves to God. The word for submit in Greek is hupotassó. It means: ”...to subject oneself, to obey...”. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines submit as: “2. To yield, resign or surrender to the power, will or authority of another;...” This means that once we have surrendered ourselves to God’s will and God’s ways, we can strongly resist the devil, and the devil will have to flee from us.

Being Separate to God like Moses