Preventing Bibliolatry: A Strange Kind Of Idolatry

IDOLS: Fake And False Gods Of Our Making
Theme For November 2009

Preventing Bibliolatry: A Strange Kind Of Idolatry
November 1, 2009
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Gen 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying, "Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you; Your reward shall be very great." 2 And Abram said, "O Lord GOD, what wilt Thou give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?"
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3 And Abram said, "Since Thou hast given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir." 4 Then behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "This man will not be your heir; but one who shall come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."
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5 And He took him outside and said, "Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."6 Then he believed in the LORD; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness.
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Distinguishing between:
FAKE GOD
FALSE GOD
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IDOLATRY:
EIDOLON (idol)
LATREIA (service- worship)
IDOLATRY: Making a fake god our god and a non-god a false god.
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BIBLIOLATRY:
Biblos (Book). Latreia (service or worship)
BIBLIOLATRY:
Making the Bible what it is not: equal with God or God’s rival.
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Bibliolatry Is Preventable. How?
Understand What the Bible Is Meant To Do In Our Lives:
Which is?
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I- The Word Of God Points Out The Wonderful Reality Of Our Relationship With God. (Gen. 15:1)
He is our God
He is our Shield
He is our Great Reward
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II- The Word Of God Points Out The Right Response To God And His Word: Conversation With God. (Gen. 15:1-6)
God spoke
Abraham Spoke
God spoke Again
Abraham spoke again
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III- The Word Of God Points Out Our Zero Ability And God’s Absolute Ability In Our Favor. (Gen. 15:2-6)
Abram was childless
Abram would be gifted with countless covenantal children
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What have we learned? (Summary)
I- The Word Of God Points Out The Wonderful Reality Of Our Relationship With God.
II- The Word Of God Points Out The Right Response To God And His Word: Conversation With God.
III- The Word Of God Points Out Our Zero Ability And God’s Absolute Ability In Our Favor.
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How is this related with us? (Application)
Idolatry is in our heart as sinners.
We can easily make the Bible a substitute for God in our lives.
We all need to deal with Bibliolatry
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How Should we respond? (Challenge)
Read the Bible to know who God is and how He wants us to relate with Him.
Converse with Him for prayer with bible-reading stifles and defeats Bibliolatry
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How Should We Respond Right Now? (Altar Call)
We ask God to forgive us for neglecting the Word or making the Word another god in our life
We will express gratitude to God for the Word He has given us.
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