Dumb Idols – I Corinthians 12:2
It is not hard to notice all the “Buddha” heads or other idols all around us. The Bible calls all idols “dumb” because idols are lifeless. Idols can never save or redeem anyone! “They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together. The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint. The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree? He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?” (Isaiah 44:9-20 KJV) Man is deceived by his on craftiness by taking something God has given us in the creation and forms it by his own hands and later bows down and worships this thing created by “man’s hands.” The same piece of wood man uses for heat, and cooking will also be turned into an idol, and individuals will pray to this same piece of wood that has been used for firewood. Man will deceive himself and trust and worship this lie that he has created with his own hands. “What profiteth the graven image that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, and a teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach! Behold, it is laid over with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it” (Habakkuk 2:18-19 KJV). Idols can never profit, save or redeem anyone.
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them” (Psalm 115:1-8 KJV). The Bible says idols are lifeless and every one that trusteth in these lifeless idols is lifeless themselves. Jesus Christ gives life to all those who believe in Him alone for salvation because before a person believes they are spiritually dead. “And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:10-15 KJV). A person is only “complete” in Jesus Christ. When a person believes Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial, and resurrection, they have received a circumcision, not of hands. All believers have been identified in Jesus Christ death payment for sin, burial, and resurrection. Jesus Christ gives life, which is eternal life. Jesus has forgiven all trespasses (past, present, and future) because He has blotted them out by His Blood. Either a person is seen dead in their sins, or when they believe, they are seen alive in Jesus Christ. Lifeless idols will never give life.
“What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils” (I Corinthians 10:19-20 KJV). Idols are lifeless themselves; however, all idols have a demonic spirit behind them. God does not want us to have fellowship with demons. The Bible calls all idols “dumb.” “Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led” (I Corinthians 12:2 KJV). Idols might have eyes, but they see not, idols might have ears, but they hear not, idols might have mouths, but they speak not –all idols are dumb. Let us not be carried away by these dumb idols.
“I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right. Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? Who hath told it from that time? Have not I the Lord? And there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me” (Isaiah 45:19-21 KJV). A man might be able to create all the idols in the world and claim they are Gods; however, just because man will create an idol does not mean it is a God. Idols will never be a God.
Idols will never save you or redeem you. Idols are lifeless and can never give life. Idols are demonic, and will never be a God. Do not trust in an idol to deliver you, profit you or redeem you because when you trust in an idol, you forsake your mercy: “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy” (Jonah 2:8 KJV). Don’t forsake or abandon your grace or mercy. Grace and mercy have been granted to all at the Cross of Calvary. Grace is getting something you don’t deserve, and mercy is not getting something you deserve. We all deserve Hell and to be eternally separated from our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ; however, Jesus Christ loves us, and He demonstrated this love by dying on the Cross for our sins, burial, and resurrection. The ones, who trust in Him alone for salvation are forever sealed and secure in God’s Hand! Don’t abandon grace and mercy in an idol. Embrace grace and mercy at the Cross of Calvary and trust in the One and True God!
THE PLAN OF SALVATION - THE GOSPEL
The Gospel is Jesus Christ died on the Cross for our sins (past, present, and future), He was buried, and He resurrected the third day to show us the payment for sin is paid in full.
I Corinthians 15:1-4: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
God loves you. Lord Savior Jesus Christ was revealed in the flesh for one reason, and that is to save us from our sins. Jesus Christ does not come to condemn individuals. Jesus Christ comes to save us because we are all Hell doomed sinners without the Blood of Jesus Christ.
John 3:16-18: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
All individuals are sinners. The payment for sin is death.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Christ died for you.
II Corinthians 5:21: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
If you believe in Christ alone, you receive eternal life.
John 6:47: Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
I John 5:13: These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
If you could be saved by being water baptized, doing good works, being a good person or following the Ten Commandments, why did (the God from Eternity Past, the God from Eternity Future) the Ever Presence Jesus Christ reveal Himself in the flesh and die on the Cross and resurrect the third day?
Galatians 2:21: I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
If you could earn salvation by doing those things, then Jesus Christ died in vain. However, Jesus Christ didn’t die in vain. Jesus Christ made a perfect sacrifice for sin. He is the Lamb of God, and only the Lamb of God can make a perfect sacrifice for sin. There is only one way to Heaven, and it is the belief in the Finished Redemptive Work of Jesus Christ.
Titus 3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Philippians 3:9: And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
The resurrection is proof God the Father accepted Jesus Christ death payment for sin -death payment of past, present, and future sin.
People DO NOT go to Hell because they are “bad.” People go to Hell because they believe NOT the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People trust NOT in Jesus Christ as their Savior. People believe NOT Jesus Christ died on the Cross for their sins, burial, and resurrection. People do NOT trust alone in the finished redemptive work of Jesus Christ.
II Thessalonians 1:8-9: In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
Know that God is gracious to you, and He has already died for all your sins (past, present, and future), He was buried showing all the world He died for your sins, and He resurrected showing all the world that Jesus Christ fulfilled what the Father asked Him to do: IT IS FINISHED!
I pray you to believe in Jesus Christ right now for salvation -believe Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sin, burial, and resurrection. Trust alone in Jesus Christ as your Savior.
If you know someone who is not saved, forward this message to them and share the greatest gift that one could ever receive.
Lance Edminster
The Good News Voice
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Once Saved, Always Saved -"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:28-30 KJV)