The Columbia evening Missourian., 1922-08-24
Idols and Idolaters.

From the Dallas News.
The Lord alone shall be exalted IN
that day. And the idols he shall utterly
abolish.-Isaiah ii, IL.
In its essence idolatry is not neces'
sarily the alteration or worship OF craven
images. 3.
Mans idol is usually his darling sin.
Ii is The sin which doth so easily be-
set u.s.
The great Apostle to the Centiles says;
We know that an idol is nothing in the
world, and that there is none other God
but one
| Whatever gains ones time. thought
and effort to the exclusion Of the time,
thought and effort he should devote TO
the service Of the living God, makes OF
him who so devotes himself an idola-
ter.
The idolaters in Christian lands are
far more culpable and offensive in the
sight Of God than were those with whom
Paul demonstrated on Mars Hill.
They worshiped the unknown god
ignoranily, but the idolaier in Christian
lands not only knows the true God, but
he also knows what idols are, and what
idolatry is and means. Therefore he
is without excuse" for he is Serving his
idol knowingly and premeditaiedly. All
his life he has had poured into his ears
the admoniiion and commandment.
Thou shalt have no other gods before
me-" He has had the very words Of the
Apostle read to him over and over again.
and read them himself. Whom there
fore ye ignorantly worship, him declare
| unto YOU" Also the heroic old Tent
maker of Tarsus declared. God that
made the world, and all things therein,
seeing that he is the Lord Of heaven
and earth. dwelleih not in temples made
with hands; neither is worshiped with
mems hands, as though he needed any
thing"
This beautiful passage not only shows
the sins Of idolairy, but the folly Of
material sacrifices. for here it is plain
ly implied that God is not in need OF
any material sacrifices which men can
make Him. The Psalmist said centuries
before Paul's day. THE sacrifices Of
God are a broken spirit; broken and
a contrite heart, o God, thou wilt not
despise" Again he says, Sacrifice and
Offering thou didst not desire; ....
burnt offering and sin offering hast thou
moi required" and again, For thou
desirest not sacrifice. else would | give
it; thou delightest not in burnt offer
ing" Thus it is plain, as the Shep-
herd-King indicates. that "a broken
spirit; broken and contrite heart" a,
heart which has realized the enormity
of its sins, and has become sincerely
and is reaching out for the
hand of the Most High, who is seeking
the true path to the city which ieth
four square" is the acceptable sacrifice
Ii is such as he who rejoices with great
JOY in the assurance that though your
sins be as scarlet, they shall be white
as snow; though they be red like Grim
son. they shall be as wool" Again does
he find help and comfort in this assur-
ing and encouraging passage, LET the
wicked forsake his way and the unright-
eous man his thoughts; and let him re-
turn unto the Lord. and He will have
mercy upon him; and to our God, for
He will abundantly pardon
He who lies awake al night trying 10
devise means by which he may fleece !
his fellow-man out Of money or any val.
liable thing is as effectually and really |
the golden calf as were the !
Children of Israel when they bowed down
before the one Aaron made for them
in the wilderness.
He who strives continuously to acquire;
those things which make for the grati-4
Tying Of the physical senses is among
those Of whom Paul spoke when he said:
Whose end is destruction, whose god
is their belly, and whose glory is their
shame, who mind earthly things"
He who is bound with the chains Of /
egOtism and selfshness, of pride and un-
holy ambition, Of envy and hate, is
worse than an idolater who worships
idols. but does not hate his feIlow-man,
for he is not only not worshiping his
God, but is hating Gods children.
N