Hard-Core Idolatry: Facing the Facts by C. Peter Wagner

Author:C. Peter Wagner
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: spiritual warfare, Idols and Images, Christian Life, General, Religion, Fundamentalism, Idolatry
ISBN: 9780966748147
Publisher: Wagner Publishing
Published: 1998-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

chapter five

Idolatry Next Door

For many Christians, the actual practice of idolatry seems extremely remote. Some might say, "They may do it in Taiwan or Nepal or Haiti or Nigeria, but not in my city. I know many people involved in soft-core idolatry, but not in hardcore idolatry as it is described here." Think again. Real, outright idolatry is more pervasive in our cities and neighborhoods than most Christians think. Without understanding it and dealing with it, efforts to take our cities for God will not be nearly as effective as they should be.

I hate to report it, but people who describe themselves as "Christian" are all too frequently involved in idolatry either consciously or unconsciously. However, not all Christians are. I am currently involved with a large number of evangelical Christian leaders on a personal basis. I know them quite well. I would be surprised, but not incredulous, to learn that one of my leader friends might have been discovered dabbling in internet pornography or cheating on their income tax or abusing their spouse or padding their expense account or raising funds illegally. But I would almost bet my house that none of them is involved in hard-core idolatry. Collectively, the fear of God is in us and nothing could seduce us into spiritual adultery by forcing us to honor in any way a supernatural demonic being other than God. The closest that any of us might come would probably be the temptation to serve Mammon, and I, for one, pray against that temptation every single morning.

However, I would not be at all surprised to learn that some other so-called "Christian" leaders out there could actually be into hard-core idolatry of one kind or another. We might be shocked if we knew how many individuals who love God, who go to church, who give generously, and who affirm the Ten Commandments are nevertheless violating the first two commandments. This is extremely dangerous to us personally. It also imperils our families and it neutralizes our effectiveness in moving out with the army of God into our cities and beyond. If we get in touch with the supernatural world through witch doctors, fortune tellers, horoscopes, psychics, Freemasonry, New Age, good luck charms, palm reading, ESP, tarot cards, Ouija boards or any such thing, we are committing spiritual adultery, and we can no more expect to escape the judgment of God than Israel could when they were involved with their forms of idolatry.

Graven Images in Churches?

Some "Christian" churches even contain graven images before which people are allowed to bow, to make obeisance, to light candles, to kiss, to burn incense, to leave gifts, and to otherwise worship and give honor to spirit beings represented by those idols. All this is a tool of the enemy to deceive people and to keep them from finding the true God and being saved.

I realize that many Christian people do this ignorantly, and, if we cannot persuade them that they should change their ways, the best we

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