Tag: false teaching

Idols are False Gods, a dream, an imagination

On By Jeff CrippenIn Biblical Teaching3 Comments

Psalms 115:3-8 ESV  Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.  (4)  Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.  (5)  They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.  (6)  They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.  (7)  They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.  (8)  Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

G.K. Beale, my favorite theologian, wrote a book called We Become What we Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry. It is an incredibly important Bible doctrine that we all need to know well. Beale points to the verses above from Psalm 115 as his central text. Especially verse 8 – those who make them become like them. 

The typical local church of our day is worshipping false gods fashioned by their own devices and imaginations. As they do so, they themselves become increasingly blind. They have eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear – just like their idols.

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Some Common Sense from the Ananias and Sapphira Scripture

On By Jeff CrippenIn Churches/Church Response5 Comments

Acts 5:7-9 ESV  After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened.  (8)  And Peter said to her, “Tell me whether you sold the land for so much.” And she said, “Yes, for so much.”  (9)  But Peter said to her, “How is it that you have agreed together to test the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out.”

A wise lady sent me the following observations about this account of Ananias and Sapphira and their sin and what it tells us about this widespread oppressive teaching in churches that a wife is to “respect” her husband by remaining silent even when he is wicked:

Isn’t it interesting that Ananias AND Sapphira were questioned separately? So if she was not supposed to hide the truth about their joint decision…why should a wife have to keep hiding the truth about what the husband is really like behind closed doors? If he treated a co-worker the same it would be seen as  verbal harassment and assault. Both have safeguards under the law. Therefore when a woman comes forward she is doing the right thing by saying her husband is actually committing a crime against her. I think this is why the Christian witness before the world is so odious on this topic. It defies common sense that we would encourage a woman to stay in a situation where crimes are continuously committed against her. How is that showing the love of Christ before the world?

I think that says it all.