Are Believers Living a Life of IDOLATRY?

Could there be such a thing as Bible-Idolatry? Is it possible to make an idol of the Bible?

Before you conclude that I am an heretic please hear me through, then call me one, if you must.

I am not talking about placing the Bible on the communion table or your coffee table and praying to it as if it is a God as most people do with idols. Bible Idolatry does not take that form. Is more subtle and damaging than that!

When we promote, uphold and and demonstrate that the power for living as a believer comes from following biblical principles we are in idolatry. We are to have no other gods before God, that has a deeper meaning then some object to pray to as a god.

In living by biblical principles as our guide as a believer we usurp the role that belongs only to Jesus, the living WORD, whom the written word points to. The power is in the WORD of God, the LIVING WORD, not the written word!

There are many people who live by their interpretation of principles in the word that is opposite to what many others live by even though they claim to be living by the principles of the bible and many try to follow the word without a genuine relationship with the WORD!

 But why, as believers, do we do this?

By following “biblical principles” in the written word, it allows us to be still in control of our spirituality by choosing which principles we are going to apply and live by. We can chose how we interpret and understand those principles. And if someone doesn’t apply a biblical principle the way we view and do, we can judge them. But, if we understand the “new covenant”correctly, we know the written word points us to Jesus, it is Jesus, the Lord, who is the WORD who became flesh. He speaks His laws into our heart and mind, but not as some written code, see Heb. 8-7-13. By living by a written code is living in the old covenant, not the new established by Jesus to provide relationship between God and man. The law was fulfilled in Him and it is only in Him that we are able to live the principles of the bible.

People are intent on living by the written word instead of obeying the WORD because our religious culture is obsessed with ideas, rules and regulations. We’d rather talk about doctrine than actually practice it. We may not do this intentionally; it is built into our cultural habits. We usually try to teach our faith by preaching and giving classes instead of walking with each other along the way...”Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up”. (Deut. 11:19) It isn’t very effective to teach faith like it is a school subject as compared to living a life of a disciple and discipling that way. Discipleship has more in common with teaching by life living rather than mouth telling. That was the way Jesus made disciples. We have been conditioned by our religious culture to think in concepts instead of living life in the power of God, and the result is that we often put more confidence in doctrine than in Jesus. Doing so, robs the power from the name of Jesus. The power in the name of Jesus is not a formula that comes from the written word of God. The power in His name comes form being in relationship with the WORD of God in Whom resides the power of God.

This does not change the importance of the Bible. While in itself it has no power to change us, it points to the One who can. It is a clear mirror which shows us how we are living, but the power to live the Christian life still comes from Jesus Himself. The Bible helps us see if we are on track. We don’t need to worship the Bible by treating it as a rule book with principles to live by. Rather, it gives us access to the Person who wrote those principles so as to live His example by Him Living His life through us. The Bible expresses those principles to help us make sure we are living in the Spirit and not in the power of the flesh by just applying the principles and imitating Jesus rather than Jesus living His life through us. So let’s be filled with the Spirit of Jesus. Let’s walk in the power of Jesus. Let’s worship and honor Jesus, the Living WORD, Who became flesh and dwelt among us. Let’s be grateful for the written word and deeply study and appreciate it. We should study it until it saturates our being. But the power for life still comes from the Spirit of Jesus. He himself said; “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” You cannot live bible principles as the way to the Father. The Bible is the road map that points to Jesus who is the only  way to the Father!

Herein lies the deception...people who follow the bible as to the way they view it, tend to believe they are following Jesus, when in fact, they may not be. But if we follow Jesus the WORD we will live the word, even though it may conflict with our particular view  on the issues contained therein.