“Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore, God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:22-25).
In the Scriptures, idolatry is the placement in your heart of any one or thing where God exclusively belongs. Because of God’s exalted uniqueness and worthiness, He rightfully deserves our utmost reverence, faith, and obedience. With idolatry Jehovah is robbed of everything He ought to be given.
The abject folly of idolatry can be seen in its many perverse exchanges.
- It is the exchange of God and His holiness for the profane and perverse.
- It is the exchange of the omnipotent God who does whatever He pleases for a deity which can do nothing.
- It is the exchange of the incorruptible, eternal Creator for some one or thing corruptible which He has created.
- It is the exchange of the autonomous Jehovah who can function completely independent of all humanity for a “god” who has eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear, a mouth but cannot speak, feet but cannot walk, a nose but cannot smell, hands but cannot hold or handle anything.
- It is the exchange of the dignity and honor of serving an exalted and blessed superior for the dishonor of degenerating into spiritual uncleanness—indulging in the lusts of your heart, dishonoring your body, doing things which are unnatural and debased.
Exchanging the truth of God for the lie of idolatry is an incalculable folly.
