Praying to Statues and Dead Saints -
What if someone tells you to pray to statues and dead saints because that’s what you are supposed to do? There are no scriptures telling you to pray to saints or statues. There is no proof that the saints, if they can hear you, will take your prayers to God for you.
In fact, the bible says contrary, you are to pray to God only and that the dead are dead. But never the less, you believe this person just because he is a very pious authority figure and seems sincere. He says to take it on faith. “You’ve got to have faith brother!”
There are politically correct lovey-dovey types of people who say, “So what, what the big deal? They’re not hurting anybody; let them believe what they want to believe as long as it makes them feel good.” You ever hear that about religion or in the different ways in which people choose to live their lives?
You can’t just go around believing in whatever you want. It’s dangerous. There are consequences for your choices and your actions. Right is right, and wrong is wrong... regardless of popular opinion. God knows it, the devil knows it… And you are responsible for your mistakes.
Believing in the Trinity –
What if someone told you to pray to a 3 in 1 God? Christians are told to “Take the Trinity on faith” because even the world’s most renowned experts in the Trinity can’t explain it. They insist you go against the biblical definition of faith, which is “Trust based on proof” in favor of the worldly evil definition of faith: “A belief in something with NO proof”.
They attempt to justify their belief in this confusing false doctrine by misreading scriptures or taking them out of context, by not understanding proper translations and generally ignoring all other scripture that is contrary to the Trinity.
Here is what one noted expert Trinitarian, Benjamin B. Warfield, is quoted as saying in his work titled, The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity. He says, “As the doctrine of the Trinity is indiscoverable by reason, so it is incapable of proof from reason. There are no analogies to it in Nature, not even in the spiritual nature of man, who is made in the image of God. In His trinitarian mode of being, God is unique; and, as there is nothing in the universe like Him in this respect, so there is nothing which can help us to comprehend Him.”
So What's the Big Deal?
“Hey, so what, what the big deal? You’re not hurting anybody...” Does it hurt anyone if you pray to a statue, a dead saint or to the Trinity? Yes it does... it hurts you! The bible says to pray to God, when you pray to anything or anyone else that is idol worship and your prayers are not being heard. It does not matter what you believe, right is right, and wrong is wrong.
Not only that, the bible says there is a punishment for praying to idols. Now you’re in big trouble even though your intentions were pure and you have to pay the fine and take your punishment. Not quite the intended outcome for your prayers, is it? That is why “taking it on faith” without reliable proof can totally screw you over.
The same thing goes for believing in cults, false doctrines or entire religions that have weak or no scriptural support. The same thing applies to believing in the empty promises of politicians, people, friends and even business deals. What bank would give you a loan without proof of your ability to repay it? Other than the sub-prime mortgage lenders of a few years ago, who BTW are all now out of business, not many.
New False Doctrine: Red Means Go, Green Means Stop -
What if I were to tell you, with reasonable authority and conviction, that green traffic lights now mean stop and red lights mean go? You believe me, run a red light and get into an accident.
Who is responsible? According to the law, you are. What if another person was hurt in that accident? Your belief system has had a negative impact on someone else who did not share your doctrinal beliefs.
If you go before a judge and tell him the whole story about your doctrine of beliefs that red means go and green means stop, the judge will look you square in the eye and say, ‘You are wrong.’ He will then show you proof by reading a passage from the civil code. Bang Bang goes the gavel. You are found guilty even though you believed in your heart that you were right. But you are still wrong and you still have to face the punishment.
God is the same way. God is a righteous judge. If you do something wrong thinking that you were right... you were still wrong! And you still have to deal with the consequences of your actions. THAT is why believing in a false doctrine is such a big deal.
The Truth Matters
And THAT is why believing in the truth backed by proof from scripture, and not what ever you want, is such a big deal. You can’t just go around believing in whatever you want. It’s dangerous. Right is right, and wrong is wrong... regardless of opinion and regardless of whether everyone else is doing it..
How do you know the truth about what is right and what is wrong? In society, read the civil code and know the laws. A judge will tell you that ignorance of the law is no excuse. With God, read the bible. The bible is given to us as a complete guide to life and Godliness. We are responsible for knowing what is in it and for complete compliance with it to the best of our abilities.
You are admonished in the epistle of 2 Timothy to, “Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth”. 2 Timothy 2:15
Live long, study hard and prosper my friends!
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About the Teacher:
Pastor Daniel Sweet is the President and founder of God's Word First Christian Ministry. He is an ordained minister, biblical scholar, teacher of the holy spirit and an expert author on the subject of Leadership. He and his wife, Debbra Sweet have overseen the growth and development of multiple in home fellowships and have been instrumental in helping many people come to the knowledge and truth of God’s Word.
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