Topical Bible: Defilement: Moral, Caused by Making and Serving Idols

◄ Defilement: Moral, Caused by Making and Serving Idols ►

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In the biblical context, defilement refers to the corruption or pollution of moral and spiritual purity. One of the primary causes of such defilement is the making and serving of idols, which is strictly prohibited in Scripture. Idolatry is seen as a direct affront to the holiness of God and a violation of the first and second commandments, which emphasize the exclusive worship of Yahweh.

Old Testament Context

The Old Testament is replete with warnings against idolatry and the moral defilement it brings. In the Ten Commandments, God explicitly commands, "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath" (Exodus 20:3-4). This prohibition underscores the seriousness with which God views idolatry, as it leads His people away from true worship and into spiritual corruption.

The Israelites' history is marked by repeated instances of idolatry, which often resulted in severe consequences. For example, when the Israelites made a golden calf at Mount Sinai, God declared, "They have quickly turned aside from the way I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and they have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it" (Exodus 32:8). This act of idolatry defiled the people, leading to divine judgment.

The prophets frequently addressed the issue of idolatry, warning of its defiling effects. Isaiah lamented, "Their land is full of idols; they bow down to the work of their hands, to what their fingers have made" (Isaiah 2:8). Such practices were seen as not only a betrayal of God but also a moral corruption that permeated the entire society.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the theme of idolatry continues to be addressed, albeit in a broader context that includes not only physical idols but also anything that takes the place of God in one's heart. The Apostle Paul warns the Corinthians, "Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: 'The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to revel in idolatry'" (1 Corinthians 10:7). Here, idolatry is linked with moral defilement, as it often leads to other sinful behaviors.

Paul further admonishes the Colossians, "Put to death, therefore, the components of your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, and greed, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5). This passage highlights the broader understanding of idolatry as anything that usurps God's rightful place in one's life, leading to moral and spiritual defilement.

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, idolatry is fundamentally a heart issue. It represents a turning away from God and a reliance on created things rather than the Creator. This shift results in moral defilement, as it distorts the image of God in humanity and leads to a life contrary to His will. The Bible consistently calls believers to maintain purity by rejecting idols and serving God alone, as seen in the exhortation, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21).

Practical Application

For believers today, the call to avoid moral defilement through idolatry remains relevant. While modern idols may not always take the form of physical statues, anything that demands ultimate allegiance or distracts from wholehearted devotion to God can be considered an idol. Christians are encouraged to examine their lives, identify potential idols, and seek to remove them, thereby maintaining spiritual purity and fidelity to God.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 20:17,18
Nevertheless my eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 22:3,4
Then say you, Thus said the Lord GOD, The city sheds blood in the middle of it, that her time may come, and makes idols against herself to defile herself.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 23:7
Thus she committed her prostitutions with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted: with all their idols she defiled herself.
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Library

A Treatise to Prove that no one Can Harm the Man who Does not ...
... rich there is discomfort, and disgust and defilement? ... path of repentance, that they
caused the sentence ... their iniquity unspeakable, their moral sores difficult ...
/.../chrysostom/on the priesthood/a treatise to prove that.htm

Faustus States his Objections to the Morality of the Law and the ...
... from a diseased state of mind caused by distress ... servants, whether righteous or sinful,
making no proper ... it in reference to the grand moral distinction between ...
/.../faustus states his objections to.htm

Against Jovinianus.
... that they are not temples of the living God, but shrines and idols of the dead ... And
Ezra checked an offence of this kind against God by making his countrymen put ...
/.../jerome/the principal works of st jerome/against jovinianus.htm