Playlist:

playlist Go to the Idolatry (topic) playlist

The Second Commandment: Idolatry

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

The natural mind craves something physical to remind us of God, but the Second Commandment prohibits this. Any representation will fall short of the reality.


Israel, Selfies, and Idolatry

Sermonette by Mike Ford

The religious hobbyist Micah practiced his own self-devised hybrid of religion, amalgamating some orthodox truth with abundant noxious, pagan admixtures.


Flee From Idolatry (Part Two): Faithfulness

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Like a boxer, we must exert ourselves with a broad spectrum of skills to subdue our carnal bodies, mortifying the flesh with maximum self-discipline.


The Fourth Commandment: Idolatry

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

God, not man, created, sanctified and memorialized the seventh day Sabbath from the time of creation, intending that man use this holy time to worship God.


Extremes of Idolatry: Graven Images and Sacred Names

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Some stretch the second commandment to condemn the use of all paintings, photographs, and sculptures. Others claim only Hebrew names for God can be used.


The First Commandment: Idolatry

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Idolatry is the most frequently committed sin, seen in five commandments. God challenges us to either defend our body of beliefs or drop them in favor of His.


Deuteronomy and Idolatry

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

We are admonished to internalize the book of Deuteronomy in preparation for our future leadership roles.


The Third Commandment: Idolatry

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

In the the Third Commandment, God's name describes His character, attributes, and nature. If we bear God's name, we must reflect His image and His character.


Deception, Idolatry and the Feast of Tabernacles

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Jeroboam, pragmatic and fearful, established a more convenient idolatrous festival to prevent his people from keeping the real Feast of Tabernacles in Judah.


Flee From Idolatry (Part One): Self-Discipline

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Though Paul's spiritual credentials outstripped all of his coworkers, Paul used none of his rights as an apostle, but gave his life as a sacrifice.


Is the Symbol of the Cross Idolatry? (Part One)

CGG Weekly by Mike Ford

Will wearing a silver cross around the neck keep a person from harm? Will it stay the hand of Satan? Superstitions about the cross arose long before Christ.


Animal Idolatry

'Prophecy Watch' by Mike Ford

Have the animal rights groups gone too far? This movement borders on—if not transgresses—the line between concern and idolatry.


The Second Commandment

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

Human nature tries to limit God to the confines of physical objects. Men fabricate images, called idols, to aid them in worshiping a god they have concocted.


The First Commandment

Bible Study by Martin G. Collins

The first commandment reveals our first priority in every area of life: God. Anything we place ahead of Him becomes an idol!


The Second Commandment

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Most people consider the second commandment to deal with making or falling down before a pagan idol, but it covers all aspects of the way we worship.


What Will It Take?

CGG Weekly by David C. Grabbe

What would have to happen for us to wake up and, instead of rolling over and going back to sleep, actually turn back to God with the entirety of our being?


The Second Commandment (1997)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Many fail to perceive the difference between the first and second commandments. The second commandment defines the way we are to worship the true God.


The Commandments (Part Three)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Idolatry derives from worshiping the work of our hands or thoughts rather than the true God. Whatever consumes our thoughts and behavior has become our idol.


Idolatrous Suppressors of the Truth

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

When John talks about idols, he is going far beyond things like statues, icons, and crucifixes, but instead anything people focus on first.


Identifying Our Idols

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

We tend to ignore the possibility of idolatry in our lives. But we need to do the hard thing and examine ourselves to identify any hidden idols.


Why Worship God?

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Many believe and attend church services without really answering this most fundamental of questions. Here are three reasons for worshiping almighty God.


A Picture Against a Thousand Words

CGG Weekly

A fundamental difference exists between images and language, and by understanding the difference, we can understand the second commandment's importance.


Does God Forbid All Images?

CGG Weekly by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

Made in God's image, human beings have the same drive to imagine, create, innovate, and express their designs in the works of their hands.


The First Commandment

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Idolatry is probably the sin that the Bible most often warns us against. We worship the source of our values and standards, whether the true God or a counterfeit.


Do You Have a Golden Calf?

Feast of Tabernacles Sermon by Mike Ford

Abijah had three good years but was suddenly cut off because he didn't remove the idols. One act of faith is only something to build on, not a cause to rest.


The First Commandment (1997)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

The Ten Commandments open with the most important, the one that puts our relationship with God in its proper perspective. It is a simple but vital command.


Keep Yourself From Idols

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

An idol is anything in our lives that occupies the space which should be occupied by God alone, anything having a controlling force in our lives.


The Fourth Commandment

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

At creation, God sanctified only one day, the seventh, as a day of rest. At Sinai, He again sanctified it as a holy day, tying it to creation and freedom.


Envy: The Most Precious Daughter

Sermonette by David C. Grabbe

It is easy to follow in Satan's footsteps, courting his daughter Envy, reaping the disquiet which accompanies her. Envy comes from pushing God from our thoughts.


The Nature of God: Elohim

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Understanding Elohim teaches us about the nature of God and where our lives are headed. Elohim refers to a plural family unit in the process of expanding.


The Commandments (Part Two)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

Idolatry constitutes the fountainhead from which all other sins flow, all of which amplify obsessive self-centeredness and self-indulgence.


Unity and Division: The Blessing and the Curse (Part Four)

'Ready Answer' by Charles Whitaker

God commanded the Israelites to utter blessings from Mount Gerazim and curses from Mount Ebal, most of which deal with hidden sins that give rise to hypocrisy.


Who Is on the Lord's Side?

Sermon by Richard T. Ritenbaugh

The Feast of Trumpets is a day of decision, a time to determine whether we are on the Lord's side. We must loyally fulfill the role to which God called us.


The Commandments (Part One)

Sermon/Bible Study by John W. Ritenbaugh

What have we accepted as our authority for permitting ourselves to do or behave as we do — our value system, our code of ethics or code of morality?


Our Mission Possible

Sermonette by Bill Onisick

If we inculcate the mission statement found in Deuteronomy 6:1-5 (known as the Shema), we will have a high certainty of life and a huge chance at success.


Abomination

Sermonette by Martin G. Collins

The common synonyms for abomination include loathing, hateful, abhorrence, evil anathema, repugnance, and disgusting. It is something which ignites hatred.


What Is Always True About the World?

Sermon by Martin G. Collins

To guard against the world, we must be careful not to fall into idolatry, based upon limiting God to tangible objects or those things which occupy our thoughts.


Humanism Dominates

Commentary by John W. Ritenbaugh (1932-2023)

The secular humanists, infiltrating education, entertainment, and government, have undermined the virtue and sullied the purity of America.


The Fourth Commandment (Part One) (1997)

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

Most people think the fourth commandment is least important, but it may be one of the most important! It is a major facet of our relationship with God.


Is Mary Worthy of Worship?

Article by David C. Grabbe

The Catholic Church places great importance on Mary, to the point that many Catholics are pushing for Mary to be recognized as 'Co-Redemptrix!


Passover and I Corinthians 10

Sermon by John W. Ritenbaugh

Like the Old Testament examples, the Corinthians had a careless presumption, allowing themselves to lust, fornicate, tempt God, and murmur.


Were the Ten Commandments in Force Before Moses?

Herbert W. Armstrong Booklet

It is commonly believed that the Ten Commandments are part of the ritualistic law, and that they lasted only until Christ. But here is the rest of the story.


Seeking God (Part One): Our Biggest Problem

'Personal' from John W. Ritenbaugh

After making the covenant with God, how does a person avoid backsliding? The answer lies in seeking God, which involves much more than commonly thought.