Dear Bro. Eli,
What is God’s main reason why fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness are considered idolatry in His eyes not only worshipping of graven images as a god?
I hope for your nice answers with biblical supports.
May the Lord always protect you.
Ally of ADD
Dear Ally of ADD,
Idolatry is the worship of image. The Greek word ‘eidōlolatreia’ means image worship.
eidōlolatreia
i-do-lol-at-ri’-ah
From G1497 and G2999; image worship (literally or figuratively): – idolatry.
(Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictiobary)
God prohibits the making of images and the likes.
(Deuteronomy 5:7-9) “Thou shalt have none other gods before me. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me…”
These are called idols in the Bible.
(Psalms 115:4-8) “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.”
If we are of God, we will not even think that these images have anything divine in them.
(Acts 17:29) “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.”
The reason why God does not allow us even just to make graven images (because other people claims that they do not worship them) is that, it is impossible to reflect God’s glory on anything except in the being of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Isaiah 42:8) “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”
(Hebrews 1:3) “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high…”
The Lord Jesus Christ is the “express image” of God’s person! The Father dwells in Him.
(John 14:10) “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”
Not even a small amount of breath is present in any graven image.
(Habakkuk 2:18-19) “What profiteth the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it; the molten image, even the teacher of lies, that he that fashioneth its form trusteth therein, to make dumb idols? Woe unto him that saith to the wood, Awake; to the dumb stone, Arise! Shall this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in the midst of it.”
Kneeling before these idols and praying to them constitute the Old Testament term of idolatry.
(Isaiah 44:13-17) “The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house. He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshipeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire: And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshipeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.”
Why is it that in the New Testament, the term ‘idolatry’ is defined as:
(Colossians 3:5) “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry…”
Remember that idolatry means ‘image worship’. Satan, the god of this world, is another god than the Father. Satan has images or appearances.
(1 Thessalonians 5:22) “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
The word appearance used in the preceding verse means form or shape in Greek.
εἶδος
eidos
i’-dos
From G1492; a view, that is, form (literally or figuratively): – appearance, fashion, shape, sight.
(Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary)
The image or the form of the devil is reflected in these carnal acts: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness.
Commission of such acts constitutes idolatry or the worship of Satan who is not the true God. Anyone committing such is called an idolater.
(Ephesians 5:4-5) “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”
I hope and pray that you will be enlightened by these verses.
God Bless You.
EFS
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esoriano 
wow!…what an article…so easy to understand with God’s help
Thank God for a preacher like Bro. Eli Soriano!
Again another eye opener on 1 thess. 5:22, “abstain from all appearance of evil”. So this is it! That’s why all these in col 3:5 has forms or appearances which are equivalent to image worship in old testament. Amazing! bro. Eli. ssD
I too was wondering before how come fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness became “idol worship” where in fact some of those who do them doesn’t even have graven images at hand when they do those. Too sad some are even using “holiness” for the sake of those things. Like how “holy” they appear when they kneel down in front of their “graven images”, the fact still remains that they were “idol worshippers”. No matter how “holy” they look like, if they’re doing those acts that Satan wants men to do, it is still “idol worship”, for satan is not the true God, and doing those things mentioned above is synonymous to “satan worship” i.e. “idol worship”
Now, because of Bro. Eli’s enlightenment, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, I learned how can Satan entice men to worship him (satan), like what he had done to Christ in Matthew 4:9, “And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” (My comment: Certainly Satan knows that Christ will never fall down and worship him, so it would have broader meaning, and was now explained by Bro. Eli). Doing such carnal acts (meaning, things not from God) is as grave as worshipping literal idols! Look how terrible it is to fall into the hands of the living God: Hebrews 10:28-31, “He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
Forsake ALL kinds of idol worship, for it is a ground for a man to be included in the second death, the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone! Let’s read Revelation 21:8, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
To God be the Glory!
Bro. Eli:
Thanks for answering my questions. You are really indeed the True God sent Bible preacher in our times!
I thought you cannot anymore answer my question w/o biblical verses expecting that your answer will come into your mind that there is a chance that it may be wrong.
From now on, I’ll support your good intentions for men even I’m not your brother in God and Christ voluntarily w/o a doubt in your enormous wisdom.
My suspicion is really true, nothing can surpass your spiritual wisdom even the Pope, Mr. Manalo and all the preachers known inside the U.S.
YOU ARE REALLY INDEED A GOD SENT PREACHER!!!
Your volunteer ADD supporter,
Ally of ADD
Jn:4:19: The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.
Jn:4:20: Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.
Jn:4:21: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Jn:4:22: Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Jn:4:23: But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Jn:4:24: God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
The truth is the righteousness and the spirit dwell on it is faith, mercy, and justice which make alive the soul and make the house sit upon the rock.
EYES
to ally of ADD
I just noticed what you have said, “From now on, I’ll support your good intentions for men even I’m not your brother in God and Christ voluntarily w/o a doubt in your enormous wisdom”, You have a good heart in saying to help bro. Eli. But, you know?… the real reason why bro. Eli is doing this, it’s because of one like you. Search your heart. Do you want to be saved now that you already know the true teaching and the true preacher. Why don’t you ask bro. Eli how to obtain the promise of salvation to those who believe. This is very important to you since you are just about the corner of the old path. ssD
Not much to say,
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
More Power to you Brother Eli
GOD Bless in CHRIST
yah,,i hope ally of add decide to join us,,,despite of all truth that he heard about our doctrine,he can’t find it in other church,,i pray that someday,,he will be w/ us,,n_n
To Ally,
Of course Bro Eli always answer with biblical proofs. You know, there are really many ADD sympathizers, though they are not members yet.
I remember, Rod Navarro. I think he was a sympathizer, too. But now, he is already a symPATAYzer. He died without having even cleaved to that which is good. I do not hope the same for you. May you be enlighten before your time comes as well.
I have read your reasons why you seem to be reluctant or hesitant to join us in another site. I suggest that you confide everything to Bro. Eli, too.
May you find Peace!
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
…for this another very good enlightenment…
I wonder if bro.Eli isn’t just one more maquination of Evil against the Catholic Church?, Of course the Catholic Church isn’t God, Church But is the Church of Jesus, Jesus was the reason for the Catholic Church to become and Jesus was the one whom he build the church base in Peter “The Rock”, I don’t know at hand although I suspected it; That in a more deep conversation with the right person, we can discover that Peter, prove, as such for Jesus, to trust him not to ever avandon the church, even if so, meant to allow the coock sing three times, to deny the Lord, with the Mouth, but not with his Heart???,
Word’s
(God Herald)
The worshiping of false Idols, is of course again’s God desires for Man to practice, although he never deny our self the freedom to enlarge a/o expand our radious of Understanding as well that through understanding we can help others, to become, achieved and persue some of God desires for Man to become. There is a Virgin, the Mother of Jesus, which is of God Holly Family, Know atheist, don’t see the true about the Holly family but I do, and i do see Jesus, as the biigest of all achievers for the Family of God, although Gid is steal the Father and Ommipotent fiure, I do respect and worship as well the Holly Mother of God, and God is happy that I do and I know as well that I understand the difference, in the time of worship, becuase I do identified each of then, as unique, and HIM(God ), isn’t jelous of this, “HIM(God), Like It” because my scope of understanding has going further, just to pleace HIm, and Jesus the Lord.
Word’s
(God Herald)
Words,
Please bear in mind what Bro. Eli taught in this article that worship of graven images is abomination to God’s eye. Worships Mary (as you said above) is not in accordance to God’s will and He is not happy when you do that.
Bro. Eli is a sent messenger of God to expose lies of churches not of God like catholic church. Please have time to weigh catholic doctrines and the doctrines taught in the Bible ( also taught in MCGI). Start searching the truth, start investigating.
To ally,
I have always encounter your name on the sites of Dating Daan and our brethren. You even defend Dating Daan and Bro Eli on debates arising on yirmeyah.net. As I have observed your thoughts, you knew the doctrines we have and you have nothing against that, except that you cant help watching movies. Movies are one of your reasons you’re not in the Church but simply supporting us.
Many of our brethren have been encouraging you to join. And as jet mentioned, try to confide to Bro. Eli himself. He will answer of course.
Being a supporter is a good one, but nothing compares to being with the brethren and being one of the brethren.
God bless!
Ceejay
to ally of ADD,
many of our fellow brethren is encouraging you to ask bro. eli about your salvation.
You are a good symphatizer of ADD, but salvation is salvation.
You still have to act or initiate the 1st step to salvation… that is to become member of the body or the church of God..
as jet was saying in comment #9: you may lose youre chance in salvation….nobody knows what tomorrow will bring to people….. Now that you find the true church… grab on to it immediately, before your heart will harden….the bible and god commanded his people to join the true religion in the bible.
May god help you and Guide you.
To God be the Glory!
Duke
I stumbled upon this website and was reading some of the comments. I do not know much of anything about this website or of the ministry of Eliseo Soriano, but wanted to leave a comment out of concern. I do not know or am not familiar with the teachings of this church and therefore can not say if they are right or wrong. With that being said, I wanted to say the following.
I was reading the 12th comment and was concerned when the person wrote that he worship the Holy Mother of God.
We should worship God alone, the one true God, the Holy Trinity.
I pray that God in Heaven above will lead all of us down the path of righteousness and help us not to be deceived. May God’s will be done forever and always. Amen.
Paul,
Worship God, the Creator of heaven and earth and worship Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. There is no Trinity in the Bible. Better listen to Bro. Eli to know more about this.
GLORY TO GOD ALMIGHTY. May the PEACE of the LORD be always with you Bro Eli, Bro Daniel, members of the CHURCH OF GOD International, and fellow bloggers. It is easy to follow the verses laid down by Bro Eli about idolatry. Now we know that idolatry is not only the kneeling before, or gloryfying the idols, but it includes all worldly lust for flesh, money, fornications, and other sinfull acts. It looks so simple yet it needs your explanation Bro Eli. Am very happy for Ally of ADD final realization, which I pray will end up soon, in his being a good member of the CHURCH OF GOD International. The mysterious WORDS of GOD preached by Bro Eli is truly like a sharp sword with two edges that do many wonders. I pray that more allies of ADD will not waste so much time in getting into the true church, where many more mysteries and parables in the bible are given and fed us three times a week or more by Bro Eli, and Bro Daniel, in all our increasing numbers of locales and worship centers scattered all over the the Philippines and in many parts of the world now.
1Pe 4:3 For the time past may suffice to have wrought the desire of the Gentiles, and to have walked in lasciviousness, lusts, winebibbings, revellings, carousings, and abominable idolatries:
(1 Thessalonians 5:22) “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
I understand more this verse after reading this article of Bro. Eli, thanks be to God for enlightening us.