“Idole II,” Frantisek Kupka, Art Institute of Chicago.
The iGod and the Real God
2 Kings 17:5-18
Matthew Raley (9-23-12)
In last week’s message we saw that when a human being encounters the real God it is an encounter with an absolute holiness that is life-threatening. Yet, the real God crosses the boundaries of his holiness by sacrifice, and creates a relationship with the now-clean human. This relationship is entirely at the real God’s initiative.
Worship, then, is not an emotional condition of escape or freedom. It is submission to the real God through a variety of actions. The emotions of joy and peace that we need are results of genuine worship. True fulfillment does not come from worshiping a fantasy, it comes from worshiping the real God on his terms.
Yielding submission to an iGod, on the other hand, is false worship, and it comes in many forms.
