Sunday, October 1, 2023

The list is complete...

"Because you know for sure that persons who are sexually immoral, impure, or greedy—which happens when things become gods—those persons won't inherit the kingdom of Christ and God."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:5‬ ‭CEB‬‬
https://bible.com/bible/37/eph.5.5.CEB

Over the past few days I've been reading and re-reading the verse of today. Contemplating the phrase "what happens when things become gods" or we create idols of things or ourselves and others.

In the Wisdom of Solomon, the writer provides this answer— "the worship of idols" is the beginning and cause and end of every evil." Period! Though the author goes on with an extensive list— "we kill children," "hold frenzied [parties and orgies and celebrate] with strange customs," we "fail to keep either our lives or our marriages pure", "we kill one another, or grieve one another through adultery," and all of our living becomes "a raging riot of blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult [and turmoil], perjury, confusion over what is good, forgetfulness of favor, defiling of souls, sexual perversion, disorder in marriages, adultery and debauchery (Wisdom of Solomon 14:24-26)."

The truth is, anything that is not born, rooted, grounded, and maintained by the worship of God is a sin that emanates from when things become gods" or we create idols of things or ourselves and others—

So, though my mind wants to exclude things not listed explicitly by Paul in His writings, or debate with others whether or not the list is complete, the ultimate truth is that any evil and idolatry shows that I have abandoned the true God.

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