"THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT"  
  
                          Idolatry And Sorcery  
  
INTRODUCTION  
  
1. As we continue our examination of the "works of the flesh" listed in  
   Ga 5:19-21 ...  
   a. We come to sins which modern man may think do not affect him  
   b. These are the sins of "idolatry" and "sorcery" - Ga 5:20 a  
  
2. However, as we examine them more closely, I believe we shall find  
   that these sins are not as far removed from us as we might think...  
   a. Indeed, most people practice idolatry!  
   b. And many people engage in some form of sorcery!  
  
[This is true of many Christians as well, so perhaps we should give  
these words our careful attention...]  
  
I. EIDOLOLATREIA (idolatry)  
  
   A. CONCERNING IDOLATRY AS COMMONLY CONSIDERED...  
      1. In the beginning stages of idolatry, no one worships the idol  
         or image itself  
         a. The idol simply served two purposes:  
            1) To localize the god it represents  
            2) To visualize the god it represents  
         b. It is simply designed to make it easier to worship the god  
            represented by the idol  
      2. Inevitably, however, people will wind up worshipping the idol  
         or image itself  
         a. We see this in various forms of Catholicism  
         b. Where the leaders say the image is not an idol, only an   
            "icon"  
         c. But who can deny that the average worshipper begins to view  
            the image itself as something "holy" and to be "revered"?  
         d. Thus that which is "created" begins receiving adoration   
            rightfully due the "Creator"  
      3. According to Ro 1:19-23 , the basic error of idol worship is  
         the worship of the "created thing" rather than the "Creator of  
         all things"!  
  
   B. CONCERNING IDOLATRY AS THAT WHICH DISPLACES GOD...  
      1. Idolatry is not just the adoration or worship of images  
      2. Paul defines "covetousness" as idolatry - Ep 5:5 ; Co 3:5   
         a. Any strong desire for material things that replaces our   
            desire for God is a form of idolatry!  
            1) Our hearts are such that they are drawn to whatever is   
               our treasure - Mt 6:21   
            2) If our treasure is earthly things, our heart (devotion)  
               is drawn away from God  
            3) We cannot serve material things and God at the same   
               time! - Mt 6:24   
         b. Thus we can be idolaters when we make things other than God  
            Himself our priority in life, such as:  
            1) Our job  
            2) Our house  
            3) Our family  
            4) Our hobby  
  
[So when we find admonitions like this one...  
  
      "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." - 1 Jn 5:21   
  
...let's not be so presumptuous to believe that we are too "modern" or  
sophisticated to need such a warning.  We might need it more than we   
realize!  The same can be said for warnings against the next sin...]  
  
II. PHARMAKEIA (witchcraft, sorcery, magic)  
  
   A. INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS WORD...  
      1. PHARMAKEIA is found to be used in three ways  
         a. Medically, to the use of drugs with no bad meaning at all  
         b. The misuse of drugs so as to poison, not cure  
         c. The practice of sorcery and witchcraft, which often used   
            drugs to cast spells and alter the behavior of others  
      2. The practice of witchcraft and sorcery is strongly condemned  
         in the Bible  
         a. In the Old Testament - Exo 22:18   
         b. In the New Testament - Re 21:8   
      3. In Ac 19:18-20 , we find a remarkable example of repentance  
         related to the practice of magic  
  
   B. EXAMPLES OF THIS SIN TODAY...  
      1. There is an increasing number of religions based upon the   
         occult, and that make use of drugs in their religion  
      2. The "recreational" use of drugs also falls into this   
         category...  
         a. Remember that altering the behavior of others through such  
            drugs was a basic function of sorcery and witchcraft  
         b. What difference is there between using drugs to alter   
            others' behavior, and your own?  
         c. This is not to discount the proper medicinal use of drugs  
         d. But just as the Bible condemns drunkenness, which is an   
            altered state brought on by alcohol (a drug), so it would  
            seem to condemn similar use of other drugs  
  
CONCLUSION  
  
1. As we continue our study of the "works of the flesh", we should keep  
   in mind that each one of these sins is a perversion of something   
   which in itself is good; as illustrated by Barclay...  
   a. Fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness - perversions of the  
      sexual instinct which in itself can be a beautiful thing and a  
      part of true love between a man and a woman  
   b. Idolatry - a perversion of worship  
   c. Sorcery - a perversion of the proper use of drugs  
   d. Hatred, contentions, jealousies - perversions of that noble   
      ambition and desire to do well which can spur one to greatness  
   e. Outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions - perversions of righteous  
      indignation without which the passion for goodness cannot exist  
   f. Dissensions, heresies, envy - perversions of the devotion to   
      principle which can produce the martyr  
   g. Drunkenness, revelries - perversions of the happy joy of social  
      fellowship  
  
2. Indeed, the following is so true:  
  
   "The awfulness of the power of sin lies precisely in its ability to  
   take the raw material of potential goodness and turn it into the   
   material of evil." (Barclay)  
  
I implore us all to devote our lives in the proper worship of God and   
His Son Jesus Christ, and to abstain from the misuse of anything God   
has created for good purposes!