Don't let the bible itself become your idol.

[Ceph]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

 

[tourist]

Very interesting take that you have.

 

[GRACE_ambassador]

Bible an 'idol'?:

Should not we?:

1) Praise God, And Place His Preserved and Precious Word Of Truth Where

He Himself Has "Magnified It"?:​

"I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy Name for Thy​

LovingKindness and for Thy Truth: for Thou Hast Magnified Thy Word Above​

All Thy Name." (Psalms 138:2 AV)​

​

2) Prayerfully and Carefully handle It The Way He Has Instructed ?:

Handling The Word Of Life!​

3) Resulting in God's Approval And Rewards For "good works" at

His Judgment? (1 Corinthians 3:8-15 AV)​

----------
And, precious friend(s), Please Be Very Richly Encouraged and Edified
In The Lord Jesus Christ and In His Precious Word Of Truth, Rightly
Divided:

The Bible: The BIG Picture

Amen.

 

[PennEd]

Bible an 'idol'?:

Should not we?:

1) Praise God, And Place His Preserved and Precious Word Of Truth Where

He Himself Has "Magnified It"?:​

"I will worship toward Thy holy temple, and praise Thy Name for Thy​

LovingKindness and for Thy Truth: for Thou Hast Magnified Thy Word Above​

All Thy Name." (Psalms 138:2 AV)​

​

2) Prayerfully and Carefully handle It The Way He Has Instructed ?:

Handling The Word Of Life!​

3) Resulting in God's Approval And Rewards For "good works" at

His Judgment? (1 Corinthians 3:8-15 AV)​

----------
And, precious friend(s), Please Be Very Richly Encouraged and Edified
In The Lord Jesus Christ and In His Precious Word Of Truth, Rightly
Divided:

The Bible: The BIG Picture

Amen.

View attachment 288911

Absolutely.

Jesus IS the Word!

I worship Jesus, His Word is one of the Major ways I get to know Him

 

[Aussie52]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

One needs to tread carefully with this idea. The Liberals accuse evangelicals with worship of the Bible. Can a love for the Bible become worship? Possibly. Having said that, beware of any criticism of a high view of scripture and our love for the word of God.

 

[markss]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

My wedding ring is not my wife, but I'm not about to remove it and smash it with a hammer.

All the more so, the book that God gave to me so I can know Him I cherish above any other material thing.

Much love!

 

[Ceph]

Yes, the words of the Bible―a Bible created by Holy hands with no intent to deceive―are sound doctrine, and the basis of faith;
But the Bible without the Spirit is just another book, as even atheists read the Bible and are not inspired.
And after a Bible is faithfully read, God's will is known within a person that's beyond all languages, and ways to read the letter of the word.

Before there was a Bible, the ancient scriptures that were composed to assemble it were first inspired by the Spirit, before any of those words ever existed to men on earth.

So the bible can be an idol when it's used unfaithfully, not according to the spirit. The bible also becomes a stubling block when one considers the bible itself to be powerful, the wood and hide it's made of, instead of the One who sanctifies what's written within.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

Yes, the words of the Bible―a Bible created by Holy hands with no intent to deceive―are sound doctrine, and the basis of faith;
But the Bible without the Spirit is just another book, as even atheists read the Bible and are not inspired.
And after a Bible is faithfully read, God's will is known within a person that's beyond all languages, and ways to read the letter of the word.

Before there was a Bible, the ancient scriptures that were composed to assemble it were first inspired by the Spirit, before any of those words ever existed to men on earth.

So the bible can be an idol when it's used unfaithfully, not according to the spirit. The bible also becomes a stubling block when one considers the bible itself to be powerful, the wood and hide it's made of, instead of the One who sanctifies what's written within.

I seriously doubt many idolize the Bible as the critics of it keep accusing. Don't let them persuade you. They've attacked God's Holy Bible since it was given to mankind.
The problem we have is developing and maintaining a schedule for daily reading so we can worship Him in spirit and in truth. Most Christians have not even read it from cover to cover.
How can they love Whom they barely know?

It is good that you use yours enough to wear it out. Nice that we live in a time which they are plentiful isn't it?
Good books get used a lot.

 

[Aussie52]

Yes, the words of the Bible―a Bible created by Holy hands with no intent to deceive―are sound doctrine, and the basis of faith;
But the Bible without the Spirit is just another book, as even atheists read the Bible and are not inspired.
And after a Bible is faithfully read, God's will is known within a person that's beyond all languages, and ways to read the letter of the word.

Before there was a Bible, the ancient scriptures that were composed to assemble it were first inspired by the Spirit, before any of those words ever existed to men on earth.

So the bible can be an idol when it's used unfaithfully, not according to the spirit. The bible also becomes a stubling block when one considers the bible itself to be powerful, the wood and hide it's made of, instead of the One who sanctifies what's written within.

The Bible in and of itself IS the Word of God. It should be treated with reverence and care. The charge of Bibliolatry made by theological liberals should not make us careless and disrespectful of our Bibles. When there are still many in this world without the Bible in their mother tongue, let us be grateful that we have the priviledge to have God's Word.

 

[Ceph]

I didn't know about a collective of people saying things about bible idolatry. I'm witnessing from my own walk.
My heart started to slide, and I in fact did start to hug and cradle my physical Bible like it was my baby, making every effort to touch it with only physically clean hands, straining myself to only handle it as if it were a hallowed thing that would cause death to me if I let harm come to it.
But God reminded me that it's most important that I keep the word sacred in my heart and soul, so that I can still serve Him wehere I can't have His book. I Just thought I'd bring it out to you all.

 

[Gideon300]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

Lord Jesus is the Word of God. Before I was saved, I could not read God's word. Even looking at a Bible gave me the shivers. God set me free immediately I was saved, but I also had to see that it was a book, not God Himself.

We are not the only people that had undue reverence. A friend of mine was lambasted for putting his cup of coffee on his closed bible. That's a silly attitude to have.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

Lord Jesus is the Word of God. Before I was saved, I could not read God's word. Even looking at a Bible gave me the shivers. God set me free immediately I was saved, but I also had to see that it was a book, not God Himself.

We are not the only people that had undue reverence. A friend of mine was lambasted for putting his cup of coffee on his closed bible. That's a silly attitude to have.

I don't know of any command against placing coffee on top of the Bible, so I do not see it as a sin. My own personal practice is to treat my Bibles with more care than other books. I just sat a cup of coffee on an antique piece of furniture and corrected myself because I didn't have a coaster. The cup was wet on the bottom and fortunately I had a paper towel handy to wipe it up before it left a mark.

How much more valued is my Bible, even though it's replaceable? I wrote years of insights and recorded miracles in the blank leaf pages and margins. My cover is worn, so last week made a mental note to glue a reinforcement cover on the existing one. Binding is holding up. Once it starts to degrade, I will transfer notes, dates of miracles and such to a new transition Bible.

That said, I love the word of God, realizing that it is not the paper and cover. It describes the Lord and is the source of knowing and growing in the knowledge of my Savior. II Peter
This is why I don't place beverages upon it (not to mention that sooner or later I will regret having a stained and ruined rice paper mess. )
We can respect it by not placing unholy objects like phones and treat it like a place mat without committing idolatry.

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

I won't repeat my previous post to ZNP there's just something to add.

When we realize as believers a sin in our life, we have an advocate with the Father and can simply be restored to fellowship because of His accomplishment on our behalf.
See I John 1:9; Jeremiah 3:13 KJV
You probably already have. Just in case, a friendly reminder, I would thank Him that He revealed this to you.
Then I'd make a conscious decision to transfer that adoration totally to the Lord.

It is a valuable attitude to actually value the Bible because we use it and are blessed by walking with the Lord when we read it. Revelation 1:3 KJV
Nobody can fault that.
I take it that it means more to you than 99% of the world because of that fact. It's a blessing to love what He speaks to us through His written word by the Holy Spirit, isn't it?

I Thessalonians 2:13
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

 

[GRACE_ambassador]

It is a valuable attitude to actually value the Bible because we use it and are blessed by walking with the Lord when we read it. Revelation 1:3 KJV

Amen! That is why to me It Is God's Treasure of An Inexhaustible Mine Of Precious Gems!

 

[HealthAndHappiness]

Amen! That is why to me It Is God's Treasure of An Inexhaustible Mine Of Precious Gems!

Yes indeed! That same thought came to me the other day.
Many times I'm reminded after devotions that it's better than gold or anything that can be bought.

 

[Alistair]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

You are correct. Treating a book (even if it does contain scripture) as having special protective power is a subtle form of idolatry.

 

[Alistair]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

You are correct. Treating a book (even if it does contain scripture) as having special protective power is a subtle form of idolatry.

There is a religion we are unfortunately too familiar with that will seek to seriously harm you if you destroy their holy book. We are Christians we dont even entertain this idea.

 

[Lanolin]

I'm a librarian, we only treat rare books that way, like archive them if they are precious and that's the only copy of it's kind (usually things like first folios of Shakespeare, illuminated manuscripts, historical large format books etc)

If its just a normal size mass printed copy, even if it's got a hardcover, you can always obtain another copy from somewhere.

But don't destroy a Bible for the sake of it. I'd only do that if it got wet, mouldy or had pages falling out/missing/ripped or torn and was unreadable or irreparable.

I've never thought of a Bible like a pet, I just like reading a book, all books are a comfort to me, turning the pages, reading while relaxing in bed, its just the Bible containing the Word of God is more a spiritual comfort.

 

[passion84god]

Any book containing the word of God, is still just a book made of bound paper as much as any other book.
It's merely a vessel containing Gods word, not Gods word in itself.

God has showed me that Himself, by showing me He doesn't mind if I destroy my particular book I physically have with me. It's just a copy of something I can always buy again, that I can always find again.
I was making the book into a sort of idol, and God helped me cut it out.

I haven't really traveled outside of this country, but I have seen reports over the years where people in other countries are thankful if they can even possess a snippet of the Bible. The Bible may be something that you can always buy again, but others around the globe may not be as fortunate as you. Count your blessings, and thank God that you have a Bible. I would be lost without mine.​

 

[ResidentAlien]

There's a big difference between idolizing and revering/respecting.