Look at each of these warnings very carefully:
"Being
then the offspring of God,
we ought not
to think that the Divine Nature is like gold
or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and
thought of man. "Therefore having overlooked the
times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that
all everywhere should repent," Acts 17:29-30 (NAS)
"For even though they knew God,
they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but
they became futile in their speculations, and their
foolish heart was darkened.
Professing
to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the
glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the
form of corruptible man and of birds and
four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their
hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be
dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth
of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the
creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed
forever. Amen." Romans 1:21-25 (NAS)
"And you see and hear that not
only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this
Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable
number of people, saying that
gods made
with hands are no gods at all." Acts 19:26
(NAS)
"You know that
when you
were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols,
however you were led." 1 Corinthians 12:2 (NAS)
"Do not be bound together with
unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness
and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with
darkness? Or
what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what
has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or
what
agreement has the temple of God with idols?
For we are the temple of the living God; just as God
said, "I will dwell in them and walk among them; and
I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
"Therefore, come out from their midst and be
separate," says the Lord. "And
do not touch
what is unclean; and I will welcome you."
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 (NAS)
"For they themselves report
about us what kind of a reception we had with you,
and how you
turned to God from idols to serve a living and true
God, and to wait for His Son from heaven,
whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who
delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians
1:9-10 (NAS)
"Little children,
guard
yourselves from idols." 1 John 5:21 (NAS)
"And the rest of mankind, who
were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of
the works of their hands,
so as not to
worship demons, and the idols of gold and of silver
and of brass and of stone and of wood, which can
neither see nor hear nor walk; and they did
not repent of their murders nor of their sorceries
nor of their immorality nor of their thefts."
Revelation 9:20-21 (NAS)
"Now the deeds of the flesh are
evident, which are: immorality, impurity,
sensuality,
idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions,
factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and
things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I
have forewarned you that
those who
practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom
of God." Galatians 5:19-21 (NAS)
"Therefore consider the members
of your earthly body as dead to immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and
greed, which
amounts to idolatry. For it is on account of
these things that the wrath of God will come, and in
them you also once walked, when you were living in
them." Colossians 3:5-7 (NAS)
"And
he deceives
those who dwell on the earth because of the
signs which it was given him to perform in the
presence of the beast,
telling
those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the
beast who had the wound of the sword and has
come to life." Revelation 13:14 (NAS)
Falling Down or Bowing to Men, Women, Angels, or
Their images
Does God want us to fall down in front of men or
women or angels, or their images, or to call them by
titles that belong to God?
"And
when it came about that Peter entered, Cornelius met
him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him. But
Peter raised him up, saying, "Stand up; I too am
just a man." Acts 10:25-26 (NAS)
"And I, John, am the one who
heard and saw these things. And when I heard and
saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel
who showed me these things. And he said to me, "Do
not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of
your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the
words of this book; worship God." Revelation 22:8-9
(NAS)
Jesus says: "But do not
be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you
are all brothers. "And do not call anyone on earth
your father; for One is your Father, He who is in
heaven. "And do not be called leaders; for One is
your Leader, Christ. "But the greatest among you
shall be your servant." Matthew 23:8-11 (NAS)
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