Is the Bible polytheistic? - Are there many gods, or only one?
- Thread starter St. SteVen
- Start date
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
How is the worship of imaginary gods unfaithfulness to their Creator?
If my child had an imaginary friend, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't feel threatened by that.
[
According to the narrative, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments in Exodus chapter 20.
Then God spent the next 11 chapters detailing the rest of the law on the fronts and backs of the tablets.
By Exodus chapter 32, here is what we find. Remember, the Ten Commandments had not yet been delivered to the Israelites.
But God is quick to condemn them and planned to destroy them. Moses intervened.
Exodus 32:1-4 NIV
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,
they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will go before us.
As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives,
your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf,
fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[b] Israel,
who brought you up out of Egypt.”
Exodus 32:7-8 NIV
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people,
whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.
8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them
and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf.
They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said,
‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
[
Then God spent the next 11 chapters detailing the rest of the law on the fronts and backs of the tablets.
By Exodus chapter 32, here is what we find. Remember, the Ten Commandments had not yet been delivered to the Israelites.
But God is quick to condemn them and planned to destroy them. Moses intervened.
Exodus 32:1-4 NIV
When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,
they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods[a] who will go before us.
As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
2 Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives,
your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”
3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.
4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf,
fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,[b] Israel,
who brought you up out of Egypt.”
Exodus 32:7-8 NIV
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people,
whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.
8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them
and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf.
They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said,
‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
[
It seems that you replied to the topic title without reading the OP. (post #1)
You can believe there are gods without worshiping them.
[
Nooooooo. There are no gods (little g). Some folks may think they are gods, but no, they’re not. There is only one God, the great I AM.
You are welcome to hold your own opinion.
Seems you still didn't read the OP. There are other topics as well.
Sweeping the Polytheism of Ancient Israel Under the Rug
The Torah is not a monotheistic manifesto. National gods were de riguer back then, albeit with the God of Israel being supreme over the pantheon. And I can't help but wonder whether this eventually became something of a Jewish embarrassment. With few exceptions, almost all English translations...
www.christianityboard.com
[
MA2444
Well-Known Member
I read that stuff before and I don't feel like a god in training. But what do I know? I can kind of wrap my mind around it sort of metaphorically. One God, one Spirit, One Body, and we are all part of the Body of Christ and scripture tells us that many spirits can join together in the spiritual realm. So if we are become one with Christ then we become the Body of He who is God. So in a way I guess I could say, I am god because I am of God and one with God. But making God type decisions is not in my job description! I am the body of Christ and He is the head! I'm only like maybe a big toe and so my job is to steady as He walks so He don't stumble!
But does that bring up the question regarding what my job will be in the afterlife with the Lord? Does being of the Body of Christ mean we will become begotten sons of God? Because we are a part of Him and one with Him? I would never be so presumptuous as to think that I would be, but what would you do if the Lord said your new job in Heaven is to be God to some young planet somewhere with yet even more creation and interaction as that planets God and yet, we are one with Christ and He is one with the Father, so the real God would be there too. Our God. He who is higher than all. King of Kings and Lord of lords...??
I usually dont bring up this sort of thing but I have wondered about it. God wont do that stuff anyway because the promise is that it is so wonderful that man can not conceive of it. We can't comprehend it or anything. It is so far above our understanding that I already know I'm clueless!
Correct...
The Israelites were worshipping a God of their own creation instead of the One who really is. (And much smaller than the One that saved them)
And so,
God had to purify them once again so such notions could be curbed.
Forty years later the Israelites were so well disciplined only one guy disobeyed a difficult order.
Great post, and an interesting question to consider.
I agree with you that there will be things to do in the afterlife.
Very fulfilling things.
[
New topic:
www.christianityboard.com
[
Idolatry today? - What false gods are competing for our worship?
Was idolatry only a problem in ancient times? What would the first Commandment of the Ten be addressing if it was given today? “You shall have no other gods before[a] me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the...
www.christianityboard.com
[
Wick Stick
Well-Known Member
It's treason.
If the gods are partisan, which each having their own cities, then worshiping "other gods" is the same thing as conspiring with other cities or tribes or nations.
We are all familiar with the first Commandment of the Ten given to Israel alone through Moses.
“You shall have no other gods before [besides] me. - Exodus 20:3 NIV
If there were other gods to have, that means there were other gods. Right?
Therefore the Bible is making a polytheistic claim. Correct?
You may argue that idolatry was rampant in OT times, but not in the NT.
Not according to Jesus.
John 10:34-36 NIV
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’[a]?
35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—
36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?
Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
Even the Apostle Paul weighs in on polytheism.
1 Corinthians 8:5 NIV
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth
(as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),
[
“You shall have no other gods before [besides] me. - Exodus 20:3 NIV
If there were other gods to have, that means there were other gods. Right?
Therefore the Bible is making a polytheistic claim. Correct?
You may argue that idolatry was rampant in OT times, but not in the NT.
Not according to Jesus.
John 10:34-36 NIV
Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’[a]?
35 If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside—
36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world?
Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’?
Even the Apostle Paul weighs in on polytheism.
1 Corinthians 8:5 NIV
For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth
(as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),
[
Behold
Well-Known Member
A false God, is anything that is more important to you in your life then God and Christ and serving them everyday the best you know how.
These "Godz"....can be your money, or your job, or your opinions, for example.
notice the "g"ods........vs "G"od.
= This explains the difference.
So, when Jesus said....>"you are gods"/...........He is reffering to being made in the "image" (Likeness) of God.
However, unless a person is born again, by God's Holy Spirit, before they DIE, then they meet God, not as a SON/Daughter of God but as a person who died under God's Eternal Judgement........Hell bound.
John 3:36
On a forum like this one......your God is whatever you are trying to sell, most of the time.
For example, are you are usually found trying to sell demonic "universalism'? "calvinism".. "I hate OSAS"... "Mary".... "The Trinity isn't true". "Salvation can be lost"... 'water baptism is requried for salvation".
See, Christians need to be devoted to JESUS, and The Cross of Christ , and The Bible, and Service to God, and Theological Correctness.
(Paul's Theology).
Most on a Forum, want to grind their personal theological Axe, instead.
Like these examples of Axe Grinders, and their obsession.
1.) mary
2.) universalism
3.) Calvinism
4.) Errors in the bible
5.) "end times" theology
6.) Why i hate the Trinity Doctrine
7.) OSAS
8.) Commandment keeping to go to heaven
9.) why i can lose my salvation, i think
10.) Pre-Trib Mid Trib- No Trib.
Wick Stick
Well-Known Member
Here's a $3 word:
Monaltrism - the belief that many gods exist, but the worship of only one deity
Monaltrism - the belief that many gods exist, but the worship of only one deity
That's good, thanks.
I wonder if we misunderstand what God was commanding them about idolatry.
No other gods "before" Him. No graven images to bow to.
But weren't there other ways to keep these lesser gods in their lives?
Exodus 20:3-6 NIV
“You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of
anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God,
am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents
to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those
who love me and keep my commandments.
[
Similar threads
