Are you among those “fair-minded” who receive the word with all readiness that I mentioned in my last article? Acts 17:11 shows us that they were also cautious, as all should be, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out if what they heard was so. That is the only way of knowing, for sure, if what we hear is so or not.

In Acts 17:13 we see that when the Jews of Thessalonica learned that the word of God was preached at Berea, they came there and stirred up the crowds against the preaching of Paul. Satan was continuing his work in trying to destroy Christianity and he continues to this day.. Paul next went to the great city of Athens in Greece. While waiting for Silas and Timothy he looked around the city of Athens and his spirit was distressed greatly seeing it was filled with idols. An idol is an image or likeness, made of wood, stone, gold or silver. An idol is an outward symbol of a false god that is bowed to and worshipped through the idol. See Exodus 20:3-5.

Those who did not worship the God who created mankind soon lost their knowledge of who the true God of all was. Romans 1:18-32 gives extensive information concerning this folly. Twice in this passage it is said that “God gave them up,” giving them up to their debased minds. Those who worship idols are called: idolaters, heathens, infidels and pagans.

The theory that man progressed from barbaric ignorance through the process of evolution to a higher form of religion as he evolved is contradicted by the facts of Biblical history. McClintock and Strong note that in contrast, moral corruption is very frequently the cause of the abandoning of true religion for infidelity.

Though there are still many who worship idols in the world today, defining idolatry as many do (See Webster’s 2nd definition), as anything that comes between ourselves and God, we have seen in our own time it to be true that moral corruption very frequently leads to abandoning religion for infidelity. Especially has this been seen since the 1960’s. Immorality since that time has greatly changed the society of many nations including our own and taken them into infidelity.

Don’t be unknowingly an idolater who puts other things between yourself and God. Don’t be a “practical atheist” who though claiming a religious belief, acts and lives as if God has no restrictions on what you choose to do. Be fair-minded instead, yet cautious, as those of Acts 17:11. I pray that you will consider this. Let’s talk.