Grace Bible Church
Pastor Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Sunday October 8, 2017
Point 5. Idolatry and the influence of the Phallic Cult.
The apostle Paul wore a badge that marked him out as being a true servant of our Lord Jesus Christ.
PHI 1:29 For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake,
1PE 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
COL 1:24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions.
ACT 5:41 So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.
Just as those physical marks branded Paul as one of Christ’s slaves, as His property, as His soldier and as His follower, so there should be upon us spiritual marks that brand us as belonging to Him.
1. A Manifestation of fruit (Gal 5:22-23).
2. A spirit of meekness especially gentleness. GAL 6:1 Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness or ; each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted.
3. The "marks of Christ in our bodies" is also A willingness to share the burdens of others GAL 6:2 Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.
4. A willingness to help support those who minister; GAL 6:6 And let the one who is taught the word share all good things with him who teaches.
5. A life made up of doing good;” GAL 6:10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
6. A complete separation from the world (Gal 6:12-13.
7. A glorying in the Cross; GAL 6:14 But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Point 5. Idolatry and the influence of the Phallic Cult.
Webster's New Twentieth Century Dictionary, Second Edition" = a cult means devoted attachment to, or extravagant admiration for, a person, principle, or thing etc.
The Webster's Ninth New College Dictionary says that a cult is a great devotion to a person, idea, or thing, (especially), such devotion regarded as literary or intellectual fad or mania.
A cult is not necessarily devotion to a "god" as such, but it can also be devotion to an IDEA, especially one set up by the "god" of this world, Satan himself.
He knows that one of the most basic needs in the human race is the need to be loved, appreciated and wanted.
One of the main reasons why the Phallic cult is still around today is because most individuals do not understand the difference between natural desires and lusts.
Notice that phrase, the lusts of deceit = the subtlety and deception of Satan because the Greek word for lust is the noun epithumia, the word itself actually means a strong or an overpowering desire.
Luk 22:15, "I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer"
Notice that the word for "earnestly desired" is the same word that is used elsewhere for lust.
Mat 5:28 But I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust [epithumia] for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Mat 13:17 "For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired [epithumia] to see what you see, and did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Most of us do not have the ability or discernment to distinguish the difference between lusts and legitimate desires.
We get condemned at times because we cannot discern the difference between our legitimate desires and our lusts......because there is a fine line between them.
1Co 10:6 Now these things happened as examples for us, that we should not lust [epithumia] for evil things, as they also lusted [epithumia].
1Ti 3:1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to [epithumia] the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
Jam 4:2 You lust [epithumia] and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
Please notice that in these passages epithumia can mean lust or desire depending on not what it is directed towards but "how" it is directed toward those things.
The kingdom of darkness, with its tremendous organized plan, appeals to the needs of people to get them away from the PPOG for their life by making us question our faith.
Those desires have been implanted within us by our God to give us enjoyment not condemnation.
It is true that lust can mean lasciviousness or an illicit, uncontrolled, overwhelming desire which originates from the old sin nature. However, the dictionary also defines lust also as a pleasure or delight.
The overmastering and overpowering desires of most people are evil.
There is a difference between the legitimate desires and needs that a person has and the different lusts that are destroying many individuals inwardly.
Col 3:5 Render impotent therefore the members of your earthly body [such as your eyes, ears, feet, hands, etc.] as dead to immorality [sexual activity outside of marriage] impurity [abnormal sexual activity], passion [abnormal sex lust],
evil desire [an illicit, uncontrolled, overwhelming desire for sex], and greed [an insatiable appetite or craving for sexual activity],
which keeps on amounting to idolatry or the worship of idols or demons.
Webster's Dictionary, the ninth edition says that the word Phallic means "relating to" or "resembling a phallus. It is said to, and I am quoting, it is said to denote the genital phase of psychosexual development, especially in males.
One of the main reasons why the apostle Paul said that involvement in these different forms of sexual sins was a form of worship toward idols or demons is simply because Satan knows the human race better than we do.
1. The worship of a physical object or objects as God.
2. Inordinate attachment or extreme devotion to something.
Most individuals do not understand the difference between natural desires and lusts.
The natural instincts in all of us, such as hunger, sex, survival, self-defense are not wrong in themselves.
All the natural instincts that belong to our human nature are, in and of themselves, not only "not" bad, but good.
It is God who has put these natural instincts into man....including the instinct for sex and a need to be loved.
One of those main instincts is the desire to be loved, needed, held, appreciated, and when it's right, sexual encounters.
MAT 22:30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
God made man perfect = various instincts and powers and propensities were put in such an order and peculiar arrangement in us so that they are all meant to minister to our good and our enjoyment in life.
These instincts, which are mainly in man's body, were meant to be under the "control" of our mind.
God's will was that man should have dominion and control over his "natural" instincts.
The mind alone is not enough, God also gave man a conscience which is higher than the mind and gives instructions to the mind and then, hopefully, the heart.
Man being made in the image of God, the conscience was meant in turn to be controlled by God Himself, Joh 1:9.
There have been some foolish people in the church who have said that sex is sinful = celibacy is advocated by the Roman church and others.
To say so is to say that "God" put evil into man.
We are all aware that all our instincts must be in their right place which means that they must be governed and controlled by the mind and heart.
Here is the tragedy of the whole cosmic system; that the order has been reversed and that mankind is being governed by his instincts instead of governing his instincts.
When the "instincts" get into control they become lusts.
When that which is meant to be under control takes charge and governs the life, there is chaos....and that is exactly what is meant by lusts.
Prin then-Lust simply means that an affection or an instinct is taking charge of us and governing us.
The bible calls this...."inordinate affection."
There is nothing wrong with the affections implanted in man but the affections must never become inordinate or unnatural.
Evil desires everywhere are in control while reason and understanding have been pushed aside.
The decay and the steady movement toward destruction is simply the dominance of lust controlling the individual.
Answer = the idolatry of his lusts.
What is it that controls the lusts?
Eph 4:22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit.
The lusts in turn manipulate the man.