THERE ARE MANY GODS!

The title to this article may have caught your attention. I’m sure you are wondering what this is all about.

Well, it is true. There ARE many gods. A god is that which is worshipped. That which is worshipped is that which attracts special attention so as to lead one to believe it, live for it, make sacrifices for it, talk about it and generally give to it very focused attention.

You were born as a worshipper! Really, all of your life has been a search to satisfy that deep longing to worship something. You have moved from one thing to another in hopes of finding that which will make you happy and will quench the longing to be content.

Did you know that the desire to worship something is part of the original design of our existence? We did not just happen to be. We did not evolve from nothing to something. There is a very wise design behind our existence. We are told in the Bible, the book of God’s truth, that God made man in His image (Genesis 1:27). God formed mankind out of the dust of the earth and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Gen. 2:7)

Mankind was plunged into a great darkness of confusion and ignorance when he forsook the worship of God alone and took matters into his own hands. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, chose to rebel against God and, desiring to be equal with God, disobeyed Him. It was by one man that sin entered the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. (Rom. 5:12) Adam was not content to simply trust God and live forever with full confidence in God. He was motivated by a desire for something more and fell into the awful pit of rebellion that separated him from God.

That same condition has been passed down to every person born into this world. None of us are seeking God. We are seeking our own way and will not bow to the one who created us and deserves to be worshipped. Our attention is upon ourselves and how we can satisfy our own desires and make ourselves happy by the labors of our own hands. We are worshippers of everything except the true and living God.

The amazing thing is that God who made us and against whom we rebel and sin desires worshippers. Jesus, while He was on this earth, said, But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23)  The problem with every human being is that we have sinned and are therefore separated from God. God says about us, As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. (Rom. 3:10-12)

Now, from the beginning the world was in great darkness. From the beginning man has been developing his own way and establishing his own god. God says that His creatures have chosen to worship and serve the creature above Him (Rom. 1:25). One of God’s choice preachers, the Apostle Paul, once preached to a group of religious folks who were diligently worshipping many different gods. They even had a god called, "THE UNKNOWN GOD." Paul took the opportunity to explain to them who this God is, God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things… (Acts 17:24,25)

Paul said in another place, For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. (I Corinthians 8:5,6) From birth every person’s heart is being attracted to one thing or another in hopes of satisfying the consuming desires of the flesh. On the throne of every person’s heart is self! Self then creates a myriad of gods that are then worshipped above the true and living God.

Because God determined before the world began to have a great host of worshippers from the race of mankind, He chose to send His Son into the world to rescue the fallen race of man. Listen to what God says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) And then these incredible words, Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. (Hebrews 2:14-16)

God has made Himself known to us by way of coming into this world and taking upon Himself our nature. God was manifest in the flesh, says Paul in I Timothy 3:16. An angel announced to Mary over 2000 years ago that she would bring forth a son and call his name Jesus: for he shall save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) She was told that He would be the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. (Matt. 1:23) God is made known in the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ was born, lived a perfect life, and then was put to death. He actually gave His life as a ransom for many. He was in the grave for three days and nights and then, up from the grave He arose!  It was His death, burial and resurrection that satisfied the demands of God against sinners. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25) Jesus Christ lives today as the only Savior, who is the only mediator between God and man! (I Timothy 2:5) You can find peace with God ONLY through Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:1)

When you understand that there is only one God and that you are separated from that one God by your sins, you then begin to understand why you have no peace. You are searching for peace in your soul through self appointed means. You must do as the Bible declares: repent and turn to God. (Acts 26:20) You need to turn from every other god unto the true and living God. And then you must believe everything God says about you and His appointed remedy for your sin-condemned soul. I John 5:11,12, And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Listen to God’s Word. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom. 6:23) He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36) This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 1:15) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Eph. 2:8,9)

If you have read to this point, you are faced with a decision of eternal consequence. You cannot continue to ignore the true and living God without suffering the judgment of such a decision. You can become a true worshipper of the true and living God only as you repent from the pursuit of sin and all you have thought to be worthy of your devotion and believe in Jesus Christ alone as the only way to the Father. There is no other way to have peace with God. This is the God before whom you will stand in judgment some day. Worship Him today and enjoy Him forever!

Kyle White, Pastor
August, 2005