Pastor Chuck Smith: Life exists on two planes: the vertical and the horizontal. The vertical axis on which your life revolves is your relationship with God. The horizontal is your relationship with others. There is a fixed center point so that if the vertical axis is out of line, your life is doomed to become topsy turvy. People are always seeking to find the balance. Get the vertical axis correct, and the horizontal will automatically balance out. That is why it is significant that in the giving of the law, the first four commandments have to do with your relationship with God.

During these 10 Days of Awe it is important to examine ourselves in light of God’s Word and Spirit. The second commandment states: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; Exodus 20:4 

Very few Americans are in the practice of carving for themselves idols. In fact very few Americans are in the business of carving anything. What is similar is the process of making an idol and the lifestyles we live today. For someone to make an idol they had to pay a price, or make an investment. Whether they had to exert the effort to find a tree to chop down, sand, and carve, OR whether they made the idol out of some precious metal the results were determined by the investment. What do we invest in today? Investing involves putting money, time, effort, etc. in order to get an advantage. Very few invest in what really matters like their marriage, or their children. But we will invest in houses, cars, material possessions, education, jobs, cultural status, entertainment, outward appearances, keeping up with the Jone’s, drugs or alcohol, religion, sports, exercise, and animals. All of which are not bad in and of themselves but when these things become who we are, what we trust in, and center our lives around – then you’ve crossed the line into a form of self-destruction. Not only are you destroying your life but the lives of those you love.

You maybe surprised that I included religion in the list of investments. But remember religion with out a relationship with Jesus is what crucified Jesus. Religion is what resulted when Adam and Eve chose to be God; when they chose to reject God’s Word for satan’s lie. That agreement became an allegiance that resulted in their spiritual death. Remember Jesus stated: It is the Spirit Who gives life [He is the Life-giver]; the flesh conveys no benefit whatever [there is no profit in it]. The words (truths) that I have been speaking to you are spirit and life. John 6:63

Only the Holy Spirit can breathe life into God’s Words. Divorced or separated from God’s Spirit they simply become another idol, and some Christians and church goers worship it rather than knowing God through His Word. The Pharisees knew God’s Word better than anybody but Jesus called them “sons of hell.”

Romans 8:5-8 states: For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit. Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot. So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.

The balance between the vertical and horizontal is achieved when we get the vertical in order. When we place God first the other will be taken care of. Notice in the passage above that those who set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh are dead spiritually and the passage states that they hate God. On the other hand those who are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the Holy Spirit.

Today I was talking with Brayden Poovey and he mentioned the difference between Mormons and Christians. He observed that the Mormons seemed happier and more appealing than the Christians. We bounced around ideas as to why this was so. Ultimately we tracked it down to the Romans 8:5-8 passage. Christians and church goers settle for religion. Mormons are ignorant of the Truth and as the old adage states: Ignorance is bliss. Paul stated that knowledge puffs up. (1 Cor. 8:1) This is evident in Pharisaism and exemplified in American Christianity Sunday after Sunday. In Colossians 2:1 Paul states that he is deeply concerned for the Colossians and Laodiceans. Why? See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah). Col. 2:8

Four things: philosophy, intellectualism, vain deceit, and human tradition – were what caused Paul to be concerned. Why? Because these investments were causing them to drift away from knowing Jesus. Thirty years later the results of their choices are sobering and all too familiar with the modern day church: Revelation 3:14-17 And to the angel (messenger) of the assembly (church) in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the trusty and faithful and true Witness, the Origin and Beginning and Author of God’s creation: I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth! For you say, I am rich; I have prospered and grown wealthy, and I am in need of nothing; and you do not realize and understand that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

The consequences and results were catastrophic. They had become lukewarm in their passion towards Jesus; they made Jesus sick; they were poor in the things of the Spirit; spiritually blind; and spiritually naked – and they didn’t know it. The final disaster? Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.

They were having their traditional, intellectual pursuits while leaving Jesus out of their worship. They were so blind spiritually that they didn’t even notice that Jesus wasn’t even in church. Worse than their blindness they had quit hearing the “still, small Voice of the Spirit.” Tradition and intellectualism had made them spiritually dull unable to hear and recognize Jesus’ Voice.

Are there any graven images, and investments that have cut you off from knowing Jesus? Now that is something we can all confess and repent of.