Can They Steal Your God?

Tales of corruption, looting and religious rivalry are swirling around the spot where Buddha is said to have gained enlightenment in eastern India some 2,500 years ago, sullying one of Buddhism's holiest sites.

Priests and monks allege that thousands of dollars in temple donations have mysteriously vanished, that a thick branch of the ancient holy Bodhi tree was lopped off and sold in Thailand in 2006, and that ancient gold idols have disappeared.

Charges have been brought against the powerful former secretary of the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee, a Hindu, as well as the committee's former public relations officer and the former Buddhist chief priest of the temple.

Clad in white robes, the barefoot and bearded Brahmachari excitedly points out the spot where the branch was chopped off, as well as empty niches around the temple grounds where he says statuettes of Buddha stood until recently.

Can Your God Be Stolen?

We "enlightened" westerners often cast a condescending eye upon those who worship idols, mere objects created by man. We laugh at people worshiping creation rather than the creator. But in all our arrogance many westerners don’t realize our own forms of foolish idolatry. We laugh at the idea that someone could steal your God. We read the story of Laban in the book of Genesis and laugh at the idea that his own daughter stole his gods (Genesis 31:19). A god is no God that can be stolen.

But could someone stop us from worshiping by stealing some items from our church? I know a Christian church that has an old catholic Bible in the auditorium. One of their past preachers wanted to remove the catholic Bible because it had the extra inter-testamental books, but the elders were concerned that many of the older members would be upset because that Bible was donated by their ancestors to the church years ago. It was a sacred cow.

I have also seen a picture of Jesus worshiped. This picture of a blond haired blue eyed Jesus in a eastern meditation pose adorned the wall behind the pulpit since the 1950s through three different auditoriums. Once it was taken down for a Christmas play and some people threw a fit. No one dared consider the idea of removing it permanently. It was sacred to some. If they came to church and it was not there, they would not have been able to worship. God's men always destroy sacred cows. Moses did.

I have also seen this idolatry with music. If some young people go to a service and hear hymns rather than modern worship music, they can’t sing. They can’t worship. The style of worship has become their god. Likewise, I have heard traditionalist say when new worship songs were introduced, “When they took away my hymns, they took away my worship.” If you have to have a certain type of music to worship, isn’t the music style what you are worshiping rather than God?

Can someone steal your music like the Hindus stole the Buddhists idols? Can they steal your God?

I knew a church that sold their building to another congregation and built a new bigger building down the road. One lady refused to leave the old building. When the other congregation that didn’t even share her beliefs on core doctrines moved in the old building she stayed worshipped with them. Her father helped build that building and she went there all here life and she wasn’t leaving. The building was more important than what she believed, saving souls or who she fellowshipped with. The building was her god.

Could someone sell your God like this woman’s god was sold? What is the sacred cow at your church or in your life? Moses melted the golden calf and made those who worshipped it drink it to their own demise. Idolatry is a sin. For many in American their god is money. Greed is their god. Others worship pleasure. As the Bible says of these false teachers, their god is their stomach?

All of those gods can be stolen. But the one true God can’t be stolen. You can take away a building, a picture, pleasure or music but the true God will be worshipped by faith no matter what. You can take away possessions, homes, money or even lives, and true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth. First, true worshipers love God with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Secondly they love their neighbor as themselves. They are not bound to buildings, pictures, music styles or money. They love God first and others second and themselves last. They love God and long to do His will. And they know his will is that they love others and lead them to salvation found only in him. Their loyalty is to God and His will not buildings, pictures, music styles, or money. The Christian has a Kingdom that cannot be stolen or taken away. The gates of Hell cannot prevail against it.

Hebrews 12: 26-29 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken— that is, created things— so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our "God is a consuming fire."

Again I ask you, can someone steal your god?