Proverbs 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
From Oxford – The word iconoclastic is an adjective referring to a breaking of established rules or destruction of accepted beliefs.
My friend Steve Gardner said that I’m an iconoclast when it comes to the religious icons of our methodology we have adopted in our churches. Some of our religious traditions have been made sacrosanct, to the point that we have come to adore the methods we invented, rather than adoring God who should be given the affection of our worship. Ex. 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me.
The reason I challenge some of the man-made icons or traditions we have come to adopt and believe were sent down by God Himself – is that a lot of the people who take part in them, stop growing in Christ. Their efforts and spiritual strength are transformed into a form of religious activity rather than growing toward what God has asked them to do. Eventually, becoming stagnant and insipid in their faith. Mark 7:13 You nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many other similar things.
In some cases, these people become hubris in their thinking. They believe they can override God’s wisdom, by insisting, they have the right to live the way they want regardless of what God says about it. The upshot is that self-righteous becomes their norm because they have forgotten that true righteousness comes from God by faith in Christ. Isa. 5:21 Woe to those who consider themselves wise and judge themselves clever. Icons get in the way of our faith in the Lord and need to be removed.
I was talking with a brother in the Lord from the church assembly we both attend. He felt that the time spent in praise and worship should be lasting longer than it was. His reason for thinking this way was that he had come from a church that did not take much time in the ministry of praise and worship. I suggested that he was trying to replace one man-made tradition with another, or was trading one icon of thought with another. It is so easy to create an icon out of anything going on in a church service. The question should be, “What does the Holy Spirit want to do in the service on this day that the Lord has made?”
We should all be iconoclasts to a degree in our walk with the Lord. When God points out something in our lives that is an erroneous belief, and it has started to replace His love and authority, then as an iconoclast, we should tear down that icon/idol that is trying to take God’s place on the throne of our hearts. In reality, there are no idols, belief systems, or human logic that can come against God’s truth and reasoning. So, why not tear down the icon? Prov. 21:30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.
Recently, a heresy has made its way into Christian conversation. I was asked about grave-soaking. This belief is basically where someone would lay on the graves of deceased revivalists in the belief that they would absorb the deceased’s anointing from God. How did this heretical icon of thought, make its way into the church? Why are we not just getting on our knees before God and praying for revival? Why would we lay down on a grave to get what God has made available to the living? Luke 24:5b Why do you seek the living among the dead?
I am happy to report that quite a few iconoclasts have risen up to tear down this fatal thought of idiocy concerning the way to receive God’s blessed anointing. Prov. 16:1 We may make our plans, but God has the last word. As I said previously, we should all be iconoclasts to the nonsense that sometimes tries to enter our minds. The word of God should be the final authority in our lives, and not the trends that are so numerous and abundantly humanistic. 2 Cor. 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.
As believers in Christ, we stand like sentinels with our armour on, ready to take down the man-made icons that would exalt itself against the wisdom of God. Eph. 6:11 Put on the full armour of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. If removing erroneous icons of belief labels me an iconoclast, then that is what I am. PS. Hey Steve, thanks for the compliment!
Thank you Norm, for being exactly what some of us need. God is doing great things and you are clearly his.
Your article provides a good framework for thinking and pondering about some traditions I see in church. Thanks for delving into this subject Norm.