The fifth work of the flesh that is listed in Galatians 5:19-21 is "idolatry." Webster defined idolatry as: "1. The worship of idols, images, or anything made by hands, or which is not God. Idolatry is of two kinds: the worship of images, statutes, pictures, etc. made by hands; and the worship of the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon and stars, or of demons, angels, men, and animals. 2. Excessive attachment or veneration for anything, or that which borders on admiration."

It is amazing to me that anyone could be so foolish as to worship something made by the hands of men. Isaiah described idolatry to perfection in Isaiah 44:9-20:

"9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.

10  Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing?

11  Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed: and the workmen, they are of men: let them all be gathered together, let them stand up; yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.

12  The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and worketh it with the strength of his arms: yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth: he drinketh no water, and is faint.

13  The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line; he fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass, and maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man; that it may remain in the house.

14  He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: he planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.

15  Then shall it be for a man to burn: for he will take thereof, and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread; yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it; he maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.

16  He burneth part thereof in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth roast, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire:

17  And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.

18  They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand.

19  And none considereth in his heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in the fire; yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh, and eaten it: and shall I make the residue thereof an abomination? shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?

20  He feedeth on ashes: a deceived heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

Please take the time to read again what Isaiah said and ponder it. In the first century just about every human being, except a Jew, was an idolater. What a great challenge that must have been! We read in Revelation 21:8, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." And again, we read in Revelation 22:14-15, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.

15  For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie." How pathetically sad it is that so many souls will be lost over idolatry.

Webster also recognized that idolatry could be anything to which we give excessive attachment or veneration. This is how the word is used in Colossians 3:5. "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry" Notice what Paul says in the next verse: "For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience" (Colossians 3:6).

Let us never be guilty of idolatry in any form or fashion. God is too great and too good to worship anything or anyone else!