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Discussion of George Gillespie's Wholesome Severity Reconciled with Christian Liberty
WF: Re: DEUT.13:6-9 
Subject: WF: Re: DEUT.13:6-9
From: Chris Coldwell 
Date: Tue, 13 May 1997 11:17:45 -0500

At 01:17 AM 5/13/97 -0400, Gus Gianello wrote: 
>The practical question is, how do we differentiate between 
>gross forms of  idolatry and legitimate religion.  I think the 
>answer should be, that whatever  is contrary to a Trinitarian 
>development of the Christian faith ought to be  suppressed 
>as idolatry.  We ought to look not at tendencies of systems, 
>but what  they do actually profess in their symbolic 
>formulas.  For instance, Mormons do  actually profess belief 
>in three gods, whereas Romanists hold to the Trinity.   In 
>their own formulas they make a distinction (I think an invalid 
>one) between  worship (idolatreia) and reverence or 
>veneration (latreia).  Technically, they  say, they are not 
>guilty of idolatry. 

We are getting a little ahead of Gillespie at this point (which 
given the nature of discussion can't be avoided), but to 
preview a bit, I do agree with Gus that a distinction should 
be made between the gross idolatry of worshipping other 
gods beside the Lord, and less gross idolatry (say the 
idolatry of will-worship).  However, without getting into a side 
discussion on the implications vs. the professions of Roman 
doctrine, I do have a real problem with the label "legitimate 
religion." It's one thing to argue that given circumstances of 
time, place, condition of the church and state, that some 
idolatry is not going to be punished or suppressed -- 
Gillepsie is going to allow this, and more (his "fourth" and 
"fifth" kinds of toleration which he will illustrate in GWS-24). 
Romish idolatry may be tolerated out of necessity, because 
the magistrate won't or can't suppress it.  But that doesn't 
legitimize the "religion" of it. 

Gillespie is going to make an important point in post GWS-
11 from 2 Kings 23:9, 20, that this distinction in gross idolatry and 
idolatry of will-worship is a biblical one.  However, it is not a 
distinction of what should be punished and what should not; 
but how each should be punished by the magistrate -- one 
severely, one less so. Josiah did not tolerate the practices 
of either.
Chris Coldwell