Shrouded in Satan’s Deception: Why Relics Like Turin’s Cloth Betray True Worship and Fuel Idolatry
Jesus declared in John 4:24,
"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in the Spirit and in truth."
The only thing that keeps the controversy and mystique alive surrounding the story of the Shroud of Turin is that Satan uses it to prove Jesus died. It doesn't prove the resurrection or divine nature of Jesus. It's a lot like other "relics" that are mere fragments of a bygone era that has never ended in anything meaningful or worshipful.
Take for instance the story of the fiery serpent on a pole that Moses was instructed to fashion while he and the Israelites were traveling through the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9). Ultimately God meant it for good, but the people used it for vainglorious purposes. the Israelites had begun worshiping it (burning incense to it), leading King Hezekiah to destroy it (2 Kings 18:4). This is a cautionary tale: Even God-ordained objects can become idols if venerated improperly, suggesting relics like the Shroud could foster similar misuse. It's best, in light of the evidence of mankind's depravity, that we avoid altogether any objects of antiquity that are used, sort of in a backhanded way, as objects of worship. Authentic worship doesn’t depend on physical aids like relics, icons, or elaborate shrines, whether genuine or not. This aligns with broader scriptural themes like Exodus 20:4-5 against making or bowing to images. It's not just an admonition against the bowing down to, it's against even making them. And for good reason as history shows.
Protestant teaching, which prioritizes direct, unmediated faith in Christ over physical aids that could foster superstition or distraction, teaches against these things for good reason, because the truth is, these things do in fact result in idolatrous behavior EVERY time. Relics like the Shroud, whether real or not, CANNOT substitute for the living testimony of Scripture (1 Corinthians 15:3-8). And should not. And you'd really have to wonder why one would.
Some argue that these relics and icons draw people to Christ, and I would argue that these relics are evidence to the contrary. Human depravity often twists them into distractions, debates, controversies, and ultimately a symbol of our lack of faith. For me it’s a reminder from passages like Romans 1:25 to worship the Creator, not the created. From time immemorial this has been a human problem. It's the ever-present risk of human hearts drifting toward the tangible and created things, rather than the invisible Creator.
"They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator"
It’s a poignant reminder that idolatry has always plagued humanity, starting in the biblical narrative with the golden calf in Exodus 32, where the Israelites, fresh from God’s deliverance, fashioned a visible "god" out of earrings to represent Yahweh, leading to divine judgment. This pattern echoes throughout the Scriptures, from the household idols (teraphim) Rachel stole in Genesis 31:19, to the widespread worship of Baal and Asherah poles in Judges and Kings, where physical objects became focal points for misplaced devotion, often blending with true faith in disastrous ways.
With so much evidence of the depravity of men and women in this regard, and no real evidence that relics and other objects of worship have been of any profound value to mankind as a means for grace, what good can come from it? You really have to wonder, if then relics do so often devolve into distractions, debates, and symbols of faltering faith, with a history rife with abuses, what genuine good can emerge from them as conduits of grace?
The argument and answer to my question is typically, they can foster profound spiritual value when approached rightly; not as objects of worship (latria), but as tangible reminders (dulia) of God’s work through saints, potentially drawing people toward Christ without substituting for Him.
My response is, "in a perfect world".
But again, the clear evidence is in fact that we aren't living in a perfect world, and EVERY time these items become a distraction and are idolized by many. And I believe that is the Devil's intention for these things. From the Theodosian Code (c. 438 AD) banning the sales of relics due to fraud, to medieval counterfeits (for instance multiple "heads" of John the Baptist), abuses have included financial scams, pilgrimages for profit, and even violence at shrines. Reformers like John Calvin decried them as fostering superstition and idolatry in his 1543 Treatise on Relics, arguing they distracted from Christ alone. And even today, the Vatican issues rules against relic trafficking due to ongoing abuses, often blending with folk superstitions in ways that echo the golden calf’s corruption (Exodus 32). Given human depravity’s track record, many conclude, (including myself), that the risks outweigh the benefits, advocating for avoidance to safeguard pure, spirit-and-truth worship.
Which brings us back to where this devotion article began.
Scripture’s living testimony (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) suffices, and any "good" pales against the potential for stumbling. Jesus didn't say, "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in the Spirit and in truth.", because he thought a relic or other objects of veneration were merely akin to a family photo of a loved one which is just a loving reminder of the real person, not a replacement. Jesus said God's worshippers MUST worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Satan disguises himself as an "angel of light" to pervert good into evil, turning potential aids into stumbling blocks that symbolize our lack of faith rather than channels of grace. As a counterpoint, some might say that with discernment on can gain edification from these things and avoid the risks for idolatry. That relics can foster profound spiritual value when "approached rightly," drawing people to Christ without substitution. It's a good point, except again, the evidence of what ALL these things have developed into speaks to the contrary. None have ever failed to devolve into idolatry. They've always become distractions, especially now in this era of "pseudo-Christian" superstition, they are often pagan holdovers, and become mere necromancy. They always end up straying from biblical Christianity into man-made traditions. These "Christianized" pagan like elements merely paganize Christianity, replacing one form of idolatry with another.
Resisting Satan’s idolatrous schemes with vigilant, unmediated devotion to Christ alone is the solution Jesus was speaking about in our focus scripture today. In John 4:24, Jesus declares to the Samaritan woman at the well: "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship him in the Spirit and in truth." She and Jesus had just been sharing a spirited back and forth about the divisive issue of worship locations, Samaritans on Mount Gerizim versus Jews in Jerusalem. Jesus shifts the focus from physical places or external forms to the essence of authentic worship, heralding a new era inaugurated by His ministry. It's the gospel that should hold our hearts and attention. Jesus responds that "the hour is coming, and is now here" when true worshipers won’t be bound to specific sites like mountains or temples. This foreshadows the universal access to God through Christ, breaking down barriers of ethnicity, location, and ritual. Through Jesus, all have access by one Spirit to the Father.
Ephesians 2:18
"For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father."
Jesus is telling the Samaritan woman, and us, that worship isn’t about geography or outward observances but about a transformed relationship with God, made possible by the Messiah’s arrival.
In Spirit and in truth. What truth?
Jesus’ use of "truth" (Greek: alētheia) here isn’t vague or relativistic; it points to worship that’s grounded in the objective reality of who God is, as He has revealed Himself throughout the Scriptures, sincere, without pretense, and aligned with divine scriptural revelation rather than human invention or distortion.
The truth is God the Father is immaterial, invisible, and transcendent, not confined to physical forms, idols, or locations. And since God is spirit, worship can’t be limited to sensory or material aids. It must engage the worshiper’s inner being, not just their external actions. This challenges any attempt to "contain" or represent God through created things, aligning with warnings against idolatry. "In the Spirit" points to worship that’s internal, heartfelt, and empowered by God’s own Spirit, rather than rote rituals or mechanical devices and practices.
This "true worship" involves sincerity from the worshiper’s spirit, engaging the whole person in joyful, reverent submission. Offering their bodies as living sacrifices as spiritual worship. It’s not about emotional highs but a Spirit-led response to God’s presence. The true sign, the true worship, is "by the Spirit of God."
Philippians 3:2-3
"Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh"
"Put no confidence in the flesh"
For good reason, it fails every time.
This "must" of spirit-and-truth worship safeguards us: It demands we engage God’s immaterial essence directly, through the Spirit’s empowerment and Scripture’s truth, without sensory crutches that inevitably falter. The gospel should hold our hearts; it’s the ultimate antidote to Satan’s schemes.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, Spirit of Truth, Jesus Christ king of the Universe, guard our hearts from the allure of created things, and Satan's demonic schemes. Empower us to worship You alone in spirit and truth, unmediated by relics or other fleshly distractions. May your gospel hold our attention, and breakdown every barrier to Your presence. Amen.