Were all Christians idolaters by worshipping icons during Middle Ages?

Question:

In the Middle Ages there were not iconoclasts (except during the VIII-IX centuries), and you say that veneration of icons is idolatry, so were all Christians idolaters during the Middle Ages (according to your teaching)? I do not understand how then these people are included in the Church of Christ.

As the Middle Ages was marked by a great apostasy from the sound doctrine of Jesus Christ, it was the same during the time of prophet Elijah. In a moment of deep despair and disappointment, the prophet Elijah fled from King Ahab and Jezebel, his wife, to save his life. He came to Mount Horeb …

Then he came there to a cave and lodged there; and behold,the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He said, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” (1 Kings 19:9-10)(NASB)

The chosen people was so far away from God, that Elijah thought that he was the only one who was still worshipping God as required by the Most High. When He answered to Elijah, God said this:

Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18)(NASB)

See, even Elijah did not know that there were still 7,000 men in Israel who were not led by idolatry and apostasy and had not bowed their knees to Baal and their mouth had not kissed him. You can be sure that in all the centuries there were men who chose to stay strong and live according to the sound teachings of Jesus Christ. It is sad that in the Middle Ages those who had the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, that are God’s word, neither used these keys for themselves nor allowed others to enter with them.

Translated by Felicia Rotaru