What Is Idolatry?
Idolatry is such a sensitive yet interesting topic. It deals with the difference between righteous and sinful worship. Depending on which worldview you hold to will determine who or what you think is the rightful owner of our worship.
If you hold to a Christian worldview then the scriptures are clear that God alone is to be worshiped and anything that has taken first place in your life above him is an Idol.
IDOLATRY BY DEFINITION
According to Got Questions, Idolatry is defined in Webster as “the worship of idols or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.” An “idol” is anything that replaces the one, true God. The most widespread form of idolatry in Biblical times was the worship of images that were believed to embody the various pagan deities.
Essentially, idols to them were powerless blocks of stone or wood, and their power existed only in the minds of the worshipers. The idol of the god Dagon was twice knocked to the floor by God to show the Philistines just who was God and who wasn’t (1 Samuel 5:1-5). The “contest” between God and His prophet Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is a striking example of the power of the true God and the futility of false gods (1 Kings 18:19-40). Scripture testifies that only God is worthy of worship. Idol worship robs God of the glory that is rightfully His, and that is something He will not allow (Isaiah 42:8).
There is more to idolatry than worshipping images and statues. Today, idols tend to come more in the form of things like material gain, the worship of self, our Job, or even other people. Idols are many and varied. Even for those who do not worship physically before a statue, idolatry is a matter of the heart, self-centeredness, greed, a love for possessions and ultimately rebellion against God all stem from a form of loving something more than God. Is it any wonder that God hates it?
WHY ARE IDOLS DANGEROUS?
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” (Colossians 3:5–6)
In Desiring God, it was discussed that Idolitry prevents us from finding the fruits of the spirit that come from God being God in our life. Joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness all come when we are connected to the True Creator God. This relationship is interrupted when we do not put him first.
We were made to find our deepest joy when he is our greatest treasure. He is desirious that he be honored by being treasured, and he is jealous that we are content by treasuring him.
THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD
God commanded His people, "You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God" (Exodus 20:3-5a).
When you put your trust in a false God you are disconnected from any true power to save, help or guide. If I jump out of an airplane with a regular backpack because I wrongly believe it to be a parachute when it comes time for me to depend on the power of that parachute I will be in grave danger because it can’t save me or even help me.
What we choose to put our faith in is extremely important. When the true God lights our path he can lead us beside streams of peace but if we follow a false God it may lead us right off a cliff without a parachute.
DEVOTION TO GOD
“Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:19)
As we will discuss below the heart not ruled by God is not ruled by love and the alternative is selfishness which leads to destruction.
Ligonier Ministries published an article defining the term Idolatry. It reads, God demands absolute allegiance from His people, as we learned from the first commandment. Beside Him there is no god, so it is foolish to trust in other deities who cannot save (Isiah 43:11; 44:6). To refuse to worship Him but to worship another is idolatry, a serious sin condemned throughout Scripture (Leviticus 19:1–4; Psalm 31:6; 96:5; Ezekiel. 6; 1Corinthians 10:1–22; Revelation 21:8).
God is not an ego maniac God is love and wants love to rule our hearts and decisions.
At first you may be thinking to yourself. Is God an ego maniac?
That is until you remember who and what God is. God is love. When God created us in his Image to rule over the earth he did so with the intention that we would rule the earth with Love. When God is no longer God of our lives but instead a spirit unworthy to be our ultimate compass we begin to live out of selfishness instead of Love. This affects the very purpose we were created and the entire system of the created order. It allows evil to penetrate in and cause pain and death.
If God were just another unworthy created being then his desire to be the only object of worship would be far from a Holy desire. But since God is Love, his command to be first is literally the thing that keeps our purpose intact and allows for the kind of world he purposed to create, one where man ruled by love and the seat of his decision making was made through the lense and law of love.
IDOLATRY IN THE MODERN WORLD
A modern take of Idolatry is shared in an article written by Stewart Kabatebate. According to the author, popular movie stars and all types of celebrities can become idols, money and possessions can become idols, social media can become idols, and your profession or career may become an idol. A leader or pastor can become your idol; even you can become your own idol. When we systematically place someone or something above God, then that person or thing becomes an idol. “Noone can serve 2 masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
Inspired Walk shares
Idolatry is an issue of the heart:
What is it in your life that consistently hinders you from spending a few minutes to read God’s word? Is it the television; is it social media?
What is it that consistently prevents you from spending a few minutes to pray to God? Is it your job; is it the other commitments you have in your day?
Do you find yourself consistently being more interested in following the philosophies, ideas & life of a celebrity or other person instead of following God?
Be encouraged to always take the time to worship and revere God during your daily life.
Are your decisions being made from a humble attitude of putting others’ needs ahead of your own or are they made from your own wants and desires?
Every good and perfect gift comes from him. He is the only Creator of the universe and we should have no other gods in our life except Him alone.