According to Colossians 3:5 Idolatry is linked with covetousness. This is key! When we want something so much, we "covet" it. When that happens, that item, thing, material good, or even our own selves becomes the idol. In other words, we seek it rather than God. This is not a new concept. God warned His people in Exodus 20: 3-5 KJV "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 to serve them" ... The message God was telling them and us today is that HE ALONE is to be worshipped. Our attention, focus, and praise are due to the Creator of the universe and not to ourselves or anything made with our hands. One thing that crossed my mind is, we have this illusion that WE are lords of our world, that we control the earth through science, the weather by things we've built, space through our inventions, and so forth. It's an illusion and it builds our self-esteem to godlike proportions. Not even realizing it, we reject God's Word and HIS description of how HE created heaven and earth and how everything is HIS (1 Corinthians 10:26, KJV "For the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.") When we place ourselves in the position as lords over the earth through science and how the earth came to be by our own wisdom, we cling to and accept the nonsense of things like atheistic evolution. Some people are insistent the earth is flat and even claim they have scientific evidence of such. I can prove their evidence wrong by one simple scripture, Isaiah 40:22 NIV "He (GOD) sits enthroned above the CIRCLE of the earth, and it's people are like grasshoppers" (He is so high up, and looking down, we look like grasshoppers.) That verse does not say triangle, rectangle, polygon, trapezoid, hexagon, pentagon, octagon, cylinder, decagon, heptagon or cone!! It says CIRCLE! The earth is round, people!
It's sad, but we also worship at the altar of materialism because it feeds our need to build our egos through obtaining more "stuff." Our homes are filled with all manner of possessions. I'm guilty as well. When I first purchased my house there was nothing in my garage but 2 cars, a lawnmower, a couple of brooms, paint cans, and a few garden shovels. Today, we're lucky to be able to fit 2 cars amongst all the material things purchased over 20 years! In fact, it was very recent that I mentioned the need to buy a storage shed for the backyard to transfer things there from the garage. We build bigger and bigger houses with more closet space and storage space in order to keep all the things we buy, much of which some people haven't even paid for yet! This insatiable desire for more, better, newer stuff is nothing more than covetousness. Some people use the term, "I have big eyes." It was last week that I said, "If I ever sell this home I am going to buy one with bigger closets and more storage areas" -- and there are no children or grandchildren in my house! It all belongs to me. I'm guilty too! Why wasn't my focus when speaking of finding another home to find one that is more energy efficient? It says something about me and it's an area of my life I'm going to have to confront. Satan's trap is to keep our minds focused on ourselves, on things, fads, the newest, the better improved, etc. until our desires are to please ourselves! By God telling me not to forget idolatry, it was His gentle way of telling me that I can even focus too much on myself and have! Who doesn't want to trade in their I-phone that still operates perfectly fine for a phone that takes better pictures, can send and receive money in messages, and practically cooks for you! Or who of us have mechanically sound cars that have lusted after the new cars and trucks that have so many new technological features? We have big eyes. All idolatry of self has at its core the three same lusts that enticed Adam and Eve from the beginning of the human race. 1 John 2:16 KJV says, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not if the Father, but is of the world."
Other things we may not realize we worship rather than putting God first are our own ego's. Second, we also worship at the altar of our own pride and ego. This often takes the form of obsession with careers and jobs. Millions of men—and increasingly more women—spend 60-80 hours a week working. Even on the weekends and during vacations, our laptops are humming and our minds are whirling with thoughts of how to make our businesses more successful, how to get that promotion, how to get the next raise, how to close the next deal. In the meantime, our children are starving for attention and love. We fool ourselves into thinking we are doing it for them, to give them a better life. But the truth is we are doing it for ourselves, to increase our self-esteem by appearing more successful in the eyes of the world. This is folly. All our labors and accomplishments will be of no use to us after we die, nor will the admiration of the world, because these things have no eternal value. King Solomon said it well in Ecclesiastes 2:21-23. As Christians, we are to put to death all things earthly in us. Paul lists those things in Colossians 3:5 NIV "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." That's pretty clear! These were actions, lusts, and the desires of the former man before you were saved. "You were slaves to them who by nature are not gods" according to Galatians 4:8 NIV. "Can you cry out to any idol and have them save you when you are in trouble?" says Judges 10:14.
Idolatry is clearly sinful to God. It can include both the literal worship of material idols as well as worshipping other things or giving higher priority to anything other than God. And there are still numerous things I did not list. Did you know that Leviticus 19:4 KJV warns, "Turn ye not unto idols, nor make yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God." The word molten in the dictionary is defined as "metal or glass liquefied by heat." The first thing I thought if was trophies given out for sporting achievements. Is it a sin to be recognized for an achievement? No. But don't worship your trophy until it becomes an idol you worship. There is nothing wrong in owning a home, a car, an I-phone, or any such thing. God is clear, however, not to let these things become an idol, to worship them or the obtaining of them more than your desire to obtain God! How serious is it to be an idolater? Revelation 22:15 KJV says in the end of time judgment falls upon sorcerers, whoremongers, murderers, and IDOLATERS! The way to overcome idolatry is to love God completely, replacing sinful practices or habits with God-honoring practices, and doing everything to the glory of God. It's time to get your spiritual house in order! Until next time ...
-Pat-
**EVS=English Standard Version
**NIV=New International Version
**KJV= King James Version
i think all of us fight against greed for sure. it's a tough one. thank God for his patience and tender mercies as we slowly grow into the new man he desires of us. everything you mentioned is something we need to look at it our own lives. what means more to us, worshiping God or things we possess. as our lives change by his word, as we submit our weaknesses to him, as we learn and grow desiring more and more to be like him, our eyes open and we're given the strength to overcome the desires of the flesh. isn't that what you have found? only those in christ know about the power of the holy spirit given to us to fight the fight, help us obey, forgives us when we do slip yet repent, and drives us with his everlasting love to complete this race. thx for this reminder, pat. i will definitely do some inventory. we love your blogs! God bless. have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteDan, that's exactly what I have found to be true! Yes. I find it amazing how the Holy Spirit works inside us to change, renew, restore, and heal in such a quiet, gentle way that one day you wake to realize how different you are from what and where you use to be. He does a miraculous, quiet work within. He gives us all we need- to be what He wants us to be!
ReplyDeleteI save some things, but I love giving it away if someone needs it..but I will always be searching my heart... Jesus is my Lord
ReplyDeleteIt's okay to have things, Nancy. To possess items, merchandise, money, etc. It's if those things possess you that there's a problem. I have things that I simply hate to part with that I no longer even use. Why am I keeping them? I need to sell them or give them to charity. There is no reason to keep these things. I need control over them instead of them over me. It's just the right thing to do.
ReplyDeleteInteresting subject Pat. It's very true that when you hear the word "idol", certain images form in our minds, yet our idols have changed. You mentioned the new technology like the iPhone for example. It would be nice to have one but first of all, they cost too much and second,is everything on them really necessary!? I looked at my old phone and thought it will have to do! It does what I need it to do, and there is no reason to have another. Using this example, think of the households where children are demanding such an item from parents who cannot possibly afford them; "but every one has one; I'm the only one in my class who doesn't have one"....and so it goes. Strife, anger, anxiety....the enemy has already used one small tool to cause dissension in a family.If we multiplied this by the thousands and also added on all the other "idols" that have influenced people, it's no wonder we have lost control of what actually should govern our lives!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pat. Excellent message as usual. 😊