“idle idol(s) -or- oh my counterfeit god(s)!
1. CHRISTIANITY TODAY SAID THIS: “ … CHRISTIANS CANNOT UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES OR THEIR CULTURE UNLESS THEY DISCERN CONTERFEIT GODS”
2. “AN IDOL IS ANYTHING MORE IMPORTANT TO YOU THAN GOD, ANYTHING THAT ABSORBS YOUR HEART AND IMAGINATION MORE THAN GOD, AND ANYTHING THAT YOU SEEK TO GIVE YOU WHAT ONLY GOD CAN GIVE.” TIMOTHY KELLER IN “COUNTERFEIT GODS”.
· “ … AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.” MARK 12:30 (ESV)
“THAT’S SO OLD TESTAMENT! THAT’S AN ANCIENT PROBLEM.
THE MOSAIC LAW IS BUILT UPON THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, AND THE LAW WAS BUILT UPON THE FIRST COMMANDMENT:
EXODUS 20:3 AND DEUTERONOMY 5:7
THE SECOND:
EXODUS 20:4-6 -OR- DUETERONOMY 5:8-10
HERE ARE SOME OF THE IDLE IDOLS AND COUNTERFEIT GODS PEOPLE WORSHIPED IN THE BIBLE:
· ASHERIM – STRIPPED TREES OR POLES, SOMETIMES COVERED IN GOLD OR SILVER TO REPRESENT THE GODDESS ASHTERAH
· CHAMMAN OR HAMMANIM – SUN IMAGES OR PILLARS FOR THE SUN GOD BAAL
· SHIKKUTS – AN IDOL REPRESENTING FILTH OR IMPURITY
· PESEL – GRAVEN OR CARVED IMAGE IN WOOD OR STONE, MAY BE CAST IN METAL.
· HEQET – THE EGYPTIAN GODDESS OF FERTILITY
· GILLULIM – THE LITERAL TRANSLATION OF THE HEBREW WORD FOR IDOLS REFERS TO THE LITTLE ROUND THINGS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DUNG. ROUND, LIKE HORSE DUNG. YES. GOD WAS CALLING THE IDOLS IN THE HEARTS OF THE LEADERS OF THAT TIME – “POOP”. THAT STINKS – NO, REALLY. IF GOD SAYS THEY ARE POOP, WELL, THEN, THEY ARE POOP.
· TERAPHIM – HOUSEHOLD GODS, TALISMAN, GOOD LUCK CHARMS. APPARENTLY SMALL ENOUGH TO TAKE ALONG.
“JESUS – THE REAL THING!”
*HEBREWS 4:14
* MATTHEW 6:19-24
TO GUARD OUR HEARTS AND MINDS AGAINST THE LURE OF IDOL WORSHIP, WE, AS BELIEVERS MUST:
· PRIORITIZE OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ABOVE ALL ELSE
o SET ASIDE TIME FOR PRAYER, WORSHIP, AND SEEK HIS GUIDANCE IN EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE.
· BUILD A DEEP AND PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH GOD.
· STUDY GOD'S WORD TO HELP IN UNDERSTANDING HIS CHARACTER AND WILL; IMMERSE OURSELVES IN SCRIPTURE, SO WE CAN DISCERN FALSE TEACHINGS AND RECOGNIZE THE IDOLS THAT MAY SUBTLY CREEP INTO OUR LIVES.
· SURROUND OURSELVES WITH FELLOW BELIEVERS. ACCOUNTABILITY IS ANOTHER POWERFUL SAFEGUARD AGAINST IDOLATRY – CONNECTING WITH OUR COMMUNITY OF LIKE-MINDED INDIVIDUALS STRIVING TO HONOR GOD HELPS US STAY ACCOUNTABLE AND OFFERS SUPPORT DURING TIMES OF TEMPTATION.
· MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST FOCUS ON CHRIST AS THE CENTER OF OUR LIVES.
o COLOSSIANS 3:1-2
IDOLS? YOU ASK? “WHAT IDOLS?”
WHAT IMAGES COME TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF IDOL WORSHIP? BIG STATUES? PEOPLE BOWING? YOGA TYPE POSES AND MEDITATION? SACRIFICES?
· IDOLIZATION OF CELEBRITIES, WHERE PEOPLE FOLLOW THEIR EVERY MOVE.
· OBSESSION WITH MATERIAL POSSESSIONS, WHERE WEALTH AND POSSESSIONS ARE PRIORITIZED OVER OTHER VALUES.
· BLIND FAITH IN RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL LEADERS, WITHOUT QUESTIONING THEIR ACTIONS.
· UNHEALTHY ATTACHMENT TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY, WHERE PEOPLE ARE CONSTANTLY SEEKING VALIDATION.
· ADDICTION TO UNHEALTHY HABITS AND SUBSTANCES, LEADING TO PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND SPIRITUAL HARM.
WHAT IS YOUR IDLE IDOL(S) -OR- COUNTERFEIT GOD(S)? HERE ARE FOUR QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TO DETERMINE IDOLS IN YOUR LIFE:
· ARE YOU WILLING TO COMPROMISE YOUR BELIEFS FOR IT?
· HOW ANGRY WILL YOU BE IF YOU GET IT? OR CAN’T DO IT
· DO YOU VALUE IT OVER PEOPLE
· DOES IT PUSH YOU CLOSER TO GOD – OR PULL YOU FURTHER AWAY?
PHILIPPIANS 4:8
MY OWN WORST IDOL?
- ONE JOHN 5:21 – “LITTLE CHILDREN, KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS.”
