Indulging in Idols

Chuckle: "Detective: "How did you get into counterfeiting?" Criminal: "I answered an ad that said, 'Make money at home.'"

Quote: "Your idol is shattered in the dust to prove that God's dust is greater than your idol." --Rabindranath Tagore

"So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do will sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don't be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5 NLT).

If I were to ask you if you worship idols, your initial response would likely be, "No, of course not!" But, after carefully digesting God's Word, we must come to understand that most of us likely have, or have had, idols in our lives. Let's think about this together.

When the apostle Paul was alive, idol worship was rampant. Perhaps the most revered idol was in the city of Ephesus -- the goddess Diana. The huge statue was the centerpiece of a magnificent temple recognized as one of the major wonders of the world. In those days, many people made their livings from the manufacture of idols.

From our passage today, we can readily see that anything that diverts our attention and devotion away from God can become an idol to us -- making a god of earthly things. This can happen to us without our even being aware of what has happened. Today, our society is perhaps even more idolatrous than in Paul's time. Instead of worshiping carved statues, we worship possessions, power, pleasures, or position as gods and pour our energies and financial resources into attaining such things.

You and I may say we have no idols and are placing God first in our lives. But Paul shows us some specific sins that can divert our attention away from God and become idols to us. He talks about earthly things lurking within us -- our sinful nature. Many in our society are addicted to pornography, drugs, alcohol, gambling, etc. These can become the controlling forces over our lives and leave no room for allegiance to the true God. Paul specifically mentions greed as a sin of idolatry. Being Greedy is wanting or taking all that one can get with no thought of what others need. It is the insatiable desire for what you don't have -- making a god of gain.

Here, Paul admonishes us to "put to death" all the sins produced by our earthly nature. If you are struggling with a sin that Paul points out in our passage, please be assured that God will grant you strength to overcome it in the power of His Spirit. The worst mistake we can make is to harbor some hidden sin while trying to portray the outward characteristics of a committed Christian -- to live a lie. This will result in a feeling of terrible guilt and rob you of the joy God wants you to experience with him.

If you know someone who is struggling with an idolatrous sin, please pray for that person and be an example to him or her by upholding Christ as most important in your life. Perhaps God will use you to help restore that person.

Love, Jerry & Dotse