Practical: Idolatry in the 21st Century

Descipleship

21Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

– 1 John 5:21

23“For rebellion is as reprehensible as the sin of divination,

And insubordination is as reprehensible as false religion and idolatry.

Since you have rejected the word of the Lord,

He has also rejected you from being king.”

– 1 Samuel 15:23

5Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.

– Colossians 3:5

19whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who have their minds on earthly things.

– Philippians 3:19
(NASB® © 2020)

Some Christians may wonder what 1 John 5:21 still has to say to us today: “Keep yourselves from idols.” In the 21st century, we no longer have the concrete danger of prostrating ourselves before figures made of wood, stone, or gold (at least not in our western latitudes).

But John – and the Holy Spirit – consider it in greater depth. In general, we can define idols in the 21st century as the harmless (or even sinful) things that come between the Lord and us, that get the attention, affection, time, and energy from us that is actually due to our Master.

The Bible gives three specific examples of what idols can be for us today:

  • 1 Sam 15:23: “… stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.”

Whenever I put my will above God’s, I place a certain idol on the throne of my heart: myself. A disciple of the Lord, however, is characterized by obedience to him (John 14:23), even when it involves uncomfortable statements from Scripture. One example is Paul, who said: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20) – the greatest, of course, being the Lord himself: “Not my will, but yours be done” (Lk 22:42). The ego must be cast off the throne. We can express it in the following way: If I disobey a statement in the Bible, I am committing idolatry.

  • Phil 3:19: “… whose god is their belly… who set their mind on earthly things.”

Here, pleasure is specifically placed above God. This passage is not even about sins, but about food and earthly things. However, as soon as thoughts only revolve around food – or rather pleasures in general –, when more money ends up on the barbecue than “in the bag”, the line to idolatry has been crossed. The Lord does not want to impose an ascetic lifestyle, but to make us aware that our hobbies and preferences can quickly become idols. Food is just the example Paul gives – everyone may have different temptations.

  • Col 3:5: “Covetousness (or greed), which is idolatry.”

The love of money. The Lord spoke about this more than about prayer, heaven, and love. He warned us against storing up treasures on earth (Mt 6:19; cf. Jas 5:1-3), and the Holy Spirit describes the love of money as the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:17). It is not easy to determine the point at which covetousness begins; we often hear the correct but misleading statement: “God has no problem with me having money, only with me loving it.” But where does greed begin? Where I want something that I don’t have; where I only think about it; where I set aside less for the Lord’s work in order to fulfill my long-cherished dream; where I compromise on Bible study/attending church meetings because my well-paid job keeps me so tied up; where I’d rather get another €2 for old clothes on eBay instead of donating them to needy fellow human beings. Heartbreaking.

We should pray with David: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Ps 139:23, 24). If we do this sincerely, He will make it clear to us whether 1 John 5:21 speaks concretely into our lives. And then we can (with His help) put Him first in our hearts again!

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