Idolatry Today (Part 1 of 4)

Part 1 of this series on Idolatry will focus on proposing the idea that people in America are idolaters today as much as any other generation that has lived. That’s a bold statement. To the average observer, we don’t see statues meant for pagan deities like those found in Acts. We don’t see the “high places” of sacrifice that were constructed in 1 and 2 Kings. And we certainly don’t hear praise and worship music to the tune of Ba’al. But does that mean we have escaped idols in our lives? I think not.

In common vernacular, Idol is expressed as an object worshipped; which is adoration, devotion, and respect given to the highest priority in our life. In biblical terms, God says in Exodus 20:3 in his first law to Israel, “you shall have no other gods before me.” So, God views an idol as something we put before Him. In practical terms, idols can be anything we put more devotion toward other than God. We can make idols of hobbies, work, relationships, money, time, objects, or even abstract ideas such as politics and theories.

God calls us to see reality through His priority. Idolizing is when we see and practically live as if reality is based on another priority.

Here’s my question: does American culture see reality where God is the highest priority? No. I think everyone would agree with that observation, and I think most in America would suggest it is helpful to place a deistic god somewhere in our life as an enhancer; more along the lines of having the best life possible in a cookie cutter world. But if the Bible is true (and I affirm that it is) and the God of the Bible justly demands followers as Creator (and I affirm that he does), then by our cultural analysis where everyone agrees God is not priority; Americans are idolaters.

At this point, many who think Idolatry is a primitive ancient practice will protest and shy away from the label idolater. But, let me point you to a people who were “primitive and ancient” from Jeremiah’s day who God charged with Idolatry. They responded to God’s pronouncement of guilt by, “I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals (Jer. 2:23)” I’m not an idol worshipper; sounds strangely familiar to our own hearts. When God calls his people to repent he says, “only acknowledge your guilt, that you rebelled against the Lord (Jer. 3:13)”

The goal for this series is to spotlight tendencies in our own lives that can manifest into sinfulness. By coming to the point of acknowledging where we and our friends struggle to keep the first law of God is where we will find grace to overcome. In the next three parts of this series, we will explore the American culture, and see the top three tendencies to build idols and worship in our day.