What do you define as idolatry? Should you be concerned with the idea of idolatry in modern times?
If you ask assembly goers about whether idolatry exists in modern times they may say, “Yes”! If you ask them if it is a concern for them they might say, “No, it does not affect me because I do not have any object made as a god and I do not worship anything but God.” Therefore, many in assemblies of the church do not examine the topic of Idolatry. Perhaps we should!
What does idolatry mean? Idolatry is the worship of an idol or idols—objects or images, such as statues, that are worshipped as the representations of deities or gods. Modern Christians say they are not idolatrous because they do not worship man made objects. Christians and Jews, alike, go back to the Ten Commandments God gave for them by which to abide and quote commandment # 1. Ex. 20:3-5. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
They claim they do not ‘bow down to’ anything but God Almighty, therefore they say they are not idolaters.
OK! Can they be idolatrous in any other form?
Metaphorical idols. Sometimes, idol is used in a metaphorical way to compare something to an object of religious devotion and worship, and such devotion can also be called idolatry, as in The endless pursuit of wealth is a form of idolatry.
Just because we do not knowingly ‘bow down to’ any object does not mean we are sinless of idolatry. Metaphorically we might unknowingly be ‘bowing down to’ a thing or ideology which is against the Will of God.
Does the Bible speak of any other forms of idolatry than an object which some ‘bow down to’? YES!
Warnings against idolatry should cause us to heed the information given defining idolatry and idolatrous behaviors.
Eph. 5:5. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. A covetous man who puts his trust in mammon–riches–over God is identified in scripture as an idolater. Their riches mean more to them than God. Their place in society is more important to them than God and trusting in His deliverance. They must ‘keep up with the Joneses’.
Many say, “I am not rich. I do not have great wealth”.
Let me ask a question. Do you have enough money to have the things you want? Are you not trying to obtain more money? Some will say, “I need more money to live. Times are hard. I cannot provide the things I need for my family.” What you are really saying is, “I do not have because I have asked not. I am going to do it on my own.” they have removed their faith in God to faith in themselves.
Forms of Idolatry
mammon–riches
Strong’s G3126 defines Mammon as riches: reviewing Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 (where it is personified and opposed to God)
Mat 6:24. 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Many define the term ‘mammon’ as money. If true, you cannot serve God and money. God says money is the root of all evil. Desiring more and robbing God of what little you offer is a sin. 1 Tim. 5:10. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
Relying on money and the means by which you can obtain it is the very reliance factor God abhors. God wants us to rely upon His means for our wealth; not our own. Satan knows this but has slipped such an idea into our minds to violate God’s will against all righteous. When Satan creates a culture where it is very difficult to sustain your lives on the income you receive, because greedy entities are causing pain and suffering keeping you from affording the necessities of life, the poor begin to hold onto their money to not lose everything. They have put their true trust in their ability to gain money instead of their trust in the Lord. Satan wins. The person puts their service into life and culture. This is said to be a form of idolatry–a worship of mammon.
Luke 16:13. 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Our thought of having many things like unto the world; desiring to fit in with the society in which we live; desiring to be above many others, are mental thoughts we must purge from our minds and ways. God wants us to share His blessings He gives unto us with the downtrodden, poor and needy.
Many people seek riches by their own means or by chance. Why do you think lottery games are so prevalent? The greed for more ensnares us to iniquity.
This brings us to another form of idolatry
greed.
Col. 3:5. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:
Covetousness is another term for greed. Strong's G1495 identifies covetousness with–Col 3:5 and defines it as: of avarice, as a worship of Mammon;
Avarice means extreme greed for wealth or material gain. Synonyms are: greed, covetousness, materialism; to name a few we recognize. How many times have you heard one say, “I just want everything I can get. I am entitled to more than I receive.”
Heb. 13:5. 5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
1 Tim. 6:5-11. 5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
Not being content with what God has provided, desiring more, is not trusting in God; you are following a different master thinking it will provide everything your heart desires. This is covetousness or greed.
A third form of idolatry
stubbornness.
1 Sa. 15:23. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Here Strong’s defines idolatry and stubbornness in the Hebrew language as: idolatry–Strong's H8655 a kind of idol, object of reverence, and means of divination; stubbornness–Strong’s H6484 to be insolent, display pushing (arrogance, presumption)
King Saul had gone to battle against Agag, the king of the Amalekites. God told Saul: 1 Sam. 15:3. 3 Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare them not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and ass. This Saul did not do, utterly destroy everyone and everything the Amalekites had. Saul kept Agag alive along with all the spoils. He then gave an excuse to Samuel that the people did this, kept Agag alive and all the spoils.
When we become greater in knowledge than God, we stubbornly refuse to be led as a child. This is metaphorically a form of idolatry. We worship our own will, not God’s.
We are never to push, or go beyond the Will of God. We are to never assume we know better than God. Many today try to do what we think is God’s Will. Let us look at an example.
Abraham and Sarah–at a late age, they did not have a child but knew God had promised them a child. Sarah talks Abraham into conceiving a child with her maid Haggar. Ishmael was born to him but God was displeased. Isaac, a child born to Sarah, was God’s chosen child of promise to Abraham. Now remember the hardships all of Isaac’s children had to endure because of the children of Ishmael.
When we turn from worshiping God and rely and metaphorically worship other things, hardships come upon us making our lives more difficult; perhaps even destroying our souls in hell.
Idolatry is not only worshiping a man made object as a god. Scripture says mammon, greed and stubbornness are idols and idolatrous behaviors; all of which God abhors.
Let us close with this admonition by Peter. 1 Peter 4:1-3. 1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
Peter mentions these vices springing from idolatry and peculiar to it as a warning for us to abstain from them. Let us strive to put away from us these subtle things Satan has put before mankind and which mankind has fallen into contrary to the Will of God for His children. Let us ever be diligent to seek out these vices of Satan and bring them to light to save a dark world from perdition.
