“Idolatry 101”
I Corinthians 10:14-22
INTRO: Last week we understood clearly from the Israelites story that we ought always, at every crossroads, follow the Lord at all costs! How could we miss it, right? Well, right on the heels of his positive admonition is a stern warning, and that’s where I’d like to focus your attention this morning. Turn to I Corinthian 10:14…
“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry!”
When I say idols, you probably think of carved images, golden statues … perhaps images from OT stories pop into your head. And rightly so. Idolatry always exhibits itself in the worship of some object. No doubt Israel had a long-term problem with idolatry, even to the point where it continued even into the time and city of Corinth. Take a look at some of the “idols” the Hebrews fell prey to in their history.
[SHOW PICTURES OF IDOLS]
Corinth was no exception. Many of the believers had backgrounds in idol worship from their past life, and others simply were being drawn into it because of the depth of idolatry in Corinth. Even worship at the temple had degenerated into an idolatrous sexual orgy!
Add to that the question that began this whole discourse – “can we eat meat offered to idols?” – and you can see why idolatry was such a critical issue for this church. It was all around them – what were they to do?
You have no doubt felt that same way, haven’t you? While we know idolatry is a prevalent sin today, we don’t hear that word used much, do we? We hear other less-offensive phrases, such as “misplaced priorities” or “skewed perspectives.” But like it or not, worshipping any thing or person more than God is called idolatry, regardless of the century in which it occurred! Even John wrote in his first epistle (5:21), “…keep yourselves from idols.” It’s a bigger problem than you think!
This morning let me walk you through five principles about idolatry that emerge from this chapter. Together let’s examine the Word of God and see exactly how idolatry plagued the Jews, learning from that how we can better resist its temptation. These five principles will answer four basic questions about idolatry, questions that perhaps we all have but are unwilling to ask, such as, “What is idolatry?”, “How does it show up?” and “What effects does it have?” With you Bible open to I Corinthians 10, let’s dig in!
First, let’s read again our key verse for this morning…
“Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.”
The word “therefore” indicates we can look both ways regarding this instruction. Would you circle that word in your Bible and draw arrows pointing both directions? Essentially, Paul is making a conclusion based on what he said earlier, so what’s behind and what’s ahead will help us understand this verse better. Here is the first principle, and it answers the question, “What is idolatry?” Look back to 10:6…
1. Idolatry’s Definition (10:6)
“Now these things occurred…”
“These things” refers to the crossroads the Israelites came to, and it is this story on which Paul bases his exhortation to flee from idolatry. When they refused to follow God, they were, in no uncertain terms, following something else. That is idolatry! That’s why we can say idolatry is always the core issue at every crossroads of obedience. And that’s the first principle: 1. When we choose our own way instead of God’s way, we commit the sin of idolatry.
Make no mistake – each time we choose what WE want instead of what God wants, we are worshipping ourselves more than God! That’s idolatry. And you are faced with this decision every day. Hear me loud and clear – disobedience is idolatry! I’m saying, “I love my sin more than God.” “I love my way more than God.” “I love my desires more than God.” It’s nothing short of idolatry!
Remember the three Hebrew young men faced with the decision of either bowing to the idol or staying true to God? That was a crossroads, and to disobey the law God had given (10 commandments) would have been idolatry.
Let me hurry to principle #2 to further explain what idolatry is…
2. Idolatry is always, first and foremost, an inner, spiritual sin of the heart that involves lusting after things selfishly instead of loving God supremely!
Look at the remainder of 10:6 …
“setting our hearts on evil things…”
Or as the NASB renders this, “crave evil things.” The picture is clear – idolatry begins in the heart with lust! Idolatry is always more about taking, while true love is about giving! And doesn’t this fit the text well? What were the Corinthian believers asked to do with their new freedom? That’s right – Be willing to give it up for a weaker brother! But without love that won’t happen. Instead, we’ll seek our own way, lust for our own gratification, and end up committing idolatry! When “I” is your most common word, watch out…the “dolatry” part is not far behind!
Perhaps you’re asking yourself, “If idolatry is a sin of the heart, how can I detect it?” Let’s move onto principle #3…
Idolatry’s Detection (10:7-10)
3. Idolatry becomes visible in things like addictive habits, controlling hobbies or possessions, unhealthy relationships, rebellious attitudes and divisive words.
Take your Bible and look closely at 10:7-10. There are four sins listed here, and I believe these four sins are the sins that dogged the Israelites for years all because they refused to follow God at the crossroads. In other words, it is how their idolatry evidenced itself. Let me show you…
*False worship (Ex 32…Golden Calf)
*Sexual immorality (Num 25…Moab adultery)
*Testing the Lord (Num 21…questioning God’s providence and plan)
*Grumbling (Num 16-17…complaining against God and his appointed leadership)
And isn’t it true that for centuries the Israelites had to deal with these sins on a regular basis? You bet! Remember last week’s exhortation to never allow unbelief to enter because it gives sin room to “dog us”? Here’s an example of exactly that – the Israelites paid dearly and severely for their refusal to obey with sins that hounded them forever.
Such is the case with us – the minute our hearts begin to love someone or something else more than God, BOOM – it shows up in our actions! For instance…
*A job – nothing wrong with money, success or achievement. But let that creep into your heart to the point where it means more than God, and you’ll start ripping your family off, missing church, robbing from God, living selfishly for only you. Your actions will show it is your idol!
*A hobby – a little softball on the side, or a little boating here and there, a little time on the Internet, some TV now and then. But let your heart be taken over by your own desires for your own way all the time, and suddenly you spend all your time there, even delaying more important things you ought to do and pushing them aside because you “ran out of time” or “just couldn’t get aorund to it.” Your hobby has become your idol.
*A friend – You and your spouse know another family, but for you the acquaintance starts turning to familiar. You know you’re getting too close for comfort, but you don’t reign in your heart. Instead, you start wondering, dreaming, lusting about what life might be like with her or him. Next thing you know your family is destroyed and your marriage ruined all because sexual lust become your idol.
*A disappointment – Things have never worked out for you, and the bitterness you harbor is incredible. No one really sees it until they cross you, though. Then it usually spews out like a volcano. What should have been a place for God’s grace to carry you though became a ditch in which you continue to wallow. Unhappy with God and unwilling to let things go, your stinging words and negative attitudes indicate to more people than you realize that you’re still worshiping at the idol of discontent and “what might have been.”
Here’s an exercise – analyze your habits, hobbies, words, attitudes, and relationships, then ask yourself, “Do any of these indicate I love something or someone else more than I love God?”
If you find yourself saying, “Yes!”, here’s what you should do…look at principle #4…
Idolatry’s Defeat (10:15-21)
4. Idolatry can be resisted by uniting with God in spiritual dedication (consecration), and by running from its physical manifestation (separation).
[16-17 – consecration]
[20-21 – separation]
Regarding consecration, note that here in the text he was pointing to the Lord’s table as that place where believers come and manifest a unity with each other and with the Lord (vs 16-17). Consecration contains the idea of setting ourselves apart for the Lord, and Communion is one way we can show each other and the Lord our desire to be wholly devoted to God. When you partake, you are saying, “Lord, You gave all for me, I will give my all to you.” That’s puts communion in a whole new light, doesn’t it? That said, you now understand why we don’t tag it on to the end of a service, or throw it in somewhere just to make sure we meet a quarterly time frame. No way! Communion is an opportunity for you and the church to make a public stand against idolatry!
Remember throughout the OT what Moses and Joshua would encourage the people to do? “CONSECRATE YOURSELVES TO THE LORD THIS DAY!” And remember what the NT writer consistently urged the Roman believers to do? “OFFER YOURSELVES AS LIVING SACRIFICES, SET APART AND HOLY.”
Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord! Accept Him, submit to Him. Turn the throne of your life over to the Lord Jesus Christ today!
Once we do that, how do we conduct our life? How do consecrated people live? Separated to the Lord! Specifically, here’s what was happening in Corinth – as believers, they were participating in communion, yet also attending the pagan ceremonies, where demonic activity was going on. (vs. 20-21) The problem, as Paul says, is not the meat at the ceremony. The problem is that you are at the ceremony. It was their participation that opened the door to sin and unbelief, causing them to live a hypocritical life that was involved in worshipping both God and demons. For those who are consecrated to God, this type of “fence straddling” is off limits. So he urges them to physically leave the presence of those idol worship feasts. In other words, feel free to buy the meat, but don’t eat it there!
Church, I’m not a “hide in the hills” type of Christian; I believe we are to be a light in the world, not just to the world. We are in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation as ambassadors. However, we are still strangers, pilgrims, sojourners! There is a place where, as God’s holy people, we must live, be and act differently. Feeling comfortable around sin should never be the norm. We need to live lives separated from the philosophy and evil practices of the world. This is one of the main reasons we don’t join in with the celebration of Halloween, or use Easter to celebrate the goddess of fertility…we are committed to worshipping one God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Is there anything wrong with a costume, or candy? No! Is there anything wrong with eggs or a bunny? No! But if we participated in their focus and celebrated false gods with them, we’d be wrong! We live in the culture but don’t live like the culture!
If you decide to ignore the idolatry in your life, be aware that God, at some point, will take action. His character demands it. Let show you principle #5…
Idolatry’s Devastation (10:22)
5. Idolatry arouses God’s righteous jealousy and anger and moves Him to take an offensive posture against our pride.
Notice the short verse…I Cor. 10:22 – “Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?”
God is a possessive God, and he is moved to act against those who steal the worship due him. In a word, pride causes us to steal God’s worship, doesn’t it? It sure motivated Lucifer, remember? But it also activated God to posture himself against Lucifer and cast him down from Heaven. Pride and “worship stealing” causes God to stand against people.
Let me show you James 4:6…“God opposes the proud…”
Literally, the word “oppose” means God takes an offensive position against those who resist him in pride. There is nothing passive or reactionary about God’s stance on idolatry…he moves in with a full court press!
In the Bible, the most common posture or position of worship and submission was the kneeling position. We see it in Nehemiah, Daniel, the Gospels and Revelation. So this morning I’m going to ask all who physically can to kneel right by your chair and turn your heart 100% to the Lord. Tell the Lord he alone is worthy and that there is none like him! Put away any idols, all hidden sins and lusts, every selfish desire…I’m asking you to love the Lord your God, and only the Lord your God!
Let’s go to our knees, and then we’re going to pray this morning, all together, a prayer from Isaiah 45…just repeat after me softly to the Lord…
“You are the Lord, and there is none other; apart from You, there is no God. From the rising of the sun to the setting of the same, may men know there is none besides You. You are the Lord, there is none other.”
How can you stand against the attack of idolatry in your own life and in your family? Here are some ideas…
...Begin each day this week by physically kneeling down in humble submission to your great Lord and awesome Savior! Whether by your bed with your spouse or alone in your “secret place,” fall in adoration and give yourself daily, wholly and completely to Jesus Christ.
...Receive communion with your family one evening this week to show the Lord your commitment to Him.
...Gather some friends together for lunch and pray against the presence of idolatry in your work place.
In some visible way, show God every day your wholehearted loyalty to Him. O God, strengthen us to “flee from idolatry!”
