Getting Rid of Idols
Do you have any idols in your life?
Throughout the Bible one of the things God consistently warned His people about, and one of the things that most quickly incited His judgment, was idolatry. The idolatry of God’s people in the Old Testament resulted in great pain and heartache for them, and eventually led to seventy years of exile in Babylon.
Take a look at God’s plea to His people about their idols, and the warning He added to it:
“‘Do not provoke my anger by worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you. But you would not listen to me,’ says the Lord. ‘You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer.'”– Jeremiah 25:6, 7 (NLT)
Idolatry is not only an Old Testament issue, it is frequently addressed in the New Testament also. As an aged and wise spiritual leader, the Apostle John left us this caution:
“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” — 1 John 5:21 (NIV)
As we can see, idolatry is a serious offense against God!
What is idolatry?
An idol is anything we put before God. It is anything that replaces our worship of God, or our obedience and submission to the Word and will of God. It is anything we hold on to that God wants us to let go of. It is anything that has a controlling grip in our lives. It is anything from which we get our validation and affirmation, other than God Himself.
Even good things can become idols, if we allow them to take the wrong place of priority in our hearts. A relationship, a job, a possession, a person, a position, a pursuit — all of these represent potential points of idolatry.
Do you have any idols in your life? The only solution to idolatry is repentance — letting go, giving up whatever you have exalted above God in your life and unconditionally surrendering yourself to Him again!
Dale O'Shields
For more information, visit the Church of the Redeemer's website.
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