THE CLIMATE OF THE TIMES: MODERN IDOLATRY!
Climate is the weather conditions prevailing in an area over a long period. In cultural parlance, climate is the prevailing trend of public opinion or of another aspect of life. A prevailing cultural climate of our times is the outright perversion of the truth. Every good thing that God created, Satan works to pervert, and this is fast becoming a trending phenomenon in our society. According to the Webster’s Dictionary, perversion is “a diverting from the true intent or purpose; a change to something worse; a turning or applying to a wrong end or use.” Anything can be perverted. For instance, the use of opiates for non-medicinal purposes, is a perversion of the poppy plant. From biblical perspective, the word “perversion” means a deviation from righteousness to ungodliness. Perversion can be seen in sexual behavior, conversation, or justice, or the wrong use of God’s creation.
It began in Eden, when Satan first attempted to twist the commandment of God, and eventually succeeded in causing Adam and Eve to disobey God’s instruction. “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1. “Satan’s plan was to draw our first parents to sin, and so to separate between them and their God. Thus the devil was from the beginning a murderer, and the great mischief maker. He quoted the command wrong. He spoke in a taunting way. The devil, as he is a liar, so he is a scoffer from the beginning; and scoffers are his children. It is the craft of Satan to speak of the Divine law as uncertain or unreasonable, and so to draw people to sin.’ Perversion of the truth is a veritable tool in the hand of satan and he continues to use to put enmity between God and man.
satan cannot create; that power belongs to God alone. So he perverts what God has created. If he can entice God’s most cherished creations to follow him in his twisted ideas, he succeeds in perverting the image of God we were designed to magnify (1 Corinthians 11:7). It is Satan who introduced the idea that perversion equals freedom. But he knows quite well that perversion is a slippery path that leads to bondage and then death. In our society today the need for freedom has made us to change the truth about God and the things He created. By perverting sexuality, speech, or justice, we mar the likeness of God in our own lives.
More than ever before, idolatry has been on the increase, and godlessness is a trending phenomenon in our society. You may not consider this conversation as important to you because you probably don’t have a carved stone statue in your house or a craven image which you worship. Apparently, Idolatry is subtly working its way into our lives, homes, and communities in an incredible manner!
In scripture, idolatry is regarded as heathen origin, and as being imported among the Hebrews through contact with heathen nations. The first allusion to idolatry is in the account of Rachel stealing her father’s teraphim (Genesis 31:19), which were relics of the other gods by Laban’s progenitors (Joshua 24:2). However, Idolatry is not just a pagan or heathen issue. It is not just an Old Testament or Jewish issue. It is a human issue.
The greatest sin in the Bible by far is the sin of idolatry. It is the main reason why God rebuked and judged the nation of Israel. It was John Calvin who said our heart is an idol factory. Man is created with an innate desire to worship. It was for worship that God created man, so He can derive pleasure from the attention and adoration from man. However, in a fallen world, people constantly seek things they can worship, even though the Creator is before us in plain view. “For that which is known about God is evident to then and made plain in their inner consciousness, because God has shown it to them” (Romans 1:19).
God is intelligent and He created intelligent people. But on the contrary, intelligent people turn into idol story when they reject what they know about God. Instead of looking at him as creator & sustainer of life, they see themselves as the center of the universe. The danger of idolatry is not in the graven image or the object of worship, but in us. All the various forms of modern idolatry have one thing in their core: self. We don’t necessarily have to bow down to idols and images. The adoration we give at the altar of the god of self is the modern idolatry, and the deadliest sin!
Making God in our own image, instead of the reverse is one manifestation of modern idolatry, a sad misrepresentation of God. It is the worst form of man’s depravity! It is rebellion, and the height of ungodliness! It simply means we place self at the center of God, the creator of the universe. Idolatry may be in the form of wooden figures, of goals or things that we pursue such as money, power or possessions.
Today, it is very convenient for us to project our selfish ideas with total disregard to God. We put trust in ourselves, and abilities more than we trust in God. In fact, God is totally out of mention in our pursuit of success and accomplishment. We have now become so self-sufficient that God is not needed in our schools, homes, or house of worship. We have made God into our own image, forgetting that it is not about us, but Him!
“In the way of believing obedience to God’s commandments health and peace may commonly be enjoyed; and though our days may not be long upon earth, we shall live for ever in heaven. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; God’s mercy in promising, and his truth in performing: live up to them, keep up thine interest in them, and take the comfort of them… In all our ways that prove pleasant, in which we gain our point, we must acknowledge God with thankfulness. In all our ways that prove uncomfortable, and that are hedged up with thorns, we must acknowledge him with submission. It is promised, He shall direct thy paths; so that thy way shall be safe and good, and happy at last (Matthew Henry’s Proverbs 3:6 commentaries).
It is living according to God’s Divine purpose that we win. You’re winning! Yes we are winning!
To be continued….
GreatMark
Recommended Resource: Making Sense of Man and Sin by Wayne Grudem
The spotless splendor for the human eye to gaze upon is the Host himself, all others are merely patients: just mutilated, torn, dilapidated, disfigured caricatures of social grace and ambiance. Dear friend, do not give up on the possibility of a change into a better person. The perpetuity of your indulgence in a weakness is not enough reason to conclude that you are beyond repair. Don’t accept your failures as destiny. The power for a lasting positive change resides not in a person, rules, regulations or self resolutions. It is in Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrew 12:1-2). He has defeated satan, the god of this world, and has subdued the power of sin on the cross. Thus, the victory that overcome the world, is out faith in the omnipotent God.
I will rather dwell on the beautiful description of my person than worry about what I lack. The world tells me my relevance is only found in my social status, wealth and achievements. But it is a lie! I’m relevant because God knows me, calls me by His name, and had me in His plans. I am like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, and so am always refreshed and nourished. I’m flourishing because I’m connected to the source of life, the fountain of unending joy from whom all blessings flow. Like the tree by the river side, I am inclined towards my source, my heart is fixed on Him, and I am inactive in the path where the godless work. My affinity is towards Him and my meditation is habitually on His word. My leaves are always green and my fruits never fails it’s seasons. The Lord is acquainted with my ways, and my place is in the munitions of the rocks.
Psalm 8 reveals how we’ve so narrowly missed being gods, bright with Eden’s dawn light. And how God put us in charge of His handcrafted world, repeated to us His Genesis-charge, and made us lords of sheep and cattle. It’s amazing who we are. If we imbibe the truth about who we are in relation to God, our maker, then we can be sure to flourish even in he midst of recession and life’s difficulties. Say with me, “I’m flourishing! I am winning! Yes, we are winning!
The cares of this life is potent to destroy our peace and diminish our health. Therefore, the secret to stay sane is to acknowledge and expect that God will provide food and raiment, and that he holds your tomorrow. Matthew Henry puts it this way, “Take no thought for your life. Not about the length of it; but refer it to God to lengthen or shorten it as he pleases; our times are in his hand, and they are in a good hand. Not about the comforts of this life; but leave it to God to make it bitter or sweet as he pleases. Take no thought for the morrow, for the time to come. Be not anxious for the future, how you shall live next year, or when you are old, or what you shall leave behind you. As we must not boast of tomorrow, so we must not care for to-morrow, or the events of it.”
Come to think of it, has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? Of course not! You cannot by worry add a cubit to your height, but you can by worry lose you health and mind. ‘The day you stop worrying will be the first day of your new life; anxiety takes you in circles.. ‘Leon Brown” Worrying does not take away tomorrow, it takes away today’s peace. Therefore, Look at the birds, free and unfettered, and not tied down to a job description, yet God takes good care of them. And you count far more to God than birds, so If it worries you, it means it’s beyond you. So leave it in God’s sufficient hand. Depend on God and keep at it because in the Lord God you have a sure thing (Isaiah 26:3). Be careless in the care of God; you’re winning! Welcome to March. Even if it seems that you are out of the line, don’t lose your mind, Move forward. Yes, we are winning!
A disillusioned and devasted Anna wrote this painful letter to a Christian councellor. She was caught up in a feeling of hurt, abondonment and doubt, and this made it difficult for her to see God’s love, or appreciate His care. Invariably, hardship is able to make us cast aspersion on God’s goodness. And this of course is the root of all sins -when you think that God is not mindful of you -you are liable to do anything against his will.
Yes, I agree that it is not easy to remain calm and faithful in frightening times, but looking unto God, the author and finisher of our faith, is sure the way of victory. Everything around you may fail, but God’s love for you is eternal, and independent of you. If God feeds the birds of the air, He cares for you so much more! You are winning! Yes, we are winning!