( Some folks who open this article will wonder why on earth we put an
article on Idolatry in this HOPE section? We did so because,
unfortunately, children can be, as the author states,"easily sacrificed
for parental convenience", or they can become so much a focus in the
lives of parents that they are placed between the parents and God--making
them an idol. Both instances are more of a problem than any one of
us would like to think that they are and both have the potential of emotionally scarring a child. Both situations also keep parents from being in God's perfect will.)

It is easy for us to look at the people in the Old Testament and think, "How stupid was that! I would never worship idols!" But the Scripture in Matthew 6:24 and also Rom. 6:3-14 make in clear that everything boils down to two choices -- we either live under the control of God or under the control of Satan, and it's our choice. Even after we've made the salvation choice and have surrendered our lives to Christ, we still have the sanctification process throughout the remainder of our lives. God uses this process of growth to continually challenge specific areas of our lives where we are living in a sin habit and are not yielded to His control. Fundamentally, each one of those areas can be considered an idol - an area where we are serving another master than God.

Rather than looking at a statue and considering it an idol, we need to look at the heart attitude of idolatry. There are societal idols and there are personal idols. For instance, in the area where I live there is a huge spiritual stronghold of materialism. This is a societal idol. As a believer who lives in this area I have to continuously check my heart to see if I'm being influenced to "bow down" to this idol.

Another idol in our society is the sacrificing of children. No, we don't burn them on an altar to the god Molech like Israelites did in the Old Testament, but we have a complete societal system that sacrifices children for parental convenience from the time they are born and for the rest of their lives. This is another place that believers need to make a conscientious and persistent habit of checking to see if we are being led into the captivity of "bowing down" to this idol.

Personal idols are those areas that the Holy Spirit points out, through His conviction in my life personally. They are places where I hold someone or something to be equal to or higher than God, God's perspective or what God has specifically taught me. For instance, one specific place that God has convicted me about idolatry in my own life is in giving the opinions and/or beliefs of others equal or greater value than what God has clearly taught me through His Word and His work in my life. If God has plainly taught me something and then someone whom I respect comes along and says something different, do I stop and say, "Oh no. What if he's right? What if I'm wrong?" When I do this the fruit in my life is that I usually proceed to get upset and become uncertain and doubt what God has taught me. I am committing idolatry.

Satan is the master counterfeiter. In his perpetual quest to be like God and to lead mankind to follow him in that pursuit, he offers counterfeits for every characteristic, every blessing, every good thing that God has for His children. As the master counterfeiter, he offers idols that are fakes for the characteristics of God, which are described by His names.

Here is some food for thought -- you could even make it a project. As you come across the names of God while you are reading the Word, think about ways in which we, in our human efforts, try to satisfy that characteristic of God with a substitute. Whenever we do that, we are committing idolatry.

For instance, Jehovah Ropha is God our healer. Do we think of medicine first in times of illness or do we think of God? There are many people who hold medicine and doctors up as the answer for all ills, never thinking of God, except perhaps for a quickie prayer request. That is a form of idolatry. That doesn't mean that there is no place for medicine or doctors. God is the one who has given them the wisdom they have. But where is our focus?

How about El-Shaddai, the many-breasted one (the New Testament false god that was the opposite of this name of God was the goddess Diana). God is the one who provides us with "more than enough" for our needs and our comfort. But do we have an "addiction" to alcohol, drugs, sex, food, chocolate, even reading books -- any controlling behavior that is intended to meet our needs for comfort or soothing -- that is idolatry that stands in direct opposition of El-Shaddai.

The simple fact of becoming aware of the reality of idols and idolatry in our lives today can shine a spotlight on areas where Satan holds us captive. Ask the Holy Spirit to direct and to illuminate those areas, and be ready to be changed!

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