DO YOU HAVE IDOLS IN YOUR LIFE?

26 August 2025

What comes to your mind when you think of idols?  Most people think of idols based on the writings of the Old Testament.  Throughout the Old Testament we read about idols and people worshipping them.  The most known idol is probably the story of the Israelites in Exodus after they left captivity in Egypt.  You remember the story.  While Moses was on the mountain receiving the 10 Commandments from God, the Israeli people got impatient waiting on Moses because he had been gone so long.  They went to his brother Aaron and asked him to make them a god because they didn’t know what happened to Moses and they wanted a god they could visualize to lead them on their way (Exodus 32).

     Aaron gave in without any hesitation at all and told them to give him all their jewelry so he could make an idol in the shape of a calf and everyone said, “these are the gods that brought us out of Egypt”.  Simply because they didn’t want to wait around for Moses to come back.  Of course, they had been in a country as slaves under a religious system that had more than 1,400 different gods.  I guess they thought the more the better.

     This is, of course, a very simplified version of what happened in Exodus, but the point is that man throughout history have always wanted an image they could see and hold in their hands in the place of the one true God.  If you have read Jeremiah and Ezekiel, you will read that in their prophesies God kept telling them to tell the people how displeased He was at them for worshipping idols of gods that did not exist.  Even though he had commanded them in the 10 Commandments

 “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.”

As you read through these two prophets you will see repeatedly, they continue to tell the Israelites that God is going to destroy most of them because they were worshipping idols and false gods.  And it started with King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.  He would become the object of God’s wrath and would kill and capture the Jews.  The Israelites went as far as putting their idols even in the temple.  Not a very smart thing to do, wouldn’t you say.  They had every opportunity to repent and get rid of the idols and false god images and worship, however, they didn’t.

     This brings us to today’s idols.  We no longer think too seriously about these types of idols and most religions today have “advanced” out of making golden calves or images of Ra the Sun god.  But does that indicate that idols are not worshiped anymore?  Not really since we have found other things to be our idols today.

     The books of the New Testament have many verses that deal with idols.  1 John 5:21 states “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”  1 Corinthians 10:14 says “Therefore my beloved, flee from idolatry”.  In Colossians 3:5 Paul tells the Colossians to “Put to death therefore what is earthly in your sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry”.  This is what we will be discussing in this blog today.

        An idol can be defined as anything that takes priority in your life, especially when it relates to moral or spiritual values.  If we are valuing something that much in our lives it will replace the love and devotion we should have for our God.  It doesn’t have to be a statue or an image.  It can be as simple as another person or our dedication to a sports team, money, or social media as an example.  Below is a list of possible modern idols:

1.  Money or material possessions

2.  Your career or your own personal achievements

3.  Technology or social media accounts

4.  Your self-image

5.  Political issues

     These are just examples of what could be considered an idol.  The list is not all inclusive.  There are many things that can become an idol in your life.  In ancient times idols were physical objects that people worshiped instead of God.  Today, however, idolatry is more abstract in nature.  Modern idolatry is more about what you are interested that can have an impact on you as a Christian.  It is something that captures your heart, mind, or devotion.  Any7thing in your life could become an idol to you.  Even things that are considered good things like your family or health.  These things can become an idol to you if they take the place of spiritual values and beliefs.  Your modern idols can cause anxiety or dissatisfaction in your life as well as cause you to disconnect from your spiritual values.  You begin to think more of “things” than you do about your spiritual growth and your relationship with God.  You must be able to recognize these as idols by performing honest self-reflections.  What do you think about the most in your life or fear you are going to lose in your life.  If you recognize you have an idol it is time to center yourself on values of spiritual growth, humility, and love for others but must especially love of God.  Paul sums it up nicely in Colossians 3:5-11.

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.

7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.

8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.

9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices

10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

     When you perform your self-evaluation look for these indicators in your life.

1.   Does your work consume all your time and energy?

2.   Are you tied to what you have achieved, your promotions, or your productivity?

3.   Are you totally wrapped up in making money, living in luxury, or your possessions?

4.   Is your attention completely dominated by your phone, computer, or other types of technology?

5.   Has your number of likes or followers on social media been what validates you?

6.   Are you looking for validation from others above everything else?

7.   Has a personal relationship become your only source of fulfillment?

   If you answer yes to any of these points, they could be an idol in your life.  These things can become not only addictive but also spiritually distracting.  These can lead to an inflated ego or loss of humility.  As Paul says, your earthly nature can create idols, and you need to be aware of this and fight against it.

     To fight against modern day idols, you make a conscious decision to refocus your life or thinking processes to get rid of the idols in your life.  Spend time in prayer daily and study the bible.  Make prayer and bible study a daily habit in your life.  Spend time each day with God.  Serve others not to be recognized but to help others.  If you love God and others, you will serve from your heart.  Cultivate a heart of gratitude and acknowledge that everything you have is from God and give thanks to Him for the blessings He has given you daily. Dedicate yourself to God and keep Him at the center.  Your ultimate worth and purpose are found in Christ alone.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26