Even while these people were worshiping the LORD, they were serving their idols. To this day their children and grandchildren continue to do as their ancestors did.2 Kings 17:41
Many church-going Christians are deeply involved in idolatry, while claiming to worship the true God. The reason is that many of us Christians think of idolatry as bowing down to wooden idols as in times passed, not knowing that idolatry is not simply worshiping a wooden statue but it is the act of putting anything before the True God.
Idolatry : an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed. In Judaism and Christianity, the worship of someone or something other than God as though it were God. The first of the biblical Ten Commandments prohibits idolatry: "You shall have no other gods before me."
Many Christians believe that these things do not apply to them and that God is number one in their lives. But that is always the thought of an idolater. No one ever thinks that they are idol worshipers, but in this writing we ask the Lord to help us see our idolatry so that he may help us worship him only.
Idolaters or True worshipers?
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
On this verse we can see whether or not we are idol worshippers, for on the preceding verse Christ said "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' 32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
God knows what we need and we should always come to him first for all things but notice that the verse say the gentiles (those who do not know God) seek these things with passion. They are consumed in their desires to acquire these things, and in turn those worldy things become gods to them.
Now let's see some common gods we Christians are worshiping these days. To find out, you will need to think about this question: What consumes your thoughts? What takes most of your time? Is it spending time with God? Is it school?....work?....hobbies?
Modern gods in the Church
Materialism: preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.
Hedonism: the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good
Self-esteem: an inordinately or exaggeratedly favorable impression of oneself.
This is not an extensive list by any means but it does cover many of the idols that so-called Christians are worshiping just like ancient Israel .
We worship at the altar of materialism, we exhaust ourselves working multiple jobs, doing sometimes sinful things in order to acquire more stuff. Keeping up with the Jones' or as we say sometimes fulfilling and living the American dream is the greatest pursuit for many Christians and yet a three minute prayer put us to sleep.
The Almighty Dollar In god (money) we trust is the true god of this modern age. So pervasive is this god that we have whole churches now preaching god wants you to be rich.
How you spend your time determine who your God is.
So friends, If you feel bored when you try to read the Bible for a few minutes, if you can't wait to get out of church because the preacher is boring or find the message is too long but you can spend hours studying for school, hours watching television, hours playing games, listening to pagan music, you should reconsider when you say the God of heaven is your true god because apparently you don't really spend much time with him .
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Matthew 15:8
This is the condition that many Christians find themselves in, going to church as a routine because it is the right thing to do but not truly have any relationship with God. It's alright to pursue things that will help us, but the Kingdom of God and its righteousness must be the priority .
Beloved, let's not deceive ourselves. If we do not spend quality time daily with God, then something else is taking our time and we are mere idolaters in the church of God " professing a form of Godliness but denying its power".
Examples
I don't have time to read my Bible, because I am too busy with school and work .
I don't have enough time to pray before I go to sleep, too tired after watching T.V.
http://biblehub.com/2_timothy/3-5.htm
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idolatry?s=t
Many church-going Christians are deeply involved in idolatry, while claiming to worship the true God. The reason is that many of us Christians think of idolatry as bowing down to wooden idols as in times passed, not knowing that idolatry is not simply worshiping a wooden statue but it is the act of putting anything before the True God.
Idolatry : an image or other material object representing a deity to which religious worship is addressed. In Judaism and Christianity, the worship of someone or something other than God as though it were God. The first of the biblical Ten Commandments prohibits idolatry: "You shall have no other gods before me."
Many Christians believe that these things do not apply to them and that God is number one in their lives. But that is always the thought of an idolater. No one ever thinks that they are idol worshipers, but in this writing we ask the Lord to help us see our idolatry so that he may help us worship him only.
Idolaters or True worshipers?
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Matthew 6:33
On this verse we can see whether or not we are idol worshippers, for on the preceding verse Christ said "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' 32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
Now let's see some common gods we Christians are worshiping these days. To find out, you will need to think about this question: What consumes your thoughts? What takes most of your time? Is it spending time with God? Is it school?....work?....hobbies?
Modern gods in the Church
Materialism: preoccupation with or emphasis on material objects, comforts, and considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual, or cultural values.
Hedonism: the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good
Self-esteem: an inordinately or exaggeratedly favorable impression of oneself.
This is not an extensive list by any means but it does cover many of the idols that so-called Christians are worshiping just like ancient Israel .
We worship at the altar of materialism, we exhaust ourselves working multiple jobs, doing sometimes sinful things in order to acquire more stuff. Keeping up with the Jones' or as we say sometimes fulfilling and living the American dream is the greatest pursuit for many Christians and yet a three minute prayer put us to sleep.
The Almighty Dollar In god (money) we trust is the true god of this modern age. So pervasive is this god that we have whole churches now preaching god wants you to be rich.
How you spend your time determine who your God is.
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Matthew 15:8
This is the condition that many Christians find themselves in, going to church as a routine because it is the right thing to do but not truly have any relationship with God. It's alright to pursue things that will help us, but the Kingdom of God and its righteousness must be the priority .
Beloved, let's not deceive ourselves. If we do not spend quality time daily with God, then something else is taking our time and we are mere idolaters in the church of God " professing a form of Godliness but denying its power".
Examples
I don't have time to read my Bible, because I am too busy with school and work .
I don't have enough time to pray before I go to sleep, too tired after watching T.V.
http://biblehub.com/2_timothy/3-5.htm
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/idolatry?s=t
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