Friday, October 8, 2010

Detecting Our Idols

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been reading Tim Keller’s book, “Counterfeit Gods”, and now I am nearing the end of the book. So far, the ending has been the most provocative as the Holy Spirit is using it to examine my heart for the hidden idols that are there.

Here a few statements from the book’s epilogue:

Idolatry is “what is fundamentally wrong with the human heart”. (p. 165)

“Idolatry is always the reason we ever do anything wrong.” (p. 165-166)

“Idolatry is not simply a form of ritual worship, but a whole sensibility and pattern of life based on finite values and making created things into godlike substitutes.” (p. 166)

One thing is for certain: everyone worships something or someone. We are all worshipers. Everyone gives his allegiance to someone or something. Everyone finds security, significance, and importance in someone or something. Ultimately, if it isn’t Jesus, then that thing, whatever it is, is an idol.

What changes is not whether we worship or not, but the object of our worship. Piggy backing off of what Keller says above, our fundamental problem is that we assign ultimate value to things and people that only Jesus rightly deserves.

I believe it was John Calvin who said, “The human heart is a factory of idols...Everyone of us is, from his mother’s womb, expert in inventing idols.”

Well, what do we do about these idols? How can we detect these idols?

Keller offer four ways:

Check our imagination – “what do you habitually think about to get joy and comfort in the privacy of your heart?” (p. 168)

How we spend our money – “your money flows most effortlessly toward your heart’s greatest love.” (p. 168)

How we respond to unanswered prayers and frustrated hopes – “but when you pray and work for something and you don’t get it and you respond with explosive anger or deep despair, then you may have found your real god.” (p. 169)

Our most uncontrollable emotions – “look for your idols at the bottom of your most painful emotions, especially those that never seem to lift and that drive you to do things you know are wrong” (p. 169

May God’s Holy Spirit transform our hearts and replace our idols with the supreme greatness of Jesus.

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