The New Idolatry 2-17-08
Within popular culture today there is a general theme of embracing rebellion. This rebellion can take many forms. These forms can be the simple, such as the television commercials that show the parents (usually the father) as being inept and out of touch; or they can take the more sinister form of involvement with extremist organizations (such as the radically violent animal rights and environmental groups). Christians, too, seem to embrace rebellion. We tend to ignore the commands we do not like, or we change them to fit our desired theology. We cause trouble and act like petulant children. We embrace the agendas and culture of the world around us, making excuses for the parts that contradict scriptures. We persecute the smallest imperfection, and then overlook great evils.
Part of the reason for this is that God’s people do not know any different. They simply are ignorant of the truth, so that they cannot spot the lies. Someone comes to them, saying things that sound good on the surface, and they do not have the wisdom to make a discernment between God’s truth and man’s lies. In 2nd Peter 2:1-9, Peter talks about the false prophets and false teachers that would come in amongst God’s people. He warns that “they will secretly introduce destructive heresies,” they would deny Jesus, and would “bring the way of truth into disrepute.” These people fabricate stories expressly for the purpose of exploitation. Think about how many controversies are started in the church over little things that fester and grow. Peter goes on to mention that these types of people follow corrupt desires.
The corrupt desires of man are what Paul spoke of in Romans and Galatians:
Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (Romans 8:5-8 NIV)The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 NIV)
These people, who like to stir up trouble and act from selfish and self-centered motives, are poison to the people of God. Yet we Christians tend to embrace these people, quoting verses out of context about approaching brothers and forgiveness. Every time we see an example of this type of person in the Bible, they are being expelled and removed from fellowship.
In 2nd Peter 2:10-22, we are told of the darkest side of these “springs without water,” which is their disdain for authority. This is the easiest side of this for Americans to accept. We are entering a time wherein the leadership generation (baby boomers) is one that prided itself on slogans such as “question authority.” They then raised a generation that believes that everything is a conspiracy. But what does God think? Does God want us to show disdain for authority? No, absolutely not! Yes, God wants everything tested against the scriptures, but he does not want disrespect to be paid to those for whom respect is due. God demands that we honor God and each other (Mark 12:29-31), our parents (Exodus 20:12), our governmental leaders (Matthew 22:21), and those older than us (1 Timothy 5:1-19).
We must all be on guard; we must guard our hearts and our minds against the lure of the sinful nature. And we must be on guard over what is taught amongst us. We are told that “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud,” meaning that those who refuse to mature in the wisdom and knowledge of Christ soon lose what little they have gained and go back to the world’s reasoning.
It is not always easy to spot the new idols. The old ones stood out, being made of brick, stone, and wood. The new idols are harder to spot, being made of pride, selfishness, and resentment. These will trip us up if we allow them access to our congregation. We must remember that it is only through the grace and power of Jesus that we can escape this idolatry.