The Idols of Today

by Wayne Goff

In studying Colossians 1, we see a very specific description of the greatness and completeness of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am afraid that many Christians today would find that description rather boring and uninteresting. So why did Paul, by inspiration, teach these things about Jesus? Because in the first century there were many, varied ideas about God. The Greeks and Romans had their gods which we call “mythological” today. But they were very real to them! Others worshiped the State of Rome and called Caesar “god”! Superstition and philosophy molded the gods of others. So it was important both then and now to have a true understanding of Jesus as God.

Today we still have a problem with the subject of “God.” In the book, Finding Truth, by Nancy Pearcey, she wrote: “An idol is anything we look to for greater fulfillment than God. Idolatry is thus the hidden sin driving all other sins.”

Patrick Mabilog (christiantoday.com) listed seven modern-day things that we find it hard to admit are actually taking over our lives. Here is his list for you to consider and with which to example your own life:

  1. WORK. “…When it drives our decision-making to the point of completely ignoring God’s ways and desires, or we put it before things that are equally or more deserving of our time.”
  2. SUCCESS. “God wants us to be successful, but He does not desire success to take His place in our hearts…”
  3. PHONES. “Or tablets or whatever shiny piece of kit you carry around with you and can’t stop checking every five minutes…”
  4. IMAGE. “In the age of Facebook and Instagram, we can be obsessed with projecting the image of the perfect life, perfect relationship, perfect kids..”
  5. MATERIALISM. We are led “…to believe that we need certain object, possessions and substances to feel happy an content…”
  6. SEX. When abused, this ceases to be Gods gift to man and becomes a work of the flesh.
  7. MONEY. “…there is much value in money, but it is not the most valuable thing. That’s why Jesus teaches in Matthew 6:24, ‘No one can serve two masters.’…”

Beware of the idols of today, brethren. Christ is your God!

—via Roanridge Reader (Volume 31; Issue 43)

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