When we think of idols, we often imagine physical statues or objects of worship. However, idols can take many forms, including spiritual ones that are just as dangerous. In Exodus 20, God defines Himself and warns us against creating idols, which can be anything that takes His place in our lives.
Here are five potential spiritual idols that can creep into the lives of Christians:
- Jesus’ Blood: Using the Blood of Jesus like magic or a formula to overcome challenges, rather than trusting in God’s sovereign love and character. The Bible never instructs us to metaphorically or spiritually apply the blood of Jesus over our lives. His blood was given for one purpose only – to pay for our sins. When we use the Blood of Jesus as a solution to our problems, we reduce the power of the cross to a mere ritual, rather than trusting in the finished work of Christ.
- Prayer: When prayer becomes more powerful than God in our eyes, and we focus on our words rather than trusting in His sovereignty. We can fall into the trap of thinking that our prayers are only effective if we use the right words, or if we pray long enough, or if we pray with enough emotion. But prayer is more about trust than it is about words. It’s about trusting that God is sovereign, that He is good, and that He is always working for our good. When we trust in His character, we can pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17), not because we’re constantly speaking words, but because we’re constantly trusting in Him.
- Fasting: Using fasting as a means to manipulate or force God to move on our behalf, rather than as a discipline to identify with the needs of the poor and humble oneself (Matt 5:6). When we fast, we are called to hunger and thirst for righteousness, which is the same word as charity (Tzedakah) in Hebrew. This means that when we help others, we are hungering and thirsting with them to see justice prevail. Fasting is not about getting God to do something, but about aligning ourselves with God’s heart for justice and compassion.
- Personal Revelations: Elevating personal revelations or “words from the Lord” above the Word of God, and using them to justify our own thoughts or actions. We can fall into the trap of using the Bible to prove that our revelation is correct, instead of proving the Bible with our revelation. This means that we use Scripture to validate our own ideas, rather than allowing Scripture to transform our thoughts and actions. We must ensure that our revelations align with the Word of God, rather than trying to make the Word of God align with our revelations.
- Praise & Worship: Believing that we need to sing or do something to be acceptable to God or to enter His presence, rather than recognizing that He is always with us and that our worship is a response to His love.
These idols can be subtle, but they can distract us from the true God and hinder our relationship with Him. Let’s examine our hearts and motives, and ensure that we are not creating idols in our lives.
