Flee Idolatry

Idolatry is not something that we give much thought to these days. In fact, one is tempted to relegate the notion of idolatry to those times and places where people lived in ignorance and worshiped golden calves. The problem is that people still live in ignorance. Our society today is growing increasingly ignorant concerning the true and living God. We are like those described in Romans 1:28–– "... since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind..."

And when we refuse the knowledge of God, we quickly replace him with something else. It may not be a golden calf, although there are many who worship gold in all its forms. But our replacement for God could be anything. Anything other than God can be an idol. Even good things can be an idol. Sometimes they are the most dangerous idols because they seem so good and right.

Anything, even very good things, can become idols when we allow them to take the place of God–– the place of first allegiance. And whatever holds that place of first allegiance in our lives is what we worship. What do you worship?

Some people worship material things. They are always thinking about what they want to buy. The multibillion-dollar advertising industry in this country feeds this desire. We’re developing a society of shop-aholics. There are even entire cable channels devoted to shopping.

Some people worship pleasure. And here I’m not talking simply about those who are earnest hedonists. There are certainly those who desire to live lives of excessive self-indulgence, who never miss a chance to party. You may think that you are exempt because you don’t live like that. But there are many ways to indulge the flesh–– like when people sleep in on Sunday mornings, or always choose what pleases them instead of God.

Some people worship their children. Everything in their lives revolves around keeping their children happy. But many parents, while they spend incredible amounts of time and energy catering to their children, never succeed in imparting anything of eternal significance to them. They neglect their own spiritual lives in the process. And when that day comes, as it always does, when those children say goodbye and leave the nest, those parents look at the shell of a purposeless life they have left and simply don’t know what to do next.

This is why idolatry is so deadly. It substitutes for God that which can never satisfy. It robs us of our spiritual life as we settle for shadows. As we look at the text before us, we may be surprised, even shocked, at the truth concerning the practical implications of our own idolatry.

We have already discussed something of the reality of idolatry. The fact that the apostle Paul gives us such a succinct and stern warning speaks to the ubiquitous nature of idolatry. And as we have already stated, idolatry is not simply some backwoods bowing before a rock or tree. Idolatry is allowing anything but God first place in our lives, intentionally or unintentionally. When we do, we put ourselves in a very dangerous position.

The only response that is acceptable for the Christian is given in one word–– flee! Back off. Turn around. Run away. Leave now. Scram. Move. Get out-a-there! This is the sense of Paul’s command. It is imperative for us to put as much distance between us and idolatry as we possibly can. You see, this is serious business, and the Lord knows how serious and potentially devastating this can be. That is why we have such a forceful warning. Flee! Flee idolatry!

And the reasons for this are found in the illustrations he gives us in the following verses:

Paul uses the illustrations of the Lord’s Table and the sacrifices made on the altars in Israel. The temptation as you read this is to get lost in the details and overanalyze the text. Don’t miss the use he makes of the words participation and partake. What he is driving home is the point that we become partakers in the substance behind the symbol when we, as believers, identify with the Lord. We enter into a fellowship, a koinonia, the Greek word for a common sharing together.

Both the Lord’s Table and the altar were themselves symbolic. In the Old Testament sacrificial altar, we have a representation of the sacrifice for sins that would be given in the person of Jesus Christ. The entire sacrificial system was a picture of what would be fulfilled in Jesus Christ. So also the Lord’s Table is a picture. It is a symbolic representation of the sacrifice of Christ. It, in itself, is not the sacrifice. We do not believe in the theory of transubstantiation, which claims that the bread and wine actually become in substance the body and blood of Jesus Christ, even though their appearance remains the same. What is often forgotten is that when Jesus instituted the Lord’s Table it was before his crucifixion. When he gave them the bread and called it his body, it was no more literally his body then, than it is today. It is clear that Jesus intended for it to symbolize his body. When we participate in communion today, it is an act of worship and remembrance. It is a picture to remind us of the death of Christ.

But it also needs to be said that just as some have made more of the Lord’s Table than they should have, so have many overreacted in the opposite direction and made far too little of it than it is. When we come to the Lord’s Table, we do enter into a participation of the substance behind the symbol. This is the point Paul is making here. This is why Christians should flee idolatry. We have been made partakers of Christ. We have identified with him. Therefore we should never identify with or worship anything less. Because when we do, we participate in the substance behind the shadow we are worshiping. You see, those lesser gods we substitute for the true God are also symbols of a spiritual reality.

There is a deceptive nature to idolatry. It is not what it seems to be. The devil has been in the business of deceiving people from the very beginning. When he came to Eve in the Garden of Eden, he painted a beautiful picture of how wonderful it would be if she indulged herself. He deceived her by not telling her the real consequences of her actions. In fact, he told her that God had lied to her about the consequences. The devil would like to have us believe that sin is no big deal.

But sin is a big deal. In fact, it is demonic. There is an unseen spiritual reality behind all sinful behavior. It is the reality of the demonic. Sin is diabolical in nature. And when we engage in sinful behavior, we open our lives up to demonic activity. We give the devil a foothold in our lives. We can laugh about sinful activity, and pretend that it’s no big deal; after all, everybody’s doing it. We can mock those narrow and prudish people who make a big deal out of sin. And I’m sure we could find lots of people to agree with us. But one person will not–– God.

He knows the consequences of sin and idolatry. It is deadly. It will destroy our relationship with Jesus Christ. It will sap us of our spiritual life. It will rob us of our joy. It will open us up to the activity of the powers of darkness. It is deadly. That is why we are told to flee. How many people have been laid low by the deceptive, demonic, and deadly nature of contemporary idolatry? We need to tear down our idols before they possess us. Flee idolatry.

How do we think God will react? Do we think God simply shrugs his shoulders and says, "Oh well, sinners will be sinners"? If we do, we’re mistaken. And we are given a clear warning to that effect. It is as if Paul is saying, "What do you think you are doing? Are you trying to make God mad? Are you trying to pick a fight with God, as if you are strong enough to defeat him?"

God is a jealous God. He loves us with a passionate love. He desires for us to be totally his. And just as you would be extremely jealous if your mate showed an interest in someone else, so God is jealous of us when our allegiance is divided.

Think about what God has invested in our salvation. It took nothing less than the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the Cross to purchase our salvation. And that was no small sacrifice. Because of God’s great love for us, Jesus bore our sins in himself on the Cross. He suffered the humiliation of the Cross. He suffered the torture of crucifixion. And he also suffered the spiritual agony of being cut off from the Father.

Considering all that God has done to purchase our salvation and to bring us into a right relationship with himself, how could we imagine that he would not jealously desire our pure and unbroken fellowship? He desires for us to be totally his. And when we are unfaithful to him by substituting other things and lesser things, his passion is stirred up and his anger is kindled. Our God is a jealous God and our sin stirs up his righteous wrath.

Paul warns us not to trifle with God. After all, are we stronger than he? Absolutely not! If we are trying to pick a fight with someone, it should probably be someone other than God. So we are urged to consider our course of action. After all, God cares for us. He proved that in the death of Jesus Christ. Our motivation ought to be a passionate desire for an intimate relationship with him—the one who loved us and gave himself for us.

Idolatry still rears its ugly head among Christians today. But it is as destructive today as it ever has been. And far too many of us take it far too lightly. The result is a loss of power and a diminishing of our fellowship with God. Both Christians and churches are anemic because we do not take seriously this command to flee idolatry.

What can we do? How can we deal with the insidious nature of idolatry? Well, we can begin by asking God to search our hearts. We can ask God to show us anything in our lives that we put before him. We can ask him to show us the deadly effects this has had in our lives. And then we can do some serious repenting. Remember that repentance means that we have both a godly sorrow for our sin and a godly determination to turn away from it.

I believe that when we get serious in our striving against sin we will experience the blessing of God like never before.

The Lord has clearly given us the command to flee from idolatry. And we must remember that with every command given by God comes the power to obey the command. God will never ask you to do anything that he does not give you the power to do. You see, God’s commands are not a demand upon you, but upon him. Our part is to take a step of faith. His part is to give us everything we need.

Copyright © 2004 J. David Hoke. This data file is the sole property of the copyright holder and may be copied only in its entirety for circulation freely without charge. All copies of this data file must contain the above copyright notice.

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