What does idolatry mean for modern day people

I am studying idolatry in it's subtle infringment on modern day lives, including my own. I am just wanting any insight that God may have given you that I haven't thought ofjubilee :-(

A comparison that I found incredibly interesting was one made by Paris Reidhead in his sermon "If Ye agree," which can be downloaded here on SI.He related ancient idolatry to what he saw as their modern-day equivalents. 1 John 2:16 speaks of lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life. Reidhead compares these to Baal worship, Asheroth worship, and Moloch worship, respectively. You should really listen to that message, because he relates this truth powerfully (as is typical of brother Reidhead's messages).This is not a deep statement, but I can say this (which I'm sure you'll hear from numerous other people): an idol is anything which takes precedence over God. Anything we put before God becomes an idol to us. In fact, Paul informs us that covetousness is idolatry (Colossians 3:5) So when we covet something, our affections are set on that thing too much, and it becomes an idol. I have never heard anyone preach this, but Paul did, and that's good enough for me.In short, if we put the Lord first in all that we do, we will not be counted idolaters.Exodus 20:2-3Matthew 6:33Mark 12:30Lord, make our eyes single for You! (Matthew 6:22)

hi, if i could just eliminate myself from this i could really go to town on this topic.... whatever you spend your money on more than your missions offering... golf,sports, cars, boats, travel, clothes, jewelry,shoes, hunting and fishing gear,houses,fine dining etc.....except for all you perfect folks.jimp :-P

Reidhead compares these to Baal worship, Asheroth worship, and Moloch worship, respectively.At the outset of this topic we might consider that not all false god's woo us with promises of happiness and charm for our affections...The idols listed above also ruled by good old fashioned fear. Their basic bargain was if you didn't offer such and such sacrifice then terrible things might happen to you.For instance Molech was a fire-god and many things were sacrificed to him by burning. Among the things offered in appeasement to the fires of Molech were young children. I do not believe parents did this out of love for Molech...they obeyed out of belief that Molech had power over them.Today, I think fear is an under rated idol. Yet many people today base all of their priorities on what they fear most. What is sneaky about fear driven idolatry is that we may honestly feel that God has all of the love in our hearts and yet we still worship other gods...not out of love for them, but out of fear and a sense of self preservation. Perhaps not giving all our fear and fears to God, and God alone is also idolatry. I don't doubt that many ancient Israelites were committing idolatry not because they were bedazzled and seduced into loving the popular idols...but because they felt they needed to cover their bases with the idols that were merciless and frightening to the "unwary". MC

Asheroth and Baal are tied in with sexual sins. Moloch seems to me to be a type of abortion. Also, prosperity is tied in with both Baal and Moloch.The worst part about these false gods was that they at times became accepted with Yahweh. Today, when idolatry is accepted by Christians it is just like when Solomon allowed temples to these gods to be built at Jerusalem where the temple of the Lord was at.Baal means lord of high places. High places were on the top of hills. They were places that were easily seen. There are high places today. Some are of God and some are not of God.The temple at Jerusalem was a high place that was appointed by God. Jesus said to shout it from the housetops. That is a high place of the heart. The high places of the heart today that are evil are things like praying to be seen of men. Blowing a trumpet, when giving an offering, is a high place. An outward appearance to be religious, when the heart is in sin, is a high place. Wanting the respect of men and being a mens pleaser is a high place of the heart that is evil. To allow sexual sins in the temple of God {our bodies} is idolatry. To live a life that loves the things of this world is idolatry.When the children of God were to go into the promised land they were to utterly defeat the gods of Canaan land. We are to do the same.

hi, i feel i owe you an explanation, when i was in bible college we had a missions conference wuth wayne meyers preaching. the Holy Spirit fell on the sunday morning service OFFERING and that offering lasted for hours. people went home and got golf clubs, boats,cars,furs,money set aside for family fun etc.... it was joyous... filled with laughter... God made it completely clear what idols were in those six hours.jimp

it was joyous... filled with laughter...God made it completely clear what idols were in those six hours That's a great testimony!

Perhaps not giving all our fear and fears to God, and God alone is also idolatry.Great point, MC.Jeremiah 10:6-7 "Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great am thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations, for to thee doth it appertain..."Fear belongs to God and none other. But most of the world has no fear of Him before their eyes (Psalm 36:1). We are told repeatedly not to fear, except for when it comes to the Lord.I agree; anything that you fear other than the King of nations is an idol for you.

It might also be beneficial to look at what is behind idolatry. I believe Paul gives us some great insight into its roots in Romans 1...Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (Rom 1:21-23)It appears then that idolatry is the result of looking for God in the one place He will never be found, the corrupt passions of our hearts. When people can't find Him there then they tend not to seek anywhere else. These vain imaginations lead to the more subtle idols such as have been mentioned already or ultimately into the grossest idolatry such as Paul spoke of. Verse 21 seems to sum it up well; all people have at least some knowledge of God, and failure to do what we know (and glorify God) leads to vain imaginations, darkened hearts and idolatry.In Christ,Ron

I remember a very good friend of mine preaching and saying that an idol was anything that took the place of God in our lives - belongings, cars, hobbies, people, husbands, wives, children, friends, homes, etc. God had to be the first in our lives; everything else came second.Idolatry was one reason why the Jews went into exile. God said in Exodus 20 v 3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me". And this command has not been changed for modern man! Sue

The bottom line--anything that you love more than you love God is in idol in your life.

I agree with all that has been written on this thread and now would like to share my understanding of this subject. I, too, have been thinking a lot about this recently, believing moderns are more caught up with this then we want to believe. The first of the ten commandments tells us: Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Hence all sins commemce with the failure to observe this one. Now to understand what this means we need to apply the law of first mention. Go to the garden of Eden where Eve was being tempted. The serpent was tempting Eve by getting her to question God's word: Gen. 3:1: "Yea, hath God said?" Then he contradicted God's word "ye shall not surely die for God doeth know that in the day ye eat thereof , then your eyes will be opened and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil." v. 4,5. In this case God's word was being displaced by the serpents' as the source from whom one receives direction. This is idoltry: displacing God's word for what he has expressly spoken for another whether it be my own opinion or anothers'.ginnyrose