4 Things Christians Need To Know About Idolatry

Throughout Israel’s history, everything went well when the people remained faithful to God. However, things always started to deteriorate whenever people turned to idols.

We may feel far from idol worship today, but this isn’t the case. In the modern world, our idols simply take on new shapes.

This article will discuss four things Christians need to know about idolatry.

What does idolatry mean?

One misconception about idolatry is that it consists entirely of worshipping material possessions or other gods. However, the official definition of idolatry is “the extreme worship of idols or excessive devotion to or reverence for some person or thing.” 

The Bible describes idolatry as a heathen practice imported into Hebrew society by contact with heathen nations. Idol worship was very serious to God, considering it’s the first of the Ten Commandments, “I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not have strange Gods before me.”

The first evidence of idolatry is recorded in Genesis 31:19 when Rachel steals her father’s teraphim — a teraphim being small images or cult objects used as domestic deities or oracles by ancient Semitic peoples.

In Egypt, idolatry consumed Hebrews during their extended stay. This sin caused God to become very angry with them. It wasn’t until many years later that the people were finally set free from this sin.

Today’s idolatry differs from religious worship of false gods, idols, or images. During the modern era, our idols have become more diverse. When a person idolizes something, it reveals itself in many ways.

Idolatry examples in the Bible

The covenant between God and Israel was always based on worshipping Him alone. 

The Israelites weren’t allowed to mention the names of false gods, as this would lead to acknowledgment of their existence, thereby attesting to their power and influence. In addition, the Israelites were forbidden to marry non-Israelite people, whether Jews, Romans, or Greeks who worshiped false gods, since God understood its effect on His influence. 

The book of Hosea uses adultery as an image to depict Israel’s longing for other gods, like the pursuit of unfaithful spouses for other partners.

Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets constantly warned Israelites that grave consequences would follow if they continued to worship false idols. The nation suffered God’s wrath because the prophets were ignored. Although forms of idol worship continued into the New Testament, it was greatly reduced by then. 

Scripture teaches that God alone is deserving of worship. Worshipping idols robs God of His glory, and it’s something He’ll never accept. 

However, our God is merciful and never fails to forgive and restore when His people repent and seek His forgiveness. God alone holds power to take away idols’ influence in the minds of those who worship them.

The Heavenly Father deserves all of our devotional attention. Our responsibility, then, is to prepare ourselves with God’s full armor so we won’t become tempted.

Things to know about idolatry

Now that we clearly understand idolatry, here are four different forms of idolatry in today’s day and age.

Idolatry is greed in disguise

While money is essential in this world for survival, becoming obsessed with accruing too much of it can be dangerous.

Colossians 3:5 describes greed as a form of idolatry. 

Greed is defined in the dictionary as “intense selfish desire” for something. Greed is the root of all kinds of evil in the Bible. It’s listed among the negative characteristics of the unrighteous. The feeling of greed causes ruin, provokes conflict, eats away gratitude, and provokes conflict with others. 

We create an idol when something becomes more important than God or serving Him. Eventually, greed enslaves us without providing the fulfillment we need spiritually. Money has no bearing on whether you’re rich or poor in spirit. In our culture, much attention is paid to pursuing money and material possessions, like a golden calf.

When we trust our greed more than God, we’re truly lost.

Entertainment can be a form of idolatry

Today, we’re obsessed with being entertained. Whether you watch television, go to amusement parks, or play video games, all of this can become an idol if you consume too much of it. 

There’s nothing wrong with entertainment itself, as with the other real-life idols of our time. In fact, positive effects can result from it. Whenever our lives become obsessed with seeking entertainment and chasing the best experiences we can find, it becomes an idol.  

As humans with limited time on this earth, time is the most valuable thing we can have. Whenever we use our time for useless gluttony of entertainment, our time is needlessly wasted. 

Social media addiction is idolatry

The smartphone addiction trend is growing at an alarming rate. In particular, this is true for the Gen Z and Millennial generations, but it isn’t restricted to them. 

Our lives are becoming more dependent on our phones as the world slowly moves toward greater online connectivity. Sadly, such an online presence is becoming an idol for many.

Social media and our phones aren’t the true problems — it’s the value we attach to them. Our lives will never be fulfilled if they revolve around how many likes we receive and how many followers we have. 

Any object in our life that’s more important than God is an idol and should therefore be reevaluated. 

Idols can’t give what God provides

In each case, idols of any type -- physical, intangible, or both — receive passive love and worship. Furthermore, these false gods will never have the power to save their worshippers. 

On the other hand, our true God offers steadfast love and gives Himself to those who search for Him. Our God powerfully helps us when we call on Him in our times of need. 

God addresses idolatrous people in the Bible, saying, “You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in his hand your life and all your ways” (Daniel 5:23). 

In contrast, God is all-seeing, while idols are blind. An idol is powerless in the face of God, who is all-powerful and all-knowing.

Worship only God

In recent history, we have greatly comforted ourselves. 

People and products promise to simplify and add comfort to your life every day. But unfortunately, extreme comfort can cause us to focus on idols and material possessions instead of what truly matters.

In Christianity, the narrative is very different. Jesus tells his followers they’ll face persecution, challenges, and trials. Our only hope of overcoming them all lies in God alone.

For more about idolatry, download the PRAY app in the iOS App Store or Google Play.