Comments on: Worship Service - Idolatry on Sunday Mornings

By: Chad

Chad — Fri, 09 May 2008 03:13:10 +0000

This makes a lot of sense to me, the more i think about it the more that i wonder what i truly worship. Many people struggle with the big idol of money, and i know i do really bad. There are so many little things that people do not understand is idolatry and i wish there was an easy way to point it out, or see that we are doing it.

i am glad that this was brought up and talked about, because there are so many people that need to hear this, and think much like i did and need to everyday. We need to figure out what we are worshipping and give those things to God, and worship God, and rely on him to give us those other things.

By: Ricky

Ricky — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:01:07 +0000

Hey,

I think the greater idols (eidolon) we can end up getting caught up with, are the conceptual idols we have, in our ideas (eidos) of the God we say we are worshipping. In the emergence of YHWH worship, the competitive God (ergo, the jealous God) dissappears, and El slips into the early history of the people of Judah/Israel. This new YHWH demands something different than worship, and rituals, and sacrifices. This YHWH is continually reminding the people, through the voice of the prophets, that he is sick of the incense and the rituals…the worship songs, and zealous prayers…what he wants is for his people to be hospitable to the stranger in their land, to be the voice for the oppressed, to look after the widows and orphans.

The tendency is for humanity to find comfort and security in the rituals, which do more for us than they do for God. It often becomes idolatry…worshiping our own ideas of who we think God is…the God who holds the ocean in the palms of his hand…who defies our human attempts to define him. The act of idolatry therefore happens long before the act of song-singing and praying…but gets carried into it.

Also, I think that children seek control generally, by rebelling against the authority of their parents (who essentially control nearly everything they do). The more controlling the parents, the more the child will rebel…and so, having some discussion with a child about idolatry and lying, sounds a little extreme.

Suffer the little children who do not shower…for it won’t kill them. More damage could be done with anti-idolatry polemics to little children, than acknowledging the controlling situation the child is rebelling against.

Unless we become like a child (who may or maynot shower) you will not taste the kingdom.

faith, hope and love

By: Lauren

Lauren — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:19:00 +0000

Wow! I guess I never really thought of something like this before today! How easy it is for me to get into the mindset of idolling something that I shouldn’t. There are so many things that distract me from doing what I know is right. As a human, its easy to get in that idolizing mindset and easy to deny it, but as a Christian, and after reading this article, I am finding myself stepping back and evaluating if I am idolizing something that I should not be doing, which I know i am. Now the real challenge is fixing it and breaking myself of the habit!

Thanks so much for your insight!

By: Krysten

Krysten — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:10:18 +0000

We foolishly think idols can provide for us what only God can give.
What truth is in that above statement. I often find myself whether on Sundays or not, following in the footsteps of unbelievers by idolzing things other than God. Whether it be money, clothes, food, etc. I sometimes try to make a fix for God and provide something in replace of Him. We sometimes base our value and worth on such things when really our worth comes from God and Him only. We are foolish in believing such things and it really does start here (with yourself). I know that I’m guilty of these things throughout my entire day. If I focused more on God and not so much on earthly and material things, than Idolatry would be more irrelevant than so.

By: Bob Kauflin

Bob Kauflin — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 12:44:23 +0000

Lindsey,

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your comment, but just wanted to say that while the Brennan Manning quote is right on, I wouldn’t recommend his writings on the whole. Some of his views on the Gospel, the church, and prayer are poorly worded at best, harmful and unbiblical at worst.

By: Catherine Alicia

Catherine Alicia — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:35:43 +0000

I see Idolatry as a problem not only on Sunday mornings, but a daily problem. Anytime, that we are finding our worth and value in something else we are forming an idol. This can be many things from appearance, success, power, money, relationships, possessions, etc. the list could go on…we all know that. I find myself too many times putting up idols, and before I know it I view my self as less because I am seeing worth in an idol, and not in the living and timeless God. How silly we are sometimes…how silly I am sometimes.

I agree with what you said to Erin. That sin comes out of us pursuing something else. That is so true even if it is ourselves that we are making into an idol.

By: Lindsey

Lindsey — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:42:58 +0000

Bob,
Thank you for your comments. Sometimes it is so easy for us to forget the strongholds that Satan has on us in this world. It is weird to think that we can make anything an idol, even not taking showers. It’s crazy to see the process of how a simple act can turn into a struggle for us. Just like your daughter, we start dishonoring God and have idols that we never believe we could have. I never really thought about a shower becoming an idol before, but after contemplating it, like I said before…anything can become an idol if we let it. My friend is reading Signature of Jesus by Brennan Manning and she shared with me a little bit from it on page 112, “Do you hunger for Jesus Christ?…To discern where you really are with the Lord, recall what saddened you the past week. Did you get depressed over lack of recognition, criticism from an authority figure, finances, lack of friends, fears about the future, your bulging waistline? What has gladdened you the past week? The joy of slowly praying, “Abba, Father”? Or were the sources of your joy a new car, a Brooks Brothers suit, a movie and a pizza, a trip to Paris or Peoria? Are you worshipping idols?” After reading your article, this excerpt came to mind. It reminds me that no matter who you are, no matter young or old, you have to keep your eyes set on Jesus or something so easy as showers can slip into something that is distracting to us. Going back to Sunday morning worship, I will have to agree with you that we hinder ourselves. It does rely upon our own hearts and how we have hungered for Jesus that week. Thank you for your words and causing me to think!

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 16:57:53 +0000

I think that there are very many distractions, or “idols” that can get in the way of corporate worship services. The intent of worship has to be in the person’s heart when they go to a worship service. We have to put away our worries and distractions, giving them up to God, which can in a way be a form of worship. We recognize God’s ability to take our distractions away and worship Him only.

By: Tara

Tara — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 01:45:10 +0000

It’s so true that our idolatry runs into our time with God on Sunday mornings. Not only do we throughout the week let our focus go elsewehere, our authority become something other than God himself, but at church on Sunday it’s almost funny, sad actually, that we try to blame it on other “things” other “people” for reasons why we are distracted in the service. It truly comes down to our own heart, what it is pursuing, and facing our own idolatry. I’m looking forward to reading the parts 2 and 3 after I post this…thank you though for you thoughts, challenges, and reminders.

By: Chris de Vidal

Chris de Vidal — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 16:18:28 +0000

One great thing I have learned from Ray Comfort is the proper use of the Ten Commandments, particularly in evangelism (yeah, that one shocked me too) but also in our everyday life to demonstrate to us our need for a savior. We are righteous in our own eyes until we have been broken by God’s holy Law: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Ooh that stings when we discover what the ‘other gods’ really are: control and pleasure, the worship experience itself, food, sex — any gift from God that is NOT God.

The Law of God confronts us with our need for a savior like nothing else can.

“The first duty of the Gospel preacher is to declare God’s Law and show the nature of sin.” — Martin Luther

“Ignorance of the nature and design of the Law is at the bottom of most religious mistakes.” — John Newton, who wrote “Amazing Grace”

“I do not believe that any man can preach the gospel who does not preach the Law.” — Charles Spurgeon

Check out Ray’s sermon “Hell’s Best Kept Secret,” it really rocked my world. Mostly Biblically accurate, though he proof texts a bit.