“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

                                                                      Exodus 20:3

From the very beginning, God has made it clear that He alone is to be worshipped. When we think of idols, we may be tempted to think of the metal or wooden statues of ancient times. We may even think of all the false gods worshipped in other religions around the world today, but what many Christians fail to realize is that idols aren’t always physical, tangible objects, an idol is anything that we worship instead of God. Some common idols of our modern culture include money, relationships, and prestige. So how do these idols keep us from God?

First, we have to understand the reason why God forbids idolatry and the reason is this: He is the only one who is worthy of our praise. He formed the universe and everything in it, including all of humanity. While we are certainly meant to enjoy all the blessings He has given us, we must be careful not to make these things the center of our devotion. We can get so caught up in the goodness of life that we forget the source of all things good – Jesus. Everything in creation is meant to point us to His majesty, His sovereignty, and His worthiness. It is meant to help us see God’s grace and follow His plan for our lives. To treat creation as most important a slap in the face to the Creator Himself.

If we’re not careful, we can even make idols out of seemingly innocent things, like our families, loved ones, or personal passions. Of course, it’s good to spend time with our families and pursue our interests, but when we put those things before God, we are severely missing the point. Idolatry is fundamentally about where our hearts are. It involves choosing something other than God to take His place and priority in our lives. In Romans 1:21, the Apostle Paul says of the idolaters: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were they thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” As believers, we know who God is. We know what He has done for us, and so we should never give anyone – or anything – else the honor He is due.

Finally, idolatry is not only offensive to God, but also destructive to ourselves. Jonah 2:8 says, “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” When we put our faith in Christ, we receive steadfast love and hope that can’t be found anywhere else. He alone can give us the eternal life and fulfillment that we were created for. Worshipping other things will only leave us empty. Wealth, power, and pleasure will never placate us. That’s why God is urging us to turn from these vain pursuits, to tear down these idols, and to seek Him first. For only then will we be truly satisfied.

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