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Idolatry is one of the most consistently condemned sins in Scripture. The first two of the Ten Commandments prohibit having other gods and making idols (Exodus 20:3–4). In the New Testament, Paul expands the definition: idolatry is not just bowing to statues but placing anything — money, comfort, reputation, relationships — above God. Colossians 3:5 calls greed itself a form of idolatry. The human heart, as John Calvin observed, is an idol factory.
"You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below."
"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."
"Dear children, keep yourselves from idols."
"All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless."
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
Tim Keller defines an idol as 'anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.' Modern idols include career success, romantic relationships, financial security, social approval, and even family. The test is: What do I think about most? What am I most afraid to lose?
Yes. Paul wrote to the church at Corinth — believers — warning them to 'flee from idolatry' (1 Corinthians 10:14). John closed his first epistle to believers with 'keep yourselves from idols' (1 John 5:21). Idolatry is not just a pre-Christian problem; it is a constant temptation of the human heart that requires ongoing vigilance.
Identifying idols involves asking: What do I worry about most? What would devastate me if I lost it? What do I sacrifice other things for? Removing idols requires repentance, replacing the idol with God (not just removing it), and cultivating a deeper love for God through Scripture, prayer, and community (Matthew 22:37–38). Fasting can also help expose what controls us.