Heart Idolatry

Barry Webb, professor at Moore College in Sydney Australia, writes; “Idolatry is the worst sin of all, because it moves God to the periphery of our lives and puts something else in his place. It gives to something else the glory that should be God’s alone. Chameleon-like, it constantly disguises itself so that we are scarcely aware of its presence, even when we are most in the grip of it. Greed, Paul tells us, is idolatry, because it turns us away from God towards things, and makes the pursuit of them the passion of our lives. The modern world is no less given over to idolatry than the ancient one; it is just that its cruder forms were more prevalent then”
The Message of Isaiah, pg 180, (Downers Grove, IVP, 1996).

Webb is right. Paul David Tripp gives us an even more insightful definition. “An idol of the heart is anything that rules me other than God. As worshiping beings, human beings always worship someone or something. This is not a situation where some people worship and some don’t. If God isn’t ruling my heart, someone or something else will. It is the way we were made”
Instruments In the Redeemers Hands, pg 66 (Phillipsburg, P&R, 2002).

What rules you...fear for your children, lust for acceptance, selfish ambition? Instead, lets obey Paul's clear command, "Flee from idolatry" (1 Cor 10:14).

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