"The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us; just as the roof of a sunhouse does not attract the sun because it is bright, but becomes bright because the son shines on it." C.S. Lewis
I watched a great sermon yesterday by Mark Driscoll on idolatry vs. worship. In it he argues that we are all worshipers of something. He defines true worship as occurring when our focus is on the Creator while idolatry is defined by worshiping creation.
He pointed out that we all can easily become idolaters when we allow "good-things to become god-things; and that's a bad thing." He also points out that when we idolize something, we are often led to demonize others in order to justify our position. Idolatry, Driscoll points out, is more than the love of money, power, and position...sometimes it can be the worshiping of family, marriage, sex, relationships, politics, sports...anything that consumes our time, energy, finances, or emotions. Idolatry is giving the world/creation what rightly belongs to God the Creator (glory).
He concludes by looking at leaders within churches, and how they can fall prey to "ministry idolatry." Here are some of the convicting examples he gives:
Attendance Idolatry – Does your joy change when your attendance/giving changes?
Gift Idolatry – Do you feel God uses you because you are so skilled?
Truth Idolatry – Do you consider yourself more righteous than the ‘simple Christian’ because of your knowledge/experience?
Fruit Idolatry – Do you point to your successes as God’s approval of you?
Tradition Idolatry – Are you more committed more to traditions than for Christ?
Method Idolatry – Do you worship your method as your mediator?
Officer Idolatry – Are you motivated by your title?
Success Idolatry – Do you desire to ‘win’?
Ministry Idolatry – Do you walk with God only to help your ministry?
Innovative Idolatry – Does it matter that your ministry be considered unique or creative?
Leader Idolatry – Who other than Christ are you imaging?
“First requirement of the Gospel is repentance. Anyone who doesn’t repent is a heretic.” J.I. Packer
The below video of Dricoll's message can also be viewed HERE
Romans 1:25 "they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator"
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