What are idols?

Idols are anything we place before God. Idols can be good things, but they are in improper order (place) before God. Idols can be superficial and glaringly obvious, or they can be insidious and deep. They may be commonplace and familiar things, yet their grip and distortions may run deep in our lives and cultures – distorting our ability to embody and reflect the image of God.

Each of the cultures we are going to go through in this devotional pervades our cultures, both secular and sacred. Their pervasiveness has led to the disregard for biblical wisdom & authority, the unchallenged inflation of the individual, the acceptance of fear-driven conversation, and the casualisation of sex. Cultures are dictated by convenience rather than a radical understanding of the cost of obedience and discipleship and an unchecked pursuit of the temporal over the eternal.

John Calvin writes that, “the human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols” (CI 1. 11.8). However, there is a remedy. Each day will feature two parts. The first is a diagnosis of the idol and its form in our culture. The second will describe the remedy – the kingdom habit that counters that idol.

The only way to combat idolatry is to identify and tear down the idols – to repent of our worship of them and begin to live an obedient life marked by the wisdom and the fruit of the Spirit that comes through habit. Habits, which form our behaviour, which form our character. As Peter encourages us, "Make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness” (2 Peter 1:5). The habit is like the middle road, not too much (excess) and not too little (deficit) – but a balanced life, focused on the truth, goodness, and beauty of God as our Creator and author of life. We are not simply focused on the avoiding of extremities.

We do not do this so that we may present this balanced life to God for salvation, but so that we may be more effective bearers of Christian character and spiritual fruit.

Prayer Point: Father, I thank you that as I study some of the different idols in this devotional, that you would help me to repent and remove them from the throne of my heart. I pray that you would give me the strength and wisdom to establish the kingdom habits that bring Christian character and spiritual fruit.