Idolatry and Materialism
Most people would say idol worship is almost non-existent today, especially in modern western civilizations. After all, people don’t bow down to statues anymore, or do they? It is rare to see anyone bow down to a statue, or offer prayers and burn incense to a figurine, at least not in our part of the world, but that doesn’t discount that idolatry is more prevalent today than in past generations. In this episode of Stewardship Leader, we discuss what modern idolatry and materialism look like, how to recognize it, and, most importantly, how to resist it.
Notes
Materialism: a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values.
Idolatry: extreme admiration, love, or reverence for something or someone.
Who or what we worship - today, we may not bow to wood, stone, or gold images, but there’s still plenty of bowing going on.
Relationships - When we do things for the approval of people, spouse, kids, or peers, we make people into our “god”, because we desire their approval and acceptance above God’s will and acceptance.
Possessions - We make idols out of things that bring us comfort. Things like, entertainment, healthy retirement accounts, creature comforts like food, luxury habits, and forms of escapism like TV, movies, gaming, etc. Idolatry has not ceased, it just took on different forms like:
Credit Cards
Trusting in people (doctors, pastors, bankers, etc.)
False comforters (food, drugs, alcohol, relationships, entertainment, shopping.)
THE DANGERS OF IDOLATRY AND MATERIALISM (1 JOHN 2:15-17)
1 John 2:15-17 “15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”
Love for other things crowd out the love for God - A true commitment to God puts us at odds with the world. We cannot serve God wholeheartedly and also love and pursue money or the things that money can buy.
Lust of the Flesh - a craving for self-gratification which always leads to broken relationships.
Lust of the Eyes - greedy longings of the mind, often leading to acts of covetousness.
Pride of Life - assurance of one’s own resources or in the stability of earthly things. Being self-sufficient instead of God-reliant.
Overcoming idolatry and materialism in a sensual and materialistic world.
Create a list (inventory) of possessions or people that may be potential idols in your life - things you give more value to than God.
Confess and repent. Then, recommit your life and allegiance to God.
Model what resisting and breaking idols in your life looks like.