I have already written on the subject of Christian Idolatry in a pervious post called ‘God Is…’ In it I exposed humanisms effect to create idolatry in the church by basing all things on the idea that everything is about man’s happiness. In that same article I also presented that there must be some other reason or purpose that we must embrace to avoid idolatry.
Before we begin to explore this we need to ask a question. In fact everyone needs to ask this question: Is God a means or an ends to you? If everything is about man’s happiness then that is the end and God and relationship with God is merely a means to that end. I must point out then that even the worship of God could be idolatrous if it is about your happiness. Essentially, you are worshiping your own interests and using God as a means to gain those interests.
But what does it take for God to be an end himself? It takes complete self-sacrifice and there is only one example of this in all of history – Jesus Christ. Jesus himself stated that he did this for the glory of the Father. The only way for God to be an end for your life and not a means is to follow the example of Christ and do all for the glory of God.
Now I hear you skeptics. God is not concerned about his glory you would say. Firstly, I think there are many Scriptures that indeed say this is the purpose of man – most clearly is 1 Corinthians 10:31 – “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do ALL to the glory of God.” There are many verses and passages that say much the same thing.
The second thing I would say in response is that you definition of glory is not the same as God’s. When we think of glory; we think of accolades and honors being poured on us. But God’s definition of Glory is ‘holy and righteous’. It is more simply put but Solomon: “The conclusion, when all has been heard is: fear God and keep His commandments…” In addition, Jesus added motive when he tells us to love God and our neighbor. Loving God is reverence and obedience becomes the act of giving glory to God. It is about honoring his name and our relationship with Him through our attitude and actions for His name’s sake. To really do this requires identification with the only one who ever succeeded in doing this perfectly – Jesus Christ.
Jesus himself told us what is required to identify with Him: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” I used to believe that this was for more mature believers that had reached some level of maturity that they wanted to be special disciples of Jesus, but then I realized that is not what it says. If anyone wants to follow Christ AT ALL they must do this. In other words if a person does not do this they are not Christ’s disciple. Jesus is laying out the minimum requirements for being his disciple and they are stiff.
1) Self-denial: To give up ones life for the sake of Christ. In effect to give up all rights and privileges in this world for the sake of Christ is the meaning here. Commitment is all or nothing right out the gate.
2) Take up one’s cross everyday: To identify with the death of Christ. When a man took up a cross he wasn’t coming back to his old life. He was a walking dead man.
3) Follow Christ: To walk in identification with Jesus’ path to death for the glory of the Father. Glory that is not about accolades or pride but is about lifting up the name of God for a dying world to see.
How this changes everything, because the force of idolatry can have no place in a people with such an attitude. Nothing is about their happiness; everything is about the glory of God. Everything is about identification with Christ in attitude and action.
This is what it means to worship God in Spirit and in truth. This is what prevents any force of idolatry from entering a Christians’ relationship with God. It is also the only way to do it.
