Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Flee from Idolatry

Intro.

1. Idolatry is still alive and well in this world.

2. Jesus was tempted with idolatry and so are we, Matt. 4:8-10.

3. Cannot have fellowship with idols and Lord at the same time, 1 Cor. 10:14-22.

4. What idolatry is (its development and a test for it), and some of the elements of idolatry.

I. IDOLATRY: MORE COMMON THAN WE THINK.

A. Definition: Service to and Worship of that which takes the Place of the Living God in One’s Life. (false gods)

1. Before and rather than God: Worship/Serve, Exo. 20:1-5.

2. Idolater: “A servant, worshipper...of idols”, Moulton, 117.

3. Idolater trusts in his idol, Psa. 115:8.

B. The Development of Idolatry, Rom. 1:18-25.

-Sociologists/Anthropologists call it “upward movement”

“In an age when the study of religion was practically confined to Judaism and Christianity, idolatry was regarded as a degeneration from an uncorrupt primeval faith, but the comparative and historical investigation of religion has shown it to be rather a stage of an upward movement, and that by no means the earliest” (1911 Encyclopedia Britannica, "Idolatry").

1. Born out of rejection of God’s truth and His presence, 1:18-20.

2. Unthankful elevation of human wisdom (self), 1:21-23.

3. Feeds on fleshly lusts, 1:24-27.

4. Ends in a depraved mind, 1:28-32.

II. IDOLATRY BEGINS IN THE HEART, PRODUCING IDOLATROUS ACTIONS IN LIFE. Isa. 44:18-20

-Attitudes that elevate self, things and people - correspondingly diminish the true God in our lives.

A. Not Just Homage to a Graven Image, 2 Tim. 3:1-5.

-Lovers (fond) of self, money and pleasure rather than lovers (fond) of God. Homage paid to these things!

B. Test for Idolatry: Does it have 1^st place in your life? Does it put God and Christ 2^nd (or lower)? Deut. 6:13; Matt. 4:10; 22:37-38

1. Self, Lk. 9:23 (2 Tim. 3:2).

2. Another person: Do I please him/her before and instead of pleasing God? Matt. 10:37

3. Time: How much time involved? Eph. 5:16

4. Money: How much of your resources does it consume? 1 Tim. 6:10

5. Conversation: Do you talk about it all the time?

6. Goals: Is it the center of your life; most important? Matt. 6:33

7. A matter of life and death: It is all-consuming?

8. Beware - “Be Aware!” 1 Jno. 5:21

III. ELEMENTS OF IDOLATRY.

A. The Flesh (work and lust of), Gal. 5:20; 1 Cor. 10:7.

1. A consuming desire to please fleshly pursuits turns us from the true God to false gods.

2. Serving fleshly pleasures (worldliness and immorality) is equivalent to idolatry, Titus 3:3 (slave, servant)

3. Love of self rather than God leads to the corruption of the flesh, Rom. 1:22-25.

B. Stubbornness of Heart, 1 Sam. 15:22-23.

1. Rejected word of God (v. 3), unwilling to obey (v. 9), hardening (rationalization, v. 13-15).

2. Whenever our will is more important than God’s we have become / joined hands with idolaters.

C. Covetousness, Col. 3:5 (Eph. 5:5).

1. Greedy desire to have more; lust to have what is another’s / Deprive them.

2. The object of one’s desire becomes the thing worshipped and served, Lk. 12:15; 1 Tim. 6:6-10 (Job 1:21).

D. Enslavement, Gal. 4:8-9.

-One is enslaved to the depraved ideas one’s idol represents:

1. Money -- Power / prestige / possessions.

2. Pleasure -- Fleshly lusts.

3. Self -- Self-determination (forget God).

Conclusion

1. Whenever God’s people practice idolatry they become a derision before the nations, Exo. 32:25.

2. Flee idolatry: Be on guard against it, 1 Cor. 10:14; 1 Jno. 5:21.