“You shall have no other gods before me.”
YHWH’s words to the Israelites at the beginning of the 10 commandments. Though we are under the New Covenant and not the 10 commandments, God still deserves to be first. But is He? Do I have other gods before the true and living God? How would I know? Here are 6 questions to help you decide if you have something in the place of God.
6 Questions to Determine Who is Your God
1. Do you bow down before and pray to any statues?
Okay, this is the obvious one. If you have a statue or an icon that you bow before offering up prayers, chances are you’re an idolater.
At this point I want to quit. I’ve checked the house, don’t see any golden statues. Haven’t offered any prayers to Baal or Ahstoreth lately. Check! I’m not an idolater. But wait, maybe there doesn’t have to be an actual statue. Colossians 3:5 says covetousness is idolatry. And Philippians 3:19 talks about people whose god is their belly. Maybe we need to dig deeper. Here are 5 more questions to help us be a tad more honest about this.
2. Where do I take refuge?
This one hurts. When I’m sad, where do I go? When I’m angry what do I do? When I’m happy, how do I celebrate? This question comes from Psalm 18. God is to be my rock, my refuge, my strong and mighty tower. Do I go to Him? Or do I hit the freezer for a pint of frozen consolation? Do I spend some money on new clothes, new gadgets, new house furnishings? Or do I take refuge in a person, thinking they can fix my problems? (There is a difference between taking refuge in God by relying on God’s people and simply taking refuge in people because we’ve made them our gods.)
3. Who or what do I think has the power to bless me and provide me happiness?
This question comes from Matthew 5:3-11 and Ephesians 1:3-14. God is the fount of blessing. So what do I think is the fount of my blessing? Is money my fount of blessing? Do I think it will protect me and provide me happiness? Is my hope set in it? What about a relationship? Am I fixated and obsessed with a certain friend or relationship thinking my life would be over if that relationship ended? Do I think life would be good if I just had a new car, a new set of clothes, an iPad 2, new curtains, new carpet, a new house…? Do I think sex is going to make everything better? Or maybe just sex with someone different? To whom or what do I turn in order to find blessing and happiness?
4. Who am I trying to please or whose approval am I seeking?
Jesus said He always tried to do what was pleasing to His father (John 8:29). Ephesians 5:10 says we should try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. But, in John 12:42, many of the authorities believed in Jesus but wouldn’t confess Him because they didn’t want to be put out of the synagogue. That is, they wanted the approval of the religious leaders. The religious leaders had become their god. Who am I trying to please? Whose approval am I desperately seeking? Do I run myself into the ground so others will think I’m something special? Do I continue in something I know isn’t right because I don’t want to upset my parents, professors, preachers, or peers? Do I bite my tongue because I’m afraid if I say how I really feel or tell the truth I think someone like my spouse, my kids, my friends, my parents, my brethren won’t like me, and above all, they have to like me?
5. Who or what am I chasing?
Matthew 6:33 says I should seek God’s kingdom and righteousness first. Is that what I spend my time seeking? Or am I chasing accolades of men in sports competitions first? Am I making sure to get my retirement in line first? Am I seeking fame and influence first? Am I chasing women? Am I chasing men? Am I chasing pleasure? Am I chasing the easy life? Am I chasing money and material goods? What am I chasing?
6. What do I dream about?
What are my fantasies? What do I lie awake at night hoping will happen? What was I thinking about when I was shaken back into the moment of reality? What is so important to me that it occupies my subconscious thinking and comes out in fantasies and dreams? (Don’t be too hard on yourself with this one, the subconscious is a crazy thing. But at the same time, don’t be too permissive with yourself here either. What is occupying your mind?)
Spend some time with these questions. Don’t be afraid of the answers. We can only put the true and living God first when we’ve identified His competitors.
What gods do you think people often put before the true and living God? How do you know? To add your input, click the following link: Click Here.
Okay, Brother…now you’re meddlin’. Stay out of my freezer.
Seriously, this one hits the big focus of our lives. I wanted to quit after your first point, too, but God would not have us quit searching for Him and Him alone (Acts 17:24-31). He has created us so that we should seek Him, grope for Him, and find Him.
My problem is that I need to stay out of my freezer.
Wow… exactly what I needed to read. It didn’t feel nice, but the Truth hurts many times. I’m thankful to God for this self-examination. I pray the Lord destroy these worthless idols of mine: I seek men’s approval, I seek comfort in food, I constantly want ease… the list continues. O wretch that I am! Lord, please help me!!
Thanks for your encouragement. I’m glad this was helpful.
Not sure if this is idolatry but I really really enjoy video games. I don’t think there are many other things that I enjoy nearly as much (I don’t watch tv at all, no movies, I even despise secular music – sorry) so regarding everything else I’m pretty much clean but the thought that because I love playing Call of Duty I might be an unregenerate, hellbound idolater is in my mind for a week now. I can’t go on like this. My limits just keep moving. I believe I was called by Jesus 9 months ago but right not I’m not sure if that was even real. I don’t know what to do. I would say that it’s just a video game but my heart keeps telling me that either they are out or God will leave me forever… I will not give up on Him. I wish this was easier. God, have mercy on me.
Good thoughts.
Please keep in mind that enjoying something is different from letting it be an idol. I don’t know anything about “Call of Duty,” so I can’t comment on whether or not it is appropriate for a Christian to play. I’ll just stick to the amount of time spent playing any video game or watching TV or whatever else might be stepping into the role of idol. My suggestion is to put some limits on yourself. Let yourself play for a set period of time each day. If you find that you simply cannot abide by the limitations, you might have a problem. I don’t know if it makes you “an unregenerate, hellbound idolater,” but it may mean you need to take some drastic measures like simply cutting it out of your life altogether. Get rid of the game so you can’t play it at all. Remember Jesus words in Matthew 5:29-30. If playing video games is keeping you from connecting to God and glorifying Him in your life, then cut it off.For some things to think about, you might want to consider a couple of articles I wrote for the Franklin Church of Christ in Franklin, TN a few years ago. They don’t deal with video games but with similar issues and time management.Go to http://franklinchurchofchrist.com/?page_id=443 then look under the alphabetical headings for:”Confessions of a TV Junkie”&”Confessions of an Internet Junkie”I hope this is helpful.
I have just, well not just realized that money is an issue for me. I’ve always worked. I have MS and I can longer drive or work. So I am no longer contribute to the house hold. It seems that since I’m no longer working we never have enough money for anything extra, and we’re trying to put our son through college. Since, there isn’t much I can do I don’t know what to do. My husband tells me we’re in the situation we’re in because of my lack of faith. I’m confused. It’s not that I don’t have faith it’s just coming slow. I don’t know I mean you need money to live, but we never have any.
Hey Dawn, sorry I missed this earlier.
I completely get what you are saying. It makes perfect sense to me. Right now, my family and I are in a financial bind. We are supporting two houses because our house where we used to live in Tennessee won’t sell. Of course, I look at all the bad financial decisions we made that put us here. But that doesn’t help me when I wonder why God won’t just get our house sold. Like you, it’s not that I don’t have faith. I just have struggles.
What helps me in those times is to write some gratitude lists. What blessings has God given me. I’ve eaten today. I’m breathing today. I have clothes to wear today. I have a house to live in today. And on the list goes. When I do this consistently, I begin to realize that God really isn’t picking on me. Sure, the time is tough, but God is holding my hand through it. I’m going to make it because of Him. I’m not in this situation because of a lack of faith. I’m in this situation because stuff like this happens in life. But faith will help me keep walking in God’s hand through this tough situation.
Thanks for chiming in. I’ll pray for you.
Sorry but Christians wouldn’t get past Question 1, they bow down to a statue of a man on a cross.
Not everyone who claims to be Christian bows to the iconography of Jesus. In fact, I very much oppose bowing before a statue or graven image of the crucifix. But I do believe Jesus died on the cross and was raised on the third day. I will bow before Jesus, God the Son.
Sorry, Karabean71, somehow I missed this comment 11 months ago. Just noticed it when someone else commented today.
However, while some who claim to be Christian make an icon and statue out of a man on a cross, I do not. Further, any one claiming to follow Jesus who makes an icon and statue out of that image is, I believe, disobeying God.
I appreciate you calling folks out on that, but please don’t paint with too broad a brush. Just because some who claim to be Christians do that, doesn’t mean Christians in general do that.
Thanks.
Great post! Very helpful to me since it is easy to think that idolatry is just worshiping statues or “idols” yet you clarified much more is considered idolatry. Thank You!
Thanks, Michelle. I hope this continues to help you and that God blesses you as seek Him alone.