- 1 Corinthians 10:14
The word idolatry can seem like an antiquated word. We read in Exodus 32 about how God's people committed idolatry by not waiting on him, and instead they made a golden calf to worship. This doesn't seem enticing to our culture, and we don't completely understand it. So Paul says "flee from idolatry," and we say, "I'm not worshiping a golden calf, okay?" We don't see that we need to flee from anything, because we "aren't" doing anything wrong.
The Greek word that Paul uses means "the worship of false gods." Put this way, we suddenly can see that this happens all the time in every city. Greed, lust, intellect, coveting, unbelief in God, fitness/image, and desire for power/fame are just a few of the many idols that we serve daily. Even a regenerated heart that is zealous for God can find itself temporarily pursuing a "god" that does not bring fulfillment. Instead, false gods create an insatiable need for more. More exercising. More discipline. More reading. More knowledge. More success (by our culture's standards). These are the idols that I find myself serving. Some of these things are positive, but the pervasive nature of sin corrupts our entire being (mind, heart, emotions, will, intentions, etc.). Therefore, we can read a God-centered book (a great thing that we should do) with horrible intentions (such as the prideful desire to outwit other people in a conversation). Another example would be exercising (a great thing that we should do) with the motivation of impressing others with our rocking physique (sinful desire). Humans are so depraved that we can even serve the homeless, compliment another person, or even preach the gospel from sinful intentions.
If all things exist to bring God glory, then when we worship things other than the one, true God, we say that God is not as good as the things we worship. We say that he alone is not satisfying. We say that God is not enough. In essence, we are saying that the god we serve is much better than the God we should serve. What a tragedy. There is hope in Jesus to be free from the idols we serve. Only Jesus could love us enough to die for us even though we spit in his face. That is a God worth serving. His power is never-ending. It's no coincidence that Paul says,
"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it" right before he says, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Cor. 10:13, 14). So, we must flee the gods we serve by the power God gives to find a greater joy in him.
