Although the Gospels never record Jesus as using the word idol or idolatry, nevertheless Jesus had a lot to say about this subject. As the previous article in this series noted, not only is greed idolatry but what empowers greed are the beliefs that something or some combination of things within this created world (e.g. money, social status, social contacts, family, reputation, education, possessions, etc.) are capable of taking care of me and my deepest needs to be somebody and to live a meaningful life. For this reason, greed is an appropriate starting point in discussing Jesus' teachings associated with idolatry.
Living Under the Shadow of the Parable of The Rich Fool
An enraged brother approached Jesus, the champion of justice and mercy, with his grievous complaint. His brother had cut him out of the family inheritance. How would you have reacted to this injustice? Most people would probably have taken a different course of action than Jesus did.
Shockingly, Jesus did not allow himself to be dragged into some form of righteous social action. Rather, he chose to address the real problem. The real problem was greed had once again exposed its ugly head. Two possession-driven brothers were wanting the security and power of the family inheritance. One brother had stolen from the other and now the other brother was trying to regain his lost treasure. And so Jesus taught, "Watch out! Guard yourselves from all forms of greed, for a man's life is not measured by the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15 When Jesus taught this, he was warning his listeners against the danger of idolatry.
Using the situation of an angry man and his hoarding brother, Jesus launched into a parable we often know as the Parable of the Rich Fool to warn us against the idolatrous path of greed which leaves us impoverished before God. In that parable, God called a man a fool who stored up for himself and who thought that he could then sit back and enjoy life. Luke 12:20-21 Unfortunately, that man had been deceived into believing that his earthly treasures could take care of him. They did not.
Perhaps it is because Jesus knows that we tend to be driven by security issues that he then taught God will provide for those who seek His kingdom first. Luke 12:31 In contrast to trusting in God, pagans worry about how they will provide for their life tomorrow. Luke 12:29-30 But not only does God know what we need but He is capable of providing for the necessities of those who choose to put Him first. Luke 12:30-31 Either our investments will be limited to storing up for ourselves in this world as a means of trying to be secure, or we will seek to be rich toward God who provides everything for our life and enjoyment.
The Master Teacher taught that his disciple should seek to lay up his treasure in heaven by selling what he has in order to take care of those who are poor. Luke 12:33 Similarly Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 that by doing good with one's wealth a person lays up treasure in heaven.
We Can Only Serve One Master
As a general statement, people either tend to use their resources for storing up for themselves in this world or they seek to be rich toward God through generous deeds. There are only two masters whom we can be serving: God or idols. We can not serve both masters at the same time. Matthew 6:24 We can not love both the Father and the world. For those who choose to love the world and hence will love idols, the love of the Father can not be in them. 1 John 2:15 Those whose focus is upon God are filled with light. But the idolatrous person whose focus is upon the world is filled with darkness and the darkness which fills him is great. Matthew 6:22-24 Where a person is making his investments reveals much about who or what his master is. Everybody serves what they consider to be the source of life. We either believe God is that Source or we believe that something within the created order will fundamentally provide for us.
It is interesting to note how Jesus tied his message about serving a master with:
1) where people believe their security comes from and2) with how they use the resources at their disposal.
After implying that serving wealth should not be the foundation upon which a disciple builds his life (Matthew 6:24), Jesus taught that there is no need for his disciple to worry about the necessities of life because God provides for those who put the kingdom first. Matthew 6:25-34 Similarly, after teaching that a person should not rely upon a storehouse of earthly treasure to provide for life, again Jesus taught that there is no need to worry about the necessities of life because God provides for those who seek His kingdom. Luke 12:22-32 Accordingly, a person's financial resources become freed from their storehouse in order to help others. Correspondingly, that person is laying up treasure for himself in heaven. Luke 12:33-34; 1 Timothy 6:17-19
Woe to Those Who Are Rich Now
Those who are rich now might be enjoying themselves and laughing. Those who place their trust in riches may believe that they understand where the good life is anchored or at least how to obtain it. But Jesus pulled off the deceiving veneer of riches when he foretold of the mourning and weeping which will follow for those who are blinded now to their true desperate situation. Those who seem to be blessed with many resources may laugh now, but their laughter will be turned to crying and mourning as the true state of their poverty before God is eventually exposed. Luke 6:20-26 There is nothing wrong with having many resources, it is the reliance upon it which diseases the soul. Relying upon the idolatrous practices of serving this created order to be the basis for one's life can never provide anything more substantial than the mere illusion that all is well, an illusion which comes from the empty and broken cisterns of idolatry. Jeremiah 2:13
Applications for Today
• Is there any question and surprise why so many Americans and young people treat God nonchalantly and apathetically? There is no fear (worship) of God for them. Like some of the ancient Israelites before us, some of our neighbors do not believe (can I go so far as to say mock?) the idea that God is the true Source of life and well being. Deuteronomy 8:3; Hosea 2:5, 8-9; 2 Chronicles 30:9-10; 36:15-16; Malachi 3:14-15 Many Americans seem to believe that what takes care of us is to possess a good education, sufficient social contacts, lots of hard work, and perhaps a few lucky breaks. With these tools, my self-made American dream can be obtained. Secular education has succeeded in teaching our children a secular understanding of "what makes things work." In this secular perspective, God is relegated to the insignificant position of simply being the object of religious faith.
• The implications of Jesus' teaching drops a plumb line into the midst of our heart probing us to reflect upon the primary motive for how we use our resources. What does his teachings reveal about me? Am I serving God or am I seeking to save Self? Do I believe that God can truly take care of me or do I think that life is built upon things of this world?
When somebody believes "you are what you drive," "you are what you wear," "you are what you have" or "you are what people think about you," then the drive to acquire more and selfishly store away "what I have acquired" can become very powerful. Predictably, such a person's behavior will revolve around the behavior of boasting about what he has acquired and what he has done. Furthermore, he will be devoted to the created world and his resulting greedy devotion to this world is idolatry. Colossians 3:5; Ephesians 5:5 Because the person believes that his storehouse of treasure (whether this be possessions, reputation, etc.) is actually taking care of him, he will naturally love this world since he is trusting in this source for his well-being and worth. Such a love and friendship with the world is condemned. 1 John 5:21; James 4:4 And finally, his love for his stockpiled treasure will prevent him from using that treasure as a resource to do good and thereby bring glory to God.
Why would someone dare to live a simple lifestyle and use his resources to do good? The person whose purpose and treasure is the kingdom of God. Luke 12:31, 34
The question Jesus leaves us with is "am I willing to believe that God will provide for me or will I continue to insist upon believing that the things of this world can provide for my life?"
Barry Newton, Copyright © 2000
Other articles which might be of interest
The next article in this series is: "Freedom from Idolatry"Lessons from 580 B.C. for the Second Millennium
What Does it Mean to Live as a Christian? Part 1: To Break Down My Idols