The False gods that are Worshipped Today
False gods and idols that are worshipped today can be just about anything, from a statue representing money to a living person like the self. Anything that is held above the LORD God is a false god or idol. We need to examine our lives to make sure we are not holding anything above the LORD God.
Exodus 20:3-6
It was common in ancient times for people to worship gods made out of wood and stone. These false gods were idols that didn’t really exist but were created and carved by the skill of men. The idols and false gods we worship today may not be made out of wood or stone but they are still created by skilled men.
The false gods and idols that is being worshipped today can be called power, fame, materialism, lust, even the great “me or I self.” The sad thing is these false gods and idols are taking over the lives of the people of the LORD God and replacing His love and compassion He has for them.
Psalm 135:15-18 explains idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusts in them.
Exodus 20:3-6 reminds us that we shall have no other gods before Him. We shall not make unto us any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: we shall not bow down our self to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
If we look at these false gods and idols, we will realize that they are being worshipped and that there are images that are being created by man. The false god of money and materialism has been around forever and that includes during the time Jesus was on the earth. He posed the question in Matthew 16:26 when He asked; “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” With the temptation of Jesus by the devil who took him up into an exceeding high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them. The devil told Jesus that he would give all these things to Jesus if he would fall down and worship him. Then Jesus said unto him, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” (Matthew 4:8-10).
Materialism is greediness, avariciousness, covetousness that desire to have more and more. There is such a void in the lives of many people that they are looking for anything to fill this void. Yet they never seem to have enough. There is no amount of money, possessions like cars, houses, even clothes that can fill that void. There is no amount of food, friends or anything that causes that adrenaline rush that will be able to fill that void. It is only the love of Jesus Christ that can fill that void.
Jesus tells us that those things that come out of the man is what defiles the man. It is from within, out of the heart of men that proceeds evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness all these evil things come from within, and defile the man. (Mark 7:20-23). We are warned to take heed and beware of covetousness for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which we possess. (Luke 12:15).
I Corinthians 10:19-21 gives us the clue as to what an idol is. An idol is anything that is offered in sacrifice. It is also the things which the Gentiles (Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians) sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: it would be like we were having fellowship with devils. We cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: we cannot be partakers of the Lord’s Table, and of the table of devils.
The worshipping of lust and sexual sin has grown rapid in our world today. The idol of lust is found in all aspects of society today. There are billions and billions of dollars spent on porn, prostitutes both men and woman. Lust has taken over the television, video games and all forms of media. The worshipping of the idol of lust is ruining the trust of marriages, corrupting our youth. Eventually it even leads to atrocities such as abortions being used as a form of birth control, transmitting sexually transmitted disease (STD), and the sexual abuse of children.
The Bible tells us that whosoever looks on a woman to lust after her hash committed adultery with her already in his heart. (Matthew 5:28). Romans 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. We know from James 1:14-15 that every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. The world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:16-17).
The false god or idol of the self:
The most popular false god in the world today is self. It is when a person places themselves and their needs ahead of the LORD God are when it becomes an idol. This idol of self can take many forms depending on the many ways a person puts their will and their own desires before the will and the desire the LORD has for us.
We all know those types of people who do not seem to care what anyone thinks just as long as they can “spew” their own mouths, thoughts and opinions. They only care about their time, their money and their impression or their purpose dealing with themselves only. The only thing that comes first with them is the great “I or Me.” Marriages, children, and families are never more important than the “I or Me.”
This idol or false god can crush marriages. The worshiping of self can lead to physical or even sexual abuse. This type of false god hurts and destroys anyone who gets in the way. They push away or reject anyone who does not serve their purpose. Power and fame are also false gods that are attached to the self. It becomes the authority of the lives of peoples that most often replaces the LORD God. Power, fame and self becomes the ruling power of the lives of individuals who are full of with arrogance and tyrannical power. Even the crimes of today including drug abuse are crimes of worshipping the self. These false gods or idols that are being worshipped are ultimately sinful, destructive, and controlled by someone else. Eventually, when someone is giving into worshiping the self in one form or another, that person is really worshipping the devil and under his control.
We are to know that in the last days perilous times shall come. Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:2-4).
Gentleness or meekness is the opposite of self-assertiveness and self-interest. It stems from trust in the goodness and control over any situations by the LORD God. The gentle person is not occupied with self at all. This is a work of the Holy Spirit, not of the human will. Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit then we should also walk in the spirit. (Galatians 5:22-26).
The Bible speaks of the inner man which is the soul, conscience. If the inner man is what it should be the Father of our Lord Jesus of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you might be filled with all the fullness of the LORD God. (Ephesians 3:14-19). Once we realize that the LORD God shall supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19). Let it be hidden, concealed, secret part of But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. Meekness toward God is that disposition of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting. (1 Peter 3:4). False gods and idols can do nothing for anyone except cause destruction and a falling away from the LORD.
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MLA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne “The False gods that are Worshipped Today:.” Becker Bible Studies Library Jan 2015.< https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2117,>.
APA Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015, January) “The False gods that are Worshipped Today:.” Becker Bible Studies Library. Retrieved from https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2117,.
Chicago Style Citation:
Holstein, Joanne (2015) “The False gods that are Worshipped Today:.” Becker Bible Studies Library (January), https://guidedbiblestudies.com/?p=2117, (accessed).
