Is your Christianity real? Is Jesus truly the Lord of your life? Or have you merely added a little “Jesus” to your life while practicing some form of idolatry? Before you reject that idea or think idolatry is merely about worshiping golden statues or praying to a false god, why would the New Testament talk so much about it? And why would Paul tell the Corinthian believers to flee from it?
Today’s Readings:
2 Kings 17 & 18
Ps. 74.1-8
Prov. 18.22-24
Acts 1.1-26
Is Your Christianity Real?
2 Kings 17 & 18:
End of Divine Patience
In chapter 17 we see what John MacArthur calls “divine patience” come to an end concerning the Northern Kingdom. Their continued idolatry and disobedience to God’s commands brought the judgment of captivity.
We need to realize that God has not changed (Heb. 13.8). While He is patient and merciful with us, His patience will not on go forever. As a nation or as individuals, if we continue in rebellion and disobedience to the clear commands of Scripture, if we practice idolatry, or if we worship God halfheartedly, we will eventually suffer the consequences of our choices, as well.
8 But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up (2 Pet. 3.8-10).
And as Paul told the Galatians in chapter 6 of that epistle:
7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.
Idolatry?
Why would I mention idolatry? Because the New Testament has a lot to say about it (1 Cor. 10.14; Gal. 5.19-21; Col. 3.5). It is not just a sin that Old Testament people committed. It doesn’t just involve golden calves and other things that people worship outwardly.
If you were asked to define idolatry, how would you define it? And would you recognize it in your own life?
An idol is anything to which we give excessive devotion or reverence or something we turn to for comfort or help. It’s a God-replacement of any kind.
Ezekiel 14.1-8 talks about idols of the heart. Anytime we put other things, other people, or other relationships above loving, serving, and pleasing God, we have placed that person or that thing on the throne of our hearts in place of God.
We Practice Idolatry When …
We practice Idolatry when we say “I know what God says about pre-marital sex, but I’ll lose my boyfriend if I don’t.”
Or when we refuse to forgive because what they did was just too bad.
Idolatry is holding on to a hurt and justifying sinful anger.
It’s when we lie, cheat, or steal to get ahead because “everybody does it.”
Sometimes it’s when we refuse to submit to or show respect for our husbands because “they might be wrong” or “they don’t deserve it.” (There are exceptions. If our husbands ask us to sin, we must respectfully refuse.)
These examples and others demonstrate that we are not sold out to worshiping and trusting God no matter what the circumstances.
Even Good Things
Even good things can become idols if we are willing to sin to get them or sin if we don’t get them. Things like having a Christian husband (or a submissive wife), being married, having obedient children, being successful in our careers, or gaining someone’s respect.
If I’m willing to yell at my children when they are not obedient, obedient children are more important to me than pleasing God. If I’m willing to nag my husband because I don’t think he’s godly enough or hit my unbelieving husband over the head with the Bible, having a godly husband has become an idol.
John Calvin said the human heart is a factory of idols. If we don’t worship the One True God we will worship someone or something else. Sometimes we rid our lives of one idol but replace it with another.
As women, if we want to be married so much that we compromise what we know is right, a good thing (marriage) has become an idol. We may marry an unbeliever or a man who isn’t really sold out to the things of God.
Then our hearts can create a new idol, getting him saved or making him more godly. When that doesn’t work, we may throw ourselves into motherhood. Being the best mother, having well-behaved children, or attaining some ideal family can become another idol. Because none of those things will ever live up to our expectations, our hearts will continually look for new idols.
Adding a Little Christianity to Our Idolatry
When the Northern Kingdom of Samaria was defeated by Assyria, the Assyrians took them as captives to other conquered areas. They also brought in foreigners to occupy the land of Samaria.
After these foreigners had taken up residence, God sent lions in to attack them. They decided the local god required them to learn some new rituals. So they called for a priest who knew the “God of the land” (2 Kings 17.27). They continued living life and worshiping as they wanted; they simply added a little “Jewishness” to their rituals.
How like us! We get tired of the “lions” so we turn to God. We make a few concessions to Him. Maybe we start coming to church, get some new friends, and tone down our language, at least around other Christians. We add a little “Christianity” to our lives.
How Real is My Christianity?
Perhaps each of us should ask, how real is my Christianity? Is it validated by obedience to His Word? Or have I tried to mix a little “Jesus” with my idolatry?
It’s not enough to believe in God. Those Assyrian settlers believed in God or at least that He was a god. But they didn’t believe He was the God. They didn’t believe He was the creator of heaven and earth with the right to tell them how to live. They didn’t repent of their idolatry and worship God alone.
If our hearts have not changed, if we have not truly allowed Jesus to be Lord (Master, the One to whom we owe complete allegiance), if our thinking has not changed, if we have not surrendered to God … as God, we will soon be living, speaking, and acting the way we used to.
It merely shows that Jesus was never really Lord and our idol-making hearts will simply create new ones. Oh, we may keep coming to church. We may look good to other people but God is the Heart Knower. And He does not share His throne with anyone or anything. Eventually, He will allow circumstances in our lives to reveal who is really on the throne of our hearts.
An Inside Job
But it’s important to remember that we can’t save ourselves. No amount of good works or outward surrender can do that. Being brought up in the church doesn’t do it. If Jesus is to truly be Lord, we must first be changed on the inside. We need a new heart and that’s the work of the Holy Spirit. If you’re not sure that’s you, please take a few minutes and read this post. Then watch the video that’s linked to it. Don’t let pride keep you from knowing for sure.
“Could You Be a Christian in Name Only?”
Today’s Other Readings:
Psalm 74.1-8:
Honest Prayers
The Psalms are full of the prayers and praises of real people and a great place to go when we are hurting and don’t know how to pray. Here the psalmist is praying for God’s help and deliverance from his trials.
If you have never seen the Psalms in this way, you might check out a devotional book entitled, Spurgeon and the Psalms. You can read my review here.
Proverbs 18.22-24:
A Good Thing
Verse 18 says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing …”
Does that verse describe you, ladies? Can your husband see God’s blessings through your life and ministry to him? Husbands, do you see your wives as “a good thing”? We all need to view the blessings and circumstances of our lives as coming from the hand of a loving God. Do you?
Acts 1.1-26:
Infallible Proofs
As we start the book of Acts, Luke reminds us that Jesus …
… presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (v. 3).
Then He left their testimonies for us to read. Our faith is not based on wishful thinking. It is based on the infallible, inerrant Word of God, including the testimonies recorded in Scripture.
What about You? Questions to Ponder or Journal:
How deep is your Christianity? Is it just a veneer or is it who you are? Could you merely be trying to add a little “Jesus” to your life?
Even as believers, we can struggle to keep God in His rightful place. Could there be something, even a good thing, that has become an idol?
Coming Up:
In the coming days, we’ll talk about the importance of godly friends, the blame game, and how prayer can be reduced to the last resort.
I hope you’ll sign up so you don’t miss any of them. You might also like to check out our YouTube channel.
And if this post spoke to you, I would love it if you would share it on your favorite social media platform.
Blessings as you grow in Christ,
Donna ♥
Note about this post:
I began blogging through the Bible in 2012 and have done so every year since then. These posts are the product of many edits and additions throughout those years. Some days I make major changes, other days fewer.
A while ago, I read Jen Wilkin’s book None Like Him about the attributes of God. One is His incomprehensibility. In it, she says, “God is incomprehensible. This does not mean that he is unknowable, but that he is unable to be fully known.”
I have found that to be true each year as I’ve gone back through the Bible. Sometimes I find myself feeling as if a passage just appeared there for the first time. I’m reminded that no matter how many times we read through the Bible, we have only scratched the surface. I hope you feel the same.
Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways,
And how small a whisper we hear of Him!
But the thunder of His power who can understand?” (Job 26.14)
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