Parental legalism often focuses on behavior as opposed to the heart. These legalists make Christianity all about “the law,” often their own law or house rules. When they do, they run the risk of keeping their children from seeing their need for genuine heart change and a personal relationship with Christ. Could you have fallen into parental legalism?
Also, read about how and how not to communicate with a person who is acting like a fool and how we can sometimes practice idolatry without recognizing it for what it is.
The Bible has a great deal to say about wisdom and its flip side, foolishness. In this series, we’re looking at what it means to be a wise woman and, by comparison, what it means to be foolish and how...
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?
Nothing breaks a parent’s heart more than to see our children make foolish choices that can result in consequences for years to come. But there are some things we can do early on so God doesn’t have to allow more serious consequences later. What are some of those things?
In today’s Old Testament reading, we see God’s swift punishment for idolatry. Though God is patient and merciful with us, it doesn’t mean He’s changed His mind about sin. Sin and idolatry still have painful consequences. But the problem is that idolatry has a blinding effect. And we can become blind to our blindness.
We end up blinded about how we grieve the Holy Spirit when we sin against God, blinded about the extent of our sin and how it hurts others, blinded to the source of our sinful choices, and finally, blinded to how easy it is to justify our sin.
So, how can we tell if something in our lives, even something good, has become an idol?
God will not play spiritual pat-a-cake with us by allowing us to seek His help while we continue turning to our idols and self-efforts. If God doesn’t seem to be answering our prayers, maybe we need to ask ourselves, “Am I playing spiritual games with God?”
And what about those who might be playing games with their own eternity by claiming a relationship with God and living another way?
Not all idolatry is characterized by the worship of statues and even when it is, there are idols of the heart at play, as well. We might say they are the idols behind the idols.
God warned the nation of Israel over and over to repent and turn from their idolatry. Their refusal to do so took them into captivity and cost them the loss of their land, their homes, their freedom, and often their families. The consequences of idolatry are just as devastating today! So, how can we know if we have idols of the heart?
Can religion become an addiction? Can it offer an escape from reality? Worse yet, could it give someone a false sense of security concerning their relationship with God? What would a religious addiction look like? And could churches today be full of people suffering from religious addiction?
Also, read about how the Israelites tried to justify living life their own way and then tried to avoid the consequences of doing so. Could we be doing the same thing today?
If you’re like me, you would probably balk at the idea you are a people pleaser. We like to think of ourselves as independent of other people’s opinions and attitudes, but you might be as surprised as I was the...
Two weeks ago I started talking about the value of questions. In that first post, “Questions & the Heart,” I suggested a few personal ones that can help us evaluate our walks with God. Last week I posed some questions about...
