Category Archives: God’s Glory

My Idolatrous Heart – Pride

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The topic of idolatry summons up different meanings for many of us. Many of you who read this would consider yourselves to be Christians or followers of Christ. For the Christian, the topic of idolatry often conjures up images of statues or images worshiped in other religions. We think of the many references in the Bible to the gods of the nations that God warned Israel against. There were the constant warnings from the prophets, calling the people of God to forsake the worship of gods and return to the Lord.

At the heart of idolatry, though, are not the objects being worshiped. Primarily, it is the attitude of the heart. Therefore, idolatry could involve not only objects, but people, aspirations or pursuits, possessions, or even our own convictions and belief structures, if they are not grounded in the Truth. For the unbeliever, these things keep the person from finding their ultimate joy and satisfaction in God. For the believer, though, it can have the same result. Though we have found freedom through Jesus Christ, we repeatedly return to the pursuit of the things from which we were redeemed. We seek to find joy and satisfaction from those things which will never truly satisfy.

So, as I continue to examine the impact of idolatry on our lives, I will focus on an analysis of the attitudes of the heart. One of the primary, if not the primary, indications of an idolatrous heart is pride.

2 Chronicles 26 details the reign of King Uzziah in Judah. Uzziah started off well. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (2 Chronicles 26:4). However, his life and reign did not end well. “But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was unfaithful to the Lord his God…” (2 Chronicles 26:16). Uzziah set out to do something that God had forbid him to do. The priests in the temple tried to stop him and, rather than listen to their warning, he became angry with them. At that moment, God struck him with leprosy, and he remained that way until his death, living in seclusion (2 Chronicles 26:21).

Pride can be a very strong influence in our lives. We use the phrase commonly in our language. We take pride on our work. We are proud of our children or our accomplishments. There is a sense of pride in being a part of a worthwhile cause. It means that we esteem or value something as dear or important to us. I believe God calls us to excellence in our relationships and pursuits. We should value these things. However, when the value we place on these things reign higher, in our hearts and lives, than the place only God deserves, it becomes idolatry.

How do we know when this point arrives? What are the telltale signs of idolatrous pride? I have seen it in the lives of others. I have seen it in my own life, although not as often as I should. It usually takes intervention from God to humble, teach, or remind me of my proper place in things. Nevertheless, here are some ways I have seen sinful pride revealed or on display.

Taking credit for God’s work. When we begin to take too much ownership or credit for something we have done, we are taking credit for what, ultimately, God has enabled us to do. We become self-sufficient in our own abilities and wisdom. Whether it is having a successful marriage and home life, raising godly and well-balanced kids, succeeding in careers or ministry, and many other things we could list, there is always a danger of forgetting the source of our abilities and what we are able to accomplish in life (John 15:4-5; 1 Corinthians 1:25-31. We need to remember that apart from Christ, we can do nothing lasting or of eternal value. Apart from Christ, we have no hope. We should direct all praise to God, Who has graciously allowed us to participate in the work He is doing.

Craving praise from others for our value and accomplishments. When we crave or glory in the praise of others, we are valuing their recognition and approval more than God’s. Their praise of us, rather than glorifying God, becomes our pursuit and pleasure. We work or advertise our efforts, in self-promotion, so that we will be acknowledged by others. We steal the glory that God alone deserves and He has told us that He will not share His glory (Isaiah 48:11). We also receive the only reward we will get, which is the fleeting approval and praise of others (Matthew 6:1-5). Instead, we need to live and work for the glory of God, receiving from Him an eternal reward, which will never fade, and the joy and delight that come from resting in His will and provision. And we need to do this regardless of the amount of recognition that we receive from others, if any.

Arrogance and easily taking offense. This arrogance is displayed when we value our opinions and our work so highly that we boast and build up our own importance. Or, we demean or tear down the work and value of others. Whether it is related to our position, ministry activities, our interpretation of Scripture, or any number of ministry, political or social issues, this arrogance often reveals itself through the belittling of other ideas or individuals. Pride also reveals itself when we are easily offended. When we hold ourselves or opinions too highly, any critique or comment can be viewed as an attack. We take offense, rather than listen and evaluate the opinions of others. Bitterness, rage, verbal attacks, and withdrawal are common responses when we are easily offended. We need to be quick to listen and slow to speak (Proverbs 19:11; Galatians 5:22-26; James 1:19-20). Humility and longsuffering should guide our actions.

Not teachable and submissive. This is closely tied with arrogance. When we are not teachable, we value ourselves, our agenda, and our positions too highly. None of us are God. There is only One Who knows truth perfectly. This does not diminish the importance of our convictions and holding to the truth of God. However, if we are unwilling to listen to the instruction and wisdom of those who God has placed in positions of authority over us, we are guilty of the sin of pride. Ultimately, we may be in the right, but we must approach these moments with humility and openness to what God will teach us. By remaining teachable and humble, we honor those in authority and allow for a dialog to take place that can help us and others grow. Also, this heart attitude glorifies God (Hebrews 13:7, 17).

There is no way to touch on all of the aspects of how pride impacts our life. It is sometimes brazen and out in the open. Sometimes it is subtle, twisting itself around our hearts and minds, impacting our relationships with God and others. The sin of pride is basically the result of setting up an idol to ourselves. It is bowing down to our own importance and accomplishments. It is the valuing of ourselves more than God and His work in our lives.

I wish I could see how much this permeates my own life and how this impacts those I love and those I work with. I have a long way to go, but God is so gracious and patient. I pray that He will remind us all of the joy of resting in His sufficiency and salvation, forsaking our own glory and praise. The world tells us to hold on. God says let it go. We don’t need anyone’s approval but His. He is sufficient. And in His marvelous grace and power, He has equipped us to do His work, for His glory and our joy in Him.

Together for His glory…

The Idols in Our Lives

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John Calvin said, “The human heart is a factory of idols. Every one of us is, from his mother’s womb, expert in inventing idols.”  It is a good reminder for me of how prone I am to set up idols in my own life.

Idolatry is mentioned frequently in the Bible. As you read through the passages of the Old Testament, it was a constant failing of the nation of Israel. Despite continual warnings from God, the people repeatedly returned to idolatry. Today, God is still warning us about idol worship. It is not an issue of the past, nor does it only apply to religions who worship idols or other gods. It takes place in our meetings, small groups, worship services, Bible studies, devotion times, or as we live out our daily lives. As we go through the next few weeks, I will examine some of the idols I have recognized in my own life. Today, I want talk about why idolatry is something to be taken seriously.

Idolatry is the worshiping, valuing, or treasuring of anything more than God. When this happens in our lives, it warps our worldview. It skews our perspective and permeates the various aspects of our lives. It impacts our desires, pursuits, our families, our friends, our church, and our relationship with God.

God’s relationship with His people is often referred to in terms of a marriage. It is no surprise, therefore, that idolatry is frequently presented as spiritual adultery (Jeremiah 23:9-12; Ezekiel 16:30-43; Hosea 2:16-20; Hosea 3:1-5). In the New Testament, the church is referred to as the bride of Christ. Thus, as in a marriage, we need to guard our hearts and minds against those things which impact and damage that relationship. Otherwise, the results can be significant and devastating.

God is God. He alone is God. He is the creator and sustainer of all things. God, in Christ, is our Redeemer. All things are from Him, and through Him, and to Him (Romans 11:36). He alone is deserving of glory and praise. He is passionate about His glory and will not give it to anyone or anything (Isaiah 42:8). Therefore, if something in our life reigns higher than God, we have given it the glory of which God alone deserves.

As believers and followers of Christ, we are set apart for God alone. Anything that takes the place in our lives reserved for God becomes a barrier in that relationship. Therefore, idolatry hinders and damages our relationship with God. Our pursuits and affections are driven by something else other than God and His desires for us. Our perspective becomes earthly rather than heavenly and eternal (Colossians 3:1-17).

Idolatry hinders the work of the Spirit in our lives and ministry. We begin to make decisions for our families and churches based on worldly principles rather than the truth of God found in His Word (Galatians 4:8-9; Hebrews 5:11-14). We can even find ourselves in a position where we are fighting against those who are following God’s will for the church, all the while, thinking we are on a noble mission.

In addition, our growth in Christ is hindered because we are finding our strength and wisdom from the wrong source. The Word instructs us to be rooted in Christ and in His Word. We are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This transformation will deepen our relationship with God and produce lasting fruit (Colossians 2:6-8; Romans 12:1-2). Idolatry produces no good fruit and nothing that is eternal in our lives (Luke 6:43-45; John 15:1-5).

Ultimately, idolatry results in stealing any true and lasting joy from our lives. There is nothing in this world that will satisfy our needs and desires as God can. Anything else will fall short. This world has nothing to offer that will last. It is a dry and weary land, with no water to quench our spiritual thirst. God will truly satisfy our souls (Psalm 63:1-8; John 4:7-15). The lie of idolatry is that it will satisfy. But it never does. In the end, we are left with empty hands and empty hearts. Scars from the devastation of sin are also left in the wake of idolatry.

God loves us with an eternal love, beyond our comprehension. He has gone to great lengths to redeem us and bring us into a glorious relationship with Him. The cross of Jesus Christ, and the price paid there, gives testimony to the depths God has gone to bring us back to Him. I pray that we, in our pursuit of the life of worship, would take hold of the greater joy offered to us. Let’s not be satisfied with anything less than what God desires for us. Let’s find our true and lasting joy in Him, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Together for His glory…

The Self-Centered God: God-Centered Worship, Part 4

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“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36) In the past couple of weeks, I have addressed what it means that all things are from God and through God. Today, I will attempt to unpack what it means that all things are to Him.

In my years of being in worship ministry, I have heard numerous descriptions and analogies of what takes place in the worship of God: giving to God; offering ourselves to God; reflecting His glory; we are fulfilling the command to worship; we are performing for the audience of One; bringing glory to God. And there are many more. These ideas can be helpful as we think through how we should worship God.

When we think of something being “to” someone, we often think of giving or offering something to them, whether it is a gift or something that we owe to them. However, when we try to apply this to God, we need to be cautious because there are aspects related to bringing or giving that may apply to us as humans, but cannot apply to God. The earlier verses in Romans 11:33-35 make it clear that we cannot give counsel or gifts to God that either increase His knowledge or possessions. All wisdom and knowledge are His. The earth and the universe are His. He lacks nothing. So, our worship does not add anything to God. Anything we bring to God is already His.

So, what is the purpose of our worship? Scripture is full of commands to worship the Lord, bring offerings, and even offer ourselves as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2). There has to be a reason that we worship, other than just requiring us to do this act out of obedience. And there is.

God’s purpose for worship, and all of life, is His glory. Everything, including our lives, exists for the purpose of bringing glory to God. All things are to Him. When creates, it is for His glory. When He reveals Himself to us, it is for His glory. When He provides for us, it is for His glory. When He saves, it is for His glory. When He judges, it is for His glory. When he raises up or brings down individuals, groups, or nations, it is for His glory. When Christ came, suffered, and bore the penalty for all sin, it was for His glory. When Christ rose, it was for His glory. When Christ returns, it will be for His glory. All things exist to bring glory to the Almighty God. And He will not give or share His glory with anyone or anything (Isaiah 48:9-11).

All things are to Him. All things are for Him. All things were created and intended by God to bring glory to God. For many of us, this is hard to swallow. This seems highly self-centered. That is because it is. For us, it would be sin. For God, it is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it is the most loving thing He can do for His creation.

Where is the highest joy found? Our highest joy is found in God through Christ. Any other person, possession, or aspiration will fall short of bringing the joy that can be found in Christ. Therefore, the greatest thing that God can do for us is to glorify Himself and the work He has done. As we see the indescribable wonders of Who He is and heights and depths to which He has gone to purchase our salvation, what greater joy could be found in anything else in life?

God is jealous for His glory. He is also jealous for His people. He knows that anything less than His glory is robbing us of our greatest joy. Therefore, as we come to God in worship and as we conduct our times of worship together, we should give serious consideration to where we place our focus. Worship is for the purpose of glorifying God. When the focus shifts from God and His works to the abilities, performances, or preferences of the leaders or those in attendance, we are seeking to share or steal God’s glory, whether that is our specific intent or not. We should always be mindful of why we are doing something – are we seeking to glorify God or are we just serving and glorifying ourselves?

When my focus becomes being noticed or recognized for anything that I am doing in the worship service or the ministry of the church, I am stealing God’s glory. When I am pressing hard on some issue, I need to seriously ask myself whether this glorifies God or am I just trying to get my own way. Pride and selfishness can be deadly in relationships. It has destroyed many families and churches. God abhors it when it comes to His glory, His church, and His people. As I look back over the years, distant and recent, I wonder how many times I have glorified myself instead of my glorious Savior. As we live our lives and work together in the church, it is important to keep the glory of God before us at all times.

Thankfully, God is gracious. He is forgiving. His mercies are new every morning. He holds His glory up as a wonderful aspiration. As followers of Christ, we have the awesome privilege of declaring the glory of God in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We testify to what God has done in our lives through Christ. We get to make God look great! That is what it means to glorify someone. It does not mean that we make Him look bigger than He is. It does not mean that we have anything to add to Who He is or what He has done. We just get to reflect His wonderful work in our lives, as He transforms us into the image of Christ.

We glorify God when we find our greatest joy and treasure in Him. It is why we were created. God knows there is nothing else in life that can bring us this kind of satisfaction. That is why He glorifies Himself. Everything else is a cheap substitute and robs us of the peace and joy of God. It can be ours throughout life’s journeys, joys, and trials. Though we will stumble and fall, He will pick us up and sustain us. As we draw near and glorify Him, He will feed and serve us, providing for our every need. He will teach and strengthen us, giving us a deeper understanding of Who is. And we, in turn, will glorify Him. And so it continues, as God continues to show us that He is our all in all, and that there can be no greater joy than knowing Him in Christ.

Together for His glory…