At the heart of our relationship with God, is the prohibition against Idols. Idols are manmade images that serve as the focus of worship and surrender. For most of us, we do not have a real issue with idols.
Through the decades some have tried to make a case that the things in our lives are or can become an idol. But I seriously doubt that any of you worship your car or T.V. or pet or anything else at the level that would offend God. For most if not all of us, these objects in our lives are not idols. They are merely indulgences and distractions. I am pretty sure there is no one reading this, who on a daily or weekly basis, spends anytime adoring a piece of metal or plastic that has electronic parts or a pet or a human partner for that matter.
The only idol that any of us come close to worshiping is ourselves. The only thing in the world that gives God a run for His money, is us. There is nothing in the world that can cause me to act in direct rebellion against God faster than me.
But even the idol factor is not the most damaging thing in the world. The most damaging and heretical thing in all the world is the idle factor. Far too many of us are idle…inactive, ineffective.
The Puerto Principle or as it is more commonly called the 80/20 rule, is what is destroying the fabric of our churches and our culture. The fact that 80% of the work and 80% of the funds come from only 20% of those in the fellowship is fatal. Literally! It is fatal. The influence and effect of the church upon America and the world is dead. The church is no different from the world and the world is spinning out of control and it is all due to the fact that the majority of the church is idle!
What if your heart was working at only 20%; or your lungs or kidneys or liver? You would be home bound and bed ridden if not hospitalized.
The church suffers from the fact that we are idle before God! We are branches without fruit, clouds without rain. We are a church of tares and not wheat.
God is calling the body of Christ to awaken, arise and function. The gates of hell cannot stand against the body of Christ if it is functioning in all of His power and glory. But if we are as a quadriplegic with only 20% of our body functioning, hell laughs at us instead of trembles.
The two great commands do not challenge whether or not we are focused on a figurine. To Love Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbors the way Jesus loves us, is a call to not be idle. It is a call to live, love and light this dark world in everything we do…and it is certainly a call to not be idle!
Don’t be an idle worshipper…do something. Bear fruit for the glory of God. kh
2 comments:
Kenn,
Maybe we don't have idols in the same sense as in Biblical times, but I do think that we have material things/activities that we allow to divert our attention from God. Can you say boats, football, etc.?
Having said that, I understand your more significant point about idleness in the Church. And while my definition of idols and the associated issues are a problem in my ways, they pale in comparison to the problem of "idles" that you raise.
Stay clean and close.
Marcus
Kenn,
I am an old IBC member....but not "old" in the sense you are thinking! I was in college at Union when you came so never really sat under you as a pastor. I married a student pastor so then was never home on Sundays! You know me best as Debbie Hobbs oldest daughter.
I agree 100% with you on the idleness of the church. In the last couple of weeks God has really been speaking to me about the idols of my life. He has led me many different ways and times to
2 Kings 17: 41 "Even while these people were worshiping the Lord they were serving their idols." I have been asking myself for a couple weeks..."Do I worship God but then serve idols?" Worshiping is the easy part but then who or what functions as my god/God? Does my job, my ministry, my wants, my whatever take the place and function as a god during the week?
I think that verse answers a big reason about why people are IDLE in their faith. I think the verse answers why we have A LOT of Sunday morning Christians because..."they worship God but serve idols."
Hope you don't mind my 2 cents,
Lori
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