Idolatry in the American Church

Christians in America are overrun with idols. And we are clueless. The god of this world has made the American dream so attractive, so comfortable, so convenient that we refuse to turn our back on it. It doesn’t help that the church in America condones it, even promotes it.

Aaron made a golden calf for the Israelites at the base of Mount Sinai (Ex 32). When it was unveiled, he told them “This is your God, who brought you out of Egypt.” That golden calf did not represent an Egyptian god, it represented God Yahweh. The Israelites did not replace God, they crafted God into a god of their own liking. Idolatry usually happens in this manner; we manipulate and massage the one true God into an image that we like. Our faith in God is so intermingled and adulterated with the American dream that we don’t even know that we are worshipping a golden calf. The bride of Christ has one foot in the kingdom of God and one foot mired in the culture of this world. Just like the multitudes, Christians are ensnared by the idolatry of the Great Babylon, and swept away by the lustful wiles of the Mother of Prostitutes.

The American church has not crafted a golden calf, as such, but we have amalgamated our view of God with the idols of security, wealth, convenience, the good life, stylishness, success, and power. And we are not the least bit convicted or repentant, in fact we are proud. This is what I hear from the lips of my sincere Christian friends: “God has blessed America, and we should enjoy those blessings. I think God wants me to enjoy nice things, like my Corvette. Don’t tell me you would rather live in a third world country.” Our love, joy, peace, and hope are woefully askew.

American Christians do not look to God for their security. They trust their 401K, and the greatest economy and military complex the world has ever known. When it comes to wealth, we build bigger houses, we buy RVs, boats, timeshares, and nice cars. Jesus told the rich young man to sell his possessions and give to the poor. But we conveniently write that off as hyperbole, not really something to take seriously. The lure of wealth hinders us from divesting our possessions and giving to the poor, the downtrodden, the broken-hearted, the fatherless, the widows. Jesus asked his followers to forsake family, even business ventures, to follow Him and do His calling.

We worship the god of convenience – fast food, maid service, lawn service, laundry service. Why? Not so that we can spend more time with God, or important relationships, or humanitarian causes, but so that we can earn more money and not be bothered with the mundane. How about the good life? Does anyone want to give up fine dining, cruises, overseas vacations, and season tickets? It may be unusual to consider stylishness as an idol. Many Christians, though, are obsessed with working out at the gym to look good (not just to be healthy), wearing stylish clothes, and generally impressing others with their lifestyle. Christians are no different -- we want to be successful and highly respected. Like the Pharisees, we like wealth, and we like the praise of men, all the while thinking that our moral checklist makes God happy.

We pose the question, “What would Jesus do?” Jesus never owned a house, a boat, a timeshare, a Ferrari, or even a car. He walked and He knelt for his exercise. He never wore stylish clothes to impress others. He never had a retirement account, or even a savings account. He did not have a refrigerator, a pantry, or McDonalds. He never owned gold, silver, or collectibles – His treasure was truly in heaven. He never owned a gun or a sword. He never complained about Roman rule. Count the cost? Take up your cross? Suffer like Jesus did? No, we prefer the American dream more than the footsteps of Jesus.

God said very clearly in the first of the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” God is a jealous God -- He wants His people to worship and trust Him, and Him alone. Throughout history, God has dealt harshly with idolatry, and He will do it again. But the American Church is arrogant and naïve, thinking we are ready to be caught up into the holy presence of God without going through the refining fire. At the end of the age, the tares will be separated from the wheat and burned, at harvest time (Matt. 13:24-43). Many who think they worship and serve God as He desires will find their faithless idolatry addressed with the shocking statement, “depart from me, I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23). God will not stand for it, a bride for His son, whose heart is attracted to the allure of this world, rather than intimately committed to Jesus. “My little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (I John 5:21).