Is there an Idol in your Church?

What is an idol? An idol is anything or any person that comes between the individual and God. There are all kinds of idols. The idols that I am referring to are those affecting Christians and churches. Protestant Christians often boast that they are free of idols. But are they? As a Protestant Christian myself I was exposed in my early days to the fundamentalist approach to Christianity.[1] I was taught in my home church, then in Bible College, in my theological reading and study, and eventually preached and taught the flocks of believers that I pastored that Roman Catholicism was a religion that was filled with idols, hence was an idolatrous faith. Fundamentalist Christians accuse Roman Catholics of worshipping the virgin Mary and the saints.

I’m convinced that some do, however not every Roman Catholic worships either our Lord’s mother or those who have been canonized by their church as “saints.” Nor does every Eastern Orthodox Christian “worship” the icons that fill their church buildings. My Protestant response in the past was unquestioningly the Protestant party line that icons and other such symbols are a violation of the Ten Commandments. Some Protestants even oppose using the symbol of the cross.

Needless to say I no longer hold the view that I once did. In fact, I have become fond of the Eastern Orthodox icons. I neither pray to them nor worship them. I simply view them as symbols. As a visual person I can now relate to the concept that at times of devotion they can become “windows into heaven”. In my devotional life I’ve experienced times of feeling that I was in the very presence of God during prayer, praise and worship. This is something that I can’t really explain. It needs to be experienced for oneself.

Attempting to picture the “Father-God” in visual form violates God’s command. We cannot visually picture God because God is Spirit, hence to picture or have a statue of the Father is inappropriate. However, some visuals do aid in worship, adoration and exaltation of God. Our first duty, responsibility and privilege as believers is to glorify and enjoy God.

It is ironic as I reflect on the number of evangelicals and fundamentalists who come close to making an idol out of the Bible. Now please don’t write me off as some sort of heretic. I love the Bible. I believe that the Bible was written by people who are breathed upon by the Spirit of God to write, record and in their own style present the message that God knew was needed to be heard and known by humankind. These biblical writers were divinely inspired to write what they wrote. I also view the Bible as unique and above all of the so-called “religious” scriptures that are part of the belief systems of the various religions of the world. In fact , I go so far as to believe that the Bible is my final authority in matters relating to faith and practice. Yet, I stop short of placing the Bible in a position of becoming “a Protestant idol.” The Bible is not a book or writing of magic and/or superstition. It does not ward off demons, evil forces or warts. It’s a book of words with the special message that God desires humankind to hear, heed and know. As I’ve already indicated I view the Bible as God’s written Word to us with its pinnacle found in Jesus Christ who alone is Savior and Lord.

So what am I getting at?

With all that I’ve already said you may be wondering at this point, “Well Fred what then is this article about?”

Are you ready?

I am about to trample upon some time-honored tradition. Bucking tradition and disturbing the status quo is never popular. Nevertheless I’m not only going to wade into the water, but I’m going to take a plunge that will undoubtedly cause not only ripples but may even produce some waves and to some it might become a tsunami. So here we go . . .

Undoubtedly you have heard of and probably have seen pictures of the vile Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. He took over the reigns in Germany in the early twentieth century. He was from a religious background.[2] He became viewed as the savior of the German nation. He was supported by the vast majority of Germans. Once he took control of that nation he quickly realized that he could maintain tight rigid control of Germany by appealing to the German churches. At that time both the Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches were State Churches. Hitler quickly went about influencing both the leadership as well as the ordinary members of the churches in his campaign to turn the German people against the Jews. In poisoning the minds of the German people Hitler liberally quoted from the German national hero, Martin Luther. You may or may not know that Luther during the last years of his Reformation became very vocal in his vicious, hateful attacks directed at the Jews. Hitler used much of the Anti-Semitic rhetoric of Luther to fan and eventually bring to fruition the killing of 6 million Jews. And sadly many professed Protestants and Catholics supported the evil deeds of Adolf Hitler. Anti-Jewish attitudes have plagued and been a part of Christendom stemming from the early Church Fathers for centuries. Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism have all been guilty of harboring and at times promoting forms of anti-Semitism, sometimes subtle, sometimes vocal but all vicious and unchristian.

One of the first steps in brainwashing the German populace against the Jews as well as in fostering an unhealthy German nationalism was placing the Nazi flag in the sanctuaries of the German churches. This was a disguised new idol placed in the places where the church folk gathered weekly. Praise God for those Protestant and Catholic Christians who opposed Hitler and his duped followers and leaders, but sad to say their numbers were few and far between. Many of the nominal church people of the fatherland looked upon Hitler as their new messiah. Germany had been so humiliated by its defeat in World War I it was ripe to accept the promises of such a charismatic figure as Hitler.

It is also common for the youth to make new idols of so-called “Christian celebrities” which include: Christian athletes, Christian music ‘stars’, and ostentatious showy preachers that I refer to as “stars for Jesus with tongue-in- cheek. The personality cult is rampant in Christendom today.

You may be saying at this point, “Fred you are exaggerating,” But am I? No, we do not usually have pictures of these individuals in our church structures, nor do we pray to them, but in many respects they become our modern idols. Many popular preachers (pastors), especially in many of the mega-churches, come near to receiving adulation from their followers that would make the first apostles blush. See – Acts 10:25-26.

A good motto for disciples of Christ I believe would be: “We would see Jesus only!” See – Hebrews 12:2.

Stay with me now. I am convinced that the American flag in churches has become or is becoming to many church folk the same kind of an idol that the Nazi flag became to the church members of the German churches. American Civil Religion is rapidly becoming the adopted religion of many, if not the majority, of American Christians. This appears to be especially so in evangelical, charismatic and fundamentalist churches.

Let me digress here. I am an American. This is my native land. I did not choose to be born in this land but in God’s plan I was born here. I love this country. I am thankful unto God for our rich heritage, although I am also ashamed of some of our past. I am ashamed of the acts of genocide that our foreparents committed against the Native Americans. I am ashamed of the enslavement of Africans that we practiced for economic gain. I am ashamed of the racist attitudes that many Americans have perpetuated against African Americans, Jews, Native Americans, Eastern Europeans, the Irish, and now directed toward Latinos. I am astonished at those Christians on the right of the political and religious spectrum who imply that America is a godly and righteous nation. This nation is far from being godly and/or righteous. I am ashamed of a nation that commits willful aggression with governmental leaders then lying about it. I am ashamed of a government that closes it dyes to the torture of prisoners. I am equally ashamed of those Christians on the political and religious left who appear to forsake God’s promises and eternal covenants with Israel.

Many people today long for the so-called “good old days” when this nation was a Christian nation. Friend, this has never been the case. Our founding fathers and mothers gave lip service to God and to Christian principles, however many of them did not revere God in their actions. Pick up an American history book to discover this fact. Politicians of yesteryear and of today use churches and religious leaders for their own agendas. This has not changed through the years. Politicians, both Republican and Democrat at election time, present an image of being dutiful Christians and devout church-goers, but “by their fruit you will know them.” These were words uttered by our Lord. Personally, I am convinced that it is next to impossible for an authentic Christian who is seeking to live a Christlike life, to follow the guidelines of holy Scripture outlined in our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount,[3] to be an office holder today. You may be thinking, “But if Christians do not run for office and hold these positions, what will happen to the nation?”

God is in control. God can move and guide in the hearts of pagan rulers. God’s will and plan will eventually be accomplished. See – Romans 13:1-7; Acts 5:29; cp Dan. 3:16-19; Dan. Chap. 6.