Strong Church - Turning from Idols
“… For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7–10 ESV)
Jesus promised that He would build His Church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. This means that as the challenges of the Pandemic increase, we can rest assured that the church WILL stand. That as everything is shaken, the Church alone will be strong. The question is - Who is the Church?
Is the church that Jesus promised will prevail, City Harvest Church? Is the church that will prevail Cornerstone Church? Or New Creation Church? Or CNL? For Paul, the Church are a people who are marked by three things
1. a people who are have “turned to God from idols”
2. a people who having turned from idols now “serve the living and true God”
3. a people who are to “wait for His Son from Heaven”
Turned to God from Idols
In Asia, we tend to think of idols as little wooden or metal statues hanging around in some houses. Removing idols means going to a house and taking down some altars. Idols tend to be associated with a religious belief, so that if you’re like me and we grew up in a Christian home, we don’t have a problem with idols. Really?
John Ortberg wrote..
“We call an obsession with having someone's approval 'co-dependency;' the Bible's word for it is idolatry. A country can be an idol. A family can be an idol.”
Or Tim Keller in his book “Counterfeit Gods” -
“An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, “If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I‘ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.” There are many ways to describe that kind of relationship to something, but perhaps the best one is worship.”
An idol is anything that we have in our lives that we are dependent on for our happiness and joy and peace. In contemporary Singapore, the shape and form might have changed but the reality of idolatry is still very real - for atheists and for people who say that believe in Jesus. We all still struggle with idolatry.
The apostle John is helpful.
“For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” (1 John 2:16 ESV)
Are we turning away from the desires of the flesh? Are we trapped by the desires of the eyes? Are we motivated by our pride of life - body beautiful? Career security? Sense of self accomplishment? Self affirmation and performance?
Why is turning away from idols so important? Because we will save ourselves from hell? Because God will be happy with us? Perhaps but more accurately put - We turn away from idols because idols cannot be trusted. They are not powerful. They are not dependable. They cannot give us the security or the peace or the fulfilment that we desire. Only the true and loving God can. We were made to worship and know and trust in God. Anything less will fall short of our desire and expectation.
A Strong Church is turning away from idols, to depend on the living and true God.