April 12, 2020

Recommended Reading April 2020 In this issue of Theology for Life Magazine, we’ve been considering the subject of idolatry and how it impacts the life of the Christian and ministry. We understand we haven’t covered everything on this topic, but it is our prayer, that, hopefully, readers of this issue of Theology for Life will […]

Growing up on a large lake, I developed a great appreciation for the power of the wind. I enjoyed many summer days sailing with friends on the family sailboat. When the weather was fair and there was a steady wind, it made for a delightful day. The wind carried you wherever you liked and you

“Little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1st John 5:21). If the heart of man is, as John Calvin described it, “an idol-making factory”, then the way in which those idols are destroyed should be of utmost importance to us. The Bible is replete with references to idolatry because it was written with the purpose of

The consistent biblical testimony is that idolatry is inexcusable. Scripture never condones idolatry on the grounds that men knew no better, but condemns it on the assumption that they did, and that irrespective of whether they had encountered any part of God’s special revelation or not (Isaiah 44:10-20; Habakkuk 2:18-20). Quite so, says Paul; for

The notion of the retributive irony has to do with being punished by means of your own sin. Can believers suffer this kind of retributive irony? I want to address two things in this article. First of all, let’s focus a little bit more on another example of being punished by means of our own

Let’s talk about laziness. Laziness is idolatry. It is closely related to its opposite—workaholism. Both the sins of laziness and workaholism are sins of self-worship. The behavior looks different, but the root idolatry is the same. And the problem we face is that the law cannot do for either of these sins what grace does.

Is God opposed to prosperity? Where is the line between being grateful for the gifts He’s given us and idolatry? Sometimes God offers prosperity as a blessing for faithfulness (remember Solomon?), and often it comes as a result of hard, honest work. It is certainly not wrong to provide nice things for your family, and

We’re not to be pitied. If we feel sorry for ourselves, others will feel sorry for us. If we recognize that we have a unique opportunity—the advantages of being able to serve the church, and if we’re filled with gratitude for this opportunity and season—then others will embrace that too. What’s important is our outlook