Idol-makers

Acts 19:24 tells us of “a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana.” This man recognized the threat to his livelihood posed by the advance of the gospel, and it was his address to fellow craftsmen that stirred a strong response and general uproar affirming loyalty to Diana of the Ephesians and to their way of life.

Such archaic examples of idol-making we easily recognize, but modern instances have proven more difficult to spot. If we first understand that idolatry includes whatever is set up and trusted in the place of God, then we can identify idol-makers in our midst—and see that the plying of this dangerous trade is not exclusive to contemporary pagans. Many have unwittingly made such idols and many more have bowed to them. What are these subtle substitutes for God? There are two that seem quite apparent:

1. The Idol of Replacing the Role of the Holy Spirit

The word pastor means shepherd, and pastors are under-shepherds to Jesus, the Great Shepherd. When pastors are Spirit-filled, they bring the reality of the Great Shepherd to their flocks. What a privilege and responsibility to be a channel of the love and care of Jesus! However, 1 Peter 5:3 also warns pastors against lording over their flocks, “Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” Shepherds choose to lead while dictators opt for lording.

Shepherds lead, and their sheep are inclined to follow. Dictators lord and compel their sheep to follow. Shepherds lead people to a personal relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Dictators employ practical means, often manipulation and intimidation, to ensure outcomes that peers deem good. But there is an emptiness when rules and ritualism replace the building of a true relationship.

The bottom line is that faithful pastors trust the Holy Spirit in their own lives and in the lives of their sheep. Blessed is the flock whose pastor trusts in the Holy Spirit’s leadership among the flock! Yes, without being forced into a semblance of spiritual conformity, some sheep may go astray. But people will not learn to follow the Holy Spirit if they are always compelled to conform through rituals devised to look spiritual.

Because true spirituality is an individual being rightly related to the Spirit, this can be replaced with idolatry whenever the privilege is eclipsed by an overreaching pastor unwittingly placing himself in the role of the Holy Spirit. While the jurisdiction of a pastor is fairly broad and necessarily includes church/platform policy, pastoral jurisdiction does not extend into directing the lives of families or individuals. 

The greatest sin in not a few churches is not trusting in the Holy Spirit, not depending on Him. In a word, it is unbelief. In fact, far too many pastors unknowingly teach people to sin after this manner by insisting people depend on their pastor instead of genuinely leading people to know and follow the Holy Spirit.

To clarify, the written Word provides clear, objective absolutes in black and white for anyone with a heart for the authority of the Bible. Pastors and people must respect the authority of the Word of God. It is the Holy Spirit who provides subjective leadership for other matters, issues that are not black and white within the bounds of the book He authored. God did not make everything black and white, thus our need for the Holy Spirit to guide us. When pastors or other spiritual leaders convert gray areas to black and white matters, they eclipse the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of individual believers. The sheep feel as though their leaders must be obeyed in non-absolute/gray areas in the name of obeying God. And so, perhaps unwittingly, the under-shepherds have set up themselves in the place of the Holy Spirit. In essence, is this not setting up themselves as idols? Though this reality is far from their intent, overreaching leaders can indeed become idol-makers.

2. The Idol of Placing Traditions on the Level of the Word of God

Traditions are not intrinsically evil and, in proper proportion, may be helpful. But faith comes by hearing the Spirit speak the truth of the specific word of God (Rom. 10:17), and therefore, traditions must never be placed on the same level as the very Word of God. Acknowledging an equality between the Word and church traditions makes misplaced faith a real possibility. Traditions can become a manmade object of dependence, so to place traditions on the same level as the Bible is idolatry.

The error of placing the commandments of men on the level of biblical doctrine is not new. Jesus confronted the Pharisees over this, saying, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do” (Mark 7:7-8). It is but a subtle form of idolatry.

It is interesting to me that the Bible’s inspired “sin lists” (e.g. 1 Cor. 6, Gal. 5, Eph. 5) often differ from items people typically mention as major problems in today’s churches. Paul preached against real sins. As a protection against falling into real sins, the Holy Spirit will set specific “guardrails” for an obedient believer to implement. This is a normal part of the Holy Spirit’s leadership. However, changing individual guardrails into universal commands is tantamount to making individual guidance the black and white dictates of Scripture in the minds of the people. This too is idol-making.

Obviously, children need a greater degree of guidance (and they have parents for that), but that is not what I’m addressing. The matter at hand is the need for discipleship to lead people to a mature and vibrant relationship with the Spirit of Jesus who gives life to His Word.

Regardless of what spiritual sounding verbiage idol-makers may use, this disguised  idol-making reveals a lack of real trust and dependence on the leadership of the Holy Spirit.