Idolatry doesn’t just affect individuals; it also has a profound impact on the Church. The Church is known as to be the body of Christ, a community of believers who’re united of their love for God and their commitment to His mission. However, when idols infiltrate the Church, they bring about division, distraction, and dysfunction.
One of probably the most significant ways idols affect the Church is by creating division. When members of the Church place their very own desires, preferences, or agendas above the mission of God, the unity of the Church is compromised. This can manifest in various ways, reminiscent of disagreements over worship styles, theological differences, and even the pursuit of power and influence throughout the Church. When this stuff change into more essential than loving God and loving others, the Church becomes divided, and its witness to the world is weakened.
Idolatry also results in distraction throughout the Church. The Church is known as to be a lightweight within the darkness, to spread the Gospel, and to make disciples. However, when the Church becomes focused on things apart from God—whether or not it’s maintaining a certain image, constructing impressive facilities, or achieving numerical growth—it loses sight of its true purpose. In Revelation 2:4-5, Jesus warns the church in Ephesus,
“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you’ve got fallen! Repent and do the belongings you did at first.”
This is a sobering reminder that after we allow idols to take precedence, we risk losing our old flame and our effectiveness in ministry. Furthermore, idolatry can result in a lukewarm faith. When the Church becomes more concerned with cultural relevance, comfort, or success than with the reality of the Gospel, it loses its passion and zeal. In Revelation 3:15-16, Jesus admonishes the church in Laodicea, saying,
“I do know your deeds, that you simply are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the opposite! So, because you’re lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I’m about to spit you out of my mouth.”
A church that’s lukewarm is ineffective and fails to meet its calling to be salt and lightweight on this planet.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Ryasick
