Bible Studies
The Idolatry of Self-Worship (1 Cor. 10:7, 14-22)
Series: Lessons on IdolatryIntroduction:
1. This passage harks back to that passage that should now be famous to us in Ex. 32 where Israel made the golden calf and worshiped it. 2. “Do not be idolaters!” Paul demands. “Flee from idolatry!” He says. 3. Who is he speaking to? He speaks to the people of God, those who share in the special covenant relationship evident in their partaking of the Lord’s Supper. He is speaking to those who share in the body and the blood of Christ. 4. To be sure the Christians of the first century may have been plagued by physical resemblances of so called gods more than we are, but throughout the text of the N.T. we are warned not to be idolaters. 5. In this lesson I want to talk with you about the idolatry of self-worship. If we define idolatry as allowing anything to come between us and our service to the Lord then yes, even those in covenant relationship with God can allow themselves to come between them and the Lord.Discussion:
I. Adam and Eve were the first to exalt themselves above the Lord (Gen. 3).A. Satan’s attack subtly questioned their understanding of who they were.
1. God had designed them in His own image and likeness (Gen. 1:26-27). This gave them superiority and rulership over all the beasts of the earth and so he should not be found submitting to the voice of the serpent.
2. “The serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field” (3:1).
B. How things unfolded . . .
1. God said, “You may eat freely, but not from the tree of knowledge.” Freedom with limitation.
2. Satan said, “Has God said you shall not eat from any . . . “ Has God restricted you too much?
3. Eve’s interpretation, “We may eat, but not from the tree in the middle of the garden; not eat or touch it.” Eve has exaggerated the restriction, while minimizing her freedom. She is privileged to eat freely.
4. God said, “You will surely die.”
5. The serpent said, “You surely will not die.” Eliminates judgment.
6. Eve’s interpretation: “You will die.” “Lest you die.” Minimizes judgment.
7. Satan said, “God knows that in the day you eat your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Eve was already like God. She was created in His image. She is listening to a beast that she is to rule over.
8. Eve saw the tree was good for food, a delight to the eyes, and desirable to make one wise. By exalting her desires above the Lord’s instruction she has idolized herself.
9. Observe that this is an attack on who they are. Satan is saying, “You are not like God. To be like Him you would have to eat what is forbidden. You need to exalt yourself.”
C. Do you ever feel like you are not very important? Do you feel insignificant and small? Do you feel like you just don’t measure up? Too short? Too little? Too big? Too fat? Too ugly? Too young? Too old? Too poor? Too under educated? Too powerless? Too insignificant? How many of us are too unsatisfied with our perception of ourselves although we are in the image and likeness of God?
D. There are plenty of creatures out there that will diminish us.
1. They will diminish the value of our life (Gen. 9:6).
2. They will undermine us verbally (Matt. 5:22; James 3:9).
3. They will take away our power, diminish our position, our wealth, our appearance, our education. They will do anything they can to make us feel small, insignificant and less. They will tell us that we are nothing unless we buy their product, look the way they decide we should, do the things they want us to do, etc. And so, we conform ourselves to the world. Instead we should be transformed (Rom. 12:1-2).
4. Their influence is strengthened by our confusion about who we are.
II. There are evidences in Scripture of men practicing idolatry to bolster their self-image.A. We may heap up possessions to bring glory to ourselves.
1. It is easy to get our identity caught up in what we have or do not have.
2. Eph. 5:5 identifies the covetous man as an idolater. Greed amounts to idolatry (Col. 3:5).
3. Those of James 4:13fff gave no attention to the Lord as they made plans to go to such and such a city, spend a year there, engage in business and make a profit.
4. The rich young ruler went away sorrowful when called upon to sell his possessions and follow the Lord (Mk. 10:22).
5. Note the contrast Jesus makes in Matt. 6:19-24.
6. I keep telling myself I am not my possessions, how much money I make, what kind of car I drive, what kind of house I live in, what kind of clothes I wear, etc., but the creature still says, “You are too!” “You are nobody unless . . .”
B. People are attracted to position in order to bring glory to themselves.
1. The scribes and Pharisees are condemned of this idolatry in Matt. 23:2-12.
2. Teachers can do the same (2 Pet. 2:1-3).
3. Elders can do the same (Acts 20:29-31; 1 Pet. 5:2-3).
C. We can even practice righteousness to bring glory to ourselves (Matt. 6:1).
1. Our giving (Matt. 6:2-4).
2. Our praying (Matt. 6:5-6).
3. Our fasting (Matt. 6:16-18).
D. When we rest upon our own wisdom and not God’s we commit idolatry (Rom. 1:22-23).
E. When we create our own religious systems and practices we commit idolatry (Col. 2:16-23).
III. What is the appropriate response?A. We must appreciate who we are as those created in the image and likeness of God.
B. We must embrace and accept our inherent value. We have nothing to prove to those who are creatures (others or ourselves).
C. Humility is recognizing who you are: the most exalted of God’s creatures, designed in His image, of great value.
1. Arrogance involves attempts to prove your worth, often at the expense of others, by putting them down and putting yourself up.
2. God exalts those who humble themselves and humbles those who exalt themselves (cf. Phil. 2:8-9; James 4:10).
D. You are somebody. You are important. You are valuable. Once you recognize this you can serve like Jesus did, that God may be glorified (Matt. 20:28). Such single-minded devotion to God is what we celebrate when we share in the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 10:14ff).
Conclusion:
1. Therefore let us flee from the idolatry of self-worship. 2. Dying to self let us give ourselves completely and totally to the Lord. 3. Would you do this by being baptized this morning?
