Idolatry of Self and Inverted Worship, Redeemed by Christ
Shaped more by an environment where self-promotion is admired and rewarded by the world than the Gospel.
"We confess that we are sinful by nature and that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. We have neglected and abused your holy worship and your holy name..." (Richard Baxter)
I admit that I am shaped more by an environment where self-promotion is admired and rewarded by the world than by the Gospel.
I confess three commands I have transgressed, four I have violated:
1. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (Deuteronomy 6:5)
2. "You shall have no other Gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)
3. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness." (Matthew 6:33)
The greatest commandment is twisted. The world, Satan, and my sinful flesh say to me, "You shall love yourself with all your heart, soul, and might."
The first commandment is inverted to say, "You shall have no other gods before yourself." Then, I make an image of myself that I post online that I desire to be worshiped and praised. At the same time, I'm seeking first my kingdom and self-righteousness. In doing so, I break the Eighth Commandment by stealing God's glory for myself.
When the idol of self fails to live up to its image, God's name and reputation is cursed among unbelievers. I also break the Third Commandment!
These are just a few examples of the violence I have committed against God.
What about you?
"Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin." - Romans 7:24-25
But God, being kind and merciful, didn't leave us to our sinful vices. He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to bring our rescue and redemption - and justification. He gives us a spirit of repentance to set things right.
He forgives our sins and trespasses on the cross and throws them into the deep ocean of His forgetfulness.
"For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." - Hebrews 8:12
Lifting up our faces and countenance, God bids us to love Him, to serve Him, to worship Him, and to glorify Him.
As we repent and believe the Gospel, we can be encouraged by stating a confession handed down through the ages!
The first question of the 1563 Heidelberg Confession asks, "What is your only comfort in life and death?"
The Confession answers, "That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.
He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.
Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him."
Jesus Christ can redeem our idolatry of self and inverted worship to the praise of His glory and our good!
The Forge Room Foundation is re-shaping the cultural landscape in Fort Worth, Texas. The Forge Room Foundation equips, activates, and connects Christians, churches, and nonprofits to transform our city for the glory of God. Learn more and support our work at https://forgeroom.org
Want to learn how to approach culture and the issues of our day from a biblical worldview perspective? Check out the Revolution of Man blog here…