Dumb Idols

What do Colton Dixon, Tim Tebow and Santa Claus have in common?

They’re loved by Pagans in all 50 States!

Οἴδατε ὅτι ἔθνη ἦτε πρὸς τὰ εἴδωλα τὰ ἄφωνα ὡς ἂν ἤγεσθε ἀπαγόμενοι.

1 Corinthians 12:2

The word “idolatry” is a transliteration of the Greek word εἰδωλολατρία [eidololatria]. This is a compound of εἴδωλον [eidolon] and λατρεία [latreia]. Eidolon comes from the noun εἶδος [eidos], meaning “what is seen”; latreia means “service and worship”. Therefore, eidololatria means “the service and worship of what is seen”. Idolatry is a sin because God is a spirit and can’t be seen (John 4:24), so if you’re worshipping what you can see, you’re not worshipping God (cf John 20:29).

Additionally, the Apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:5 that idolatry is synonymous with covetousness (πλεονεξία [pleonexia], “greedy desire for more”). So where there’s idolatry, there’s covetousness.

Of course, no Christian worth his salt would ever put his approval on idolatry. Even the wealthiest, most apostate mega-church guru has enough propriety left to denounce the worship of idols; which makes it even stranger that so many Christians think being an idol is something to cheer about.

American Idol hopeful Colton Dixon is supposed to be a Christian. The 20-year-old’s parents are said to be missionaries in the Philippines and he says he gives all the glory to God. Of course, he also said, “I want America to see me as someone to look up to.”

So, clearly, he’s been spending more time singing in front of a mirror than he has studying the Doctrine of Christ.

Colton and his parents might want to read Luke 6:26, Christ’s curse on popularity.

Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Then, to further their horror, they can take a look at Matthew 5:11-12.

Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Tim Tibow, the NFL quarterback, late of the Denver Broncos, and Christian media darling, would do well to paint those verse numbers under his eyes. They just might give him and his fan(atic)s some needed perspective.

The Mile High Messiah’s Christianized antics on the field have so bewitched football-loving believers that they’ve actually rechristened (see what I did there?) the act of genuflecting to pray as “tebowing”.

Just as Jesus Commanded (Matt 6:6)

Tebow himself has rechristened “making money from wearing underwear on TV” as “not portraying or advocating sexuality”. Oh, and “classy”:

“People may say it's underwear, but everyone wears underwear. It's not like I'm doing something risqué,” he said to ESPN. “I wouldn't do anything that goes against what I stand for. The whole campaign is very classy.”

Underwear ad. Classy. I'm not sure Tim knows what that word means. Just like “mammon” (see Matt 6:24).

Why would any Christian want to be famous? Being looked at and up to by those who hate Jesus will not make you a good disciple, but it will expose your love for the praise of men over the praise of God (John 12:43).

Look it’s this simple, no matter how much evangelizing you tell yourself you’ll do once you’re famous, it won’t make up for all the compromising you’ll have to do to get there. You can’t want to be an idol without having an unhealthy regard for idols yourself. No one who hates hunting will ever want to be a champion hunter, right?



Or, as the Apostle John put it, "Kids, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21).