Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven bbove or on the earth beneath or in the waters below” — Idolatry is rejection of truth and an attempt to replace God — Veith, G. E., Jr. (1994b). Postmodern Times: A Christian Guide to Contemporary Thought and Culture. Crossway, p. 63 – NIV

              Reflexive images brought to mind by the mention of particular words offer efficiency of thought, but may hinder deeper insights into a heavier topic. The mention of idols quickly brings to mind statues small and large, ancient civilizations like Greece or modern tribal groups with carved poles. As a Christian, these idols repulse our sensibilities and are easier to reject. Isaiah mocked the idea of carving an idol out of wood while using the left-overs to warm himself (44:14-17).

              Mentally stopping at imagining such a ridiculous physical object as our recipient of worship endangers us by not exposing other less conspicuous idols in our lives. Veith in his book, Postmodern Times, goes deeper by stating that “Idolatry is rejection of truth and an attempt to replace God”. Ultimately, the sin of idolatry arises from any active or passive placing of something above God. He connects the rejection of truth with such an act of replacing God because God is truth and the source of all truth we may possess.

              From the Old Testament, we see not only the Gentile peoples worshipping other idols, but the very people of God, the Hebrews falling prey to this rejection of God and His truth. Throughout history, the heart and mind of mind collaborate to create alternatives to the God of the Scriptures, and thus create idols sometimes physical and sometimes simply abstract ideals. Today, our society continues and somewhat extends this idolatry by denying truth altogether.

              By reaching such a low point in our understanding of our reality, thinking that truth either does not exist or that we are able to create our own truth, we are creating idols of such mental rationalizations. In order to tear down such idols in our own thinking, we must return to aligning our beliefs and values with God’s truth such that our thoughts and feelings align with His, thus directing our practices both individually and collectively after His ways rather than the false idols of our increasingly ungodly culture. We and others around us who follow this example will flourish in God’s blessing through such work.