worship turned upside down

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 1:22-23

Humans will build a god of nearly anything EXCEPT God. We crave to worship something… and we will. Everybody worships. Nobody is exempt. That object of worship can be something human, and most commonly is so these days. Societies enshrine leaders, philosophies, celebrities, politicians, artists, entertainers, and achievers in various fields. Such hero building is de facto worship, and the systems built around them (Hollywood, political parties, sports franchises, businesses, communication platforms, and social media) have all become religious temples in their own right. Our idolatry may not look as overtly “pagan” as when Paul wrote to first century Rome, but it is certainly a replacement for God and it ignores Him just the same.

People are worshipers. It is what God made us for. We are created to give God our worship, to be enthralled in His glory alone. It is human to grow close in heart to our Creator. But sin has twisted us. It has made us foolish, even as we tell ourselves all the human and earthly stuff we adore makes us wiser. We can sincerely worship what destroys us. And that is exactly the end game of Romans chapter one. When God is not our glory, sin will be. Sin will lead us to dishonor, to embrace shameless immorality, to have debased minds, and to propagate a topsy-turvy morality that gives approval to what God decrees is sin that leads to death (Romans 1:32).

Lest I nod my head in agreement that such is the end of those caught in false worship, I must look at my own heart. This stuff seeps in. Because the appeal of these false glories is indeed strong, the influence can be subtle. And as culture hurls away from God’s truth at breakneck speed, it becomes easier for anyone to be allured by these false objects of worship. A generation now exists that is content in being foolish about God… a generation that embraces a “wisdom” that is self-proclaimed. Everything is now permissible in the name of tolerance, individuality, and self-expression… everything, that is, except the insistence that the One True God calls us into account before Him. This makes the gospel all the more important in a marketplace crammed full of idols. Culture constantly creates brand new idols like kids playing with Mr. Potatohead! Fortunately, the gospel isn’t sold like these commodities, it is offered free to the all who believe. And Christians must realize we proclaim it to an upside-down world!