Bogdan Kipko

Six Sustaining Antidotes For Idolatry

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Bogdan Kipko
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The cause of idolatry is the insatiable lust or desire that pervades our person because our mind is not set on the things of God. The cause of idolatry is our obsession with trite and trivial things that occupy our mind and motivate our existence.

It is a love that we have for the world and the things that this world has to offer. This is the root cause of our idolatry.

 

John the Apostle summarizes his entire five chapter epistle with the following closing line, “little children, keep yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). When John says this, he literally means keep yourself from trusting, obeying, revering, and worshiping anyone or anything other than God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

 How then can we find a cure for idolatry? Here are six sustaining antidotes for idolatry:

 

  1. The cure for idolatry becomes visible to us when Jesus becomes our Authentic Messiah. 
  2. The cure for idolatry becomes viable we cease to pursue pseudo-messiahs in possessions or positions or people. 
  3. The cure for idolatry becomes veritable when we relentlessly pursue Jesus with a whole, undivided heart. 
  4. The cure for idolatry becomes valid when we begin to be utterly obsessed with Jesus and what he has done for us because of our sin on the cross of Calvary. 
  5. The cure for idolatry becomes verifiable when we shatter our worthless idols and live a life with Jesus, for Jesus, through Jesus and in light of Jesus. 
  6. The cure for idolatry becomes vital when our most deep-seated joy is found in nothing but Jesus. 

Our idolatry is cured when we love Jesus so much more that we are not enslaved or ensnared by our attachments, whatever or whoever they may be. We must rejoice and rest in the finished work of Christ on the cross. This allows us to holistically understand that the cure for idolatry can only be provided by the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 

Question: In what way has the gospel remedied idolatry in your life? 

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Comments

8 responses to “Six Sustaining Antidotes For Idolatry”

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous

    I wish it was as easy as writing a prescription and the problem is cured. Do you know how many people ignore a health professionals advice?

    Reply
    1. Bogdan Kipko Avatar
      Bogdan Kipko

      Well, the “prescription” has already been “written” about 2000 years ago — but I see what you mean — and I would venture to say that many people ignore advice of professionals — it seems that may be a trend these days — because everyone who has access to Wikipedia etc is already a self professed professional 🙂

      Good thoughts, thank you!

      Reply
  2. Julie Artemov Avatar
    Julie Artemov

    I’ve been praying for a change in heart, and I have truly realized this concept in my life this year: idolatry, any thing that is put before Christ and takes him out of his rightfully purchased place, is the root of all conflict in my life. My life is literally a full blown war between the desires of my worldly heart and the desires of God’s heart for me. It is not lust, drunkenness, debauchery, or covetous ways that attack me, but truly the fact that there is anything that comes before Christ that will send me in a downward spiral in the the clenched fists of the above sins. But if i choose to keep my gaze on Jesus and delight in Him and be obsessed with Him (as you put it) those sins will have no power over me for my loyalty and allegiance will be with a different master, the one true and perfect. Just a couple personal thoughts!

    Reply
    1. Bogdan Kipko Avatar
      Bogdan Kipko

      Julie — wow, what a powerful statement — the Christian walk is a perpetual spiritual warfare zone — I love the clarity you provide in terms of how you focus on Christ!

      Great thoughts, saturated with the gospel!

      Peace, 

      Bogdan. 

      Reply
  3. Oksana Kipko Avatar
    Oksana Kipko

    The best remedy for me is to be totally obsessed with Jesus and his work on the cross. It is something I need to remind myself daily of. 

    Reply
    1. Bogdan Kipko Avatar
      Bogdan Kipko

      Oksana — exactly — preach to yourself the gospel daily — this is the key to conquering any and all idols in your life! 

      Peace, 

      Bogdan.  

      Reply
  4. Sure, you can ID your IDolatry, but who has a clue how to purify the heart? | Carried Away

    […] Kipko is taking crap from Lane & Tripp, no doubt.  At http://bogdankipko.com/six-sustaining-antidotes-for-idolatry He lists ”six sustaining antidotes for idolatry:”  The cure for idolatry becomes […]

    Reply
  5. Bogdan Kipko Avatar
    Bogdan Kipko

    Hi Tad — thank you for the recap of my post — I just want to address briefly the issues you raised:  

    “1.  How do we cause ourselves to cease to pursue pseudo-messiahs?”

    A. –We focus on the finished work of Christ on the cross. In addition, we have to “guard our heart” (Prov. 4:23; 1 Sam. 16:7; Jer. 17:9-10; Matt. 6:21; 12:34; 15:18; Mark 12:30; Heb. 4:12 Eph. 3:17).  

    2.  Where are we going to get a “a whole, undivided heart” with which to pursue Jesus?  Doesn’t this beg the question to begin with, dude?”

    A. –A whole an undivided heart is possessed by us when we love Jesus more than anything else. When the gospel of Jesus is the absolute and final governing mechanism for all that we are. 

    “3.  Isn’t our problem we are obsessed with something other than Christ?  So, how are we to suddenly become “utterly obsessed with Jesus and what he has done for us”?”

    A. –You are exactly right — we turn good things into ultimate things which then become “god” things — This is why Paul tells the Corinthians to “flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14). 

    “4.  How do you “ shatter your worthless idols?” 

    A. –Simple — you quit pursuing them — you pursue Jesus with the same vigor and passion as you pursued your idols — set your mind on the things of God

    “5.  Isn’t the whole problem that our most deep seated joys are in our idols rather than in Christ?  So how do we make our “most deep-seated joy is found in nothing but Jesus.?”

    A. –Yes that is the problem, this goes back to my post (http://ht.ly/5Pdh2) on this blog about why we must guard our heart, for from it flow all your affections you externally demonstrate. 

    6.  Isn’t the problem that we love things other than Christ?  So how are we supposed to  “love Jesus so much more that we are not enslaved or ensnared by our attachments”?

    A. –I answer it in this post: http://ht.ly/5Pdh2”

    “This is not a list of “antidotes”.  This is a wish list for antinomians”

    A. –I believe this is a start to shattering the idols in our lives. Ultimately it is only Jesus who will fulfill this completely, when we put our faith and trust in Him and Him alone. 

    I am not sure where the “antinomian” piece came from 🙂 

    God bless you

    Peace, 

    Bogdan.

    Reply

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