WHAT IS THE WORST SIN?
Of the seven deadly sins, is there one worse than the others? Yes, sin is sin, and violates the glory of God. But is there one that opens the floodgates to all the others? Without diminishing the seriousness of the others, is there one sin that sets us on a slippery slope? Is one like a gatekeeper, opening the door and inviting all the others? Is there one sin that evokes God’s jealousy?
Consider the teachings of Jesus, and the Law of Moses. Consider the Biblical kings, starting with David and Solomon, and 1 and 2 Kings where God assesses all kings as either evil or good. Consider the Epistles, and the list of what's allowed in heaven, and what is not allowed in heaven.
NO OTHER GODS
The Ten Commandments begins by revealing God is the One true God who delivered Israel from Egypt. It then follows with the command to have ‘no other gods before Him’. When Jesus was asked what was the most important law, He said all the laws and prophets are summed up in two. The first is to love God with all of the heart—100%! The second is to love one another. The ability to love one another flows out of loving God first. The only way to be a decent human being (overriding our default to evil) is to first love God with all our hearts.
The Lord God Almighty, our Creator, Redeemer and Messiah, deserves our full attention and honour. He deserves to have the first place in our lives. He is a jealous God. Idolatry, having other gods before Him, is the worst sin because it dislodges and demotes Him from His highest place. It is saying something, or someone else is better, or more worthy of our attention, time, thoughts, service, and worship.
Idolatry sends the message that something or someone else is trust worthier than He who created the heavens and earth! Idolatry says that something or someone else is more worthy of our heart, than the one who is our Savior, Redeemer, and Messiah! It says that something or someone else is able to supply our needs better than the Lord who knows even the hairs on our head. Idolatry is an insult to the lover of our soul. And for that reason, God also calls idolatry, adultery of the heart. The heart is stolen away from the One who is worthy of our affection.
Idolatry opens the door to other deadly sins. Once our heart turns away from the Lord, immorality and bloodshed soon follow. The pattern is in the Scriptures, over and over. Israel was warned that the Promised Land would ‘vomit’ them out for such sin. Such strong graphic language reveals God’s viewpoint—not ours!
IDOLS IN MODERN SOCIETY
There are many religions today that consciously exalt false idols—and just add Jesus to their list of gods. There are also many trends in society, even to stay fit and healthy, that draw folk into eastern religions and New Age. Idolatry can be simple as false comforters, false refuges, and covetousness. Grumbling and complaining can activate idolatry. For many people today, it is like Israel of old; syncretism. On the one hand say we worship God, and even go though some rituals. But simultaneously have other things we trust in. Some add gods of Buddhism and Islam and call if multi-faith or Chrislam. Remember, “Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6 NKJV)
Drawing on Israel’s history, Paul admonishes the church to flee from idolatry. (1 Cor 10) Paul calls us to “Live as one who has died to every form of sexual sin and impurity…desires for forbidden things, including the desire for wealth, which is the essence of idol worship.” (Colossians 3:5)
James bluntly confirmed Paul’s word. “And if you ask…with corrupt motives, seeking only to fulfill your own selfish desires. 4 You have become spiritual adulterers who are having an affair, an unholy relationship with the world. Don't you know that flirting with the world's values places you at odds with God? Whoever chooses to be the world's friend makes himself God's enemy!” (James 4:3-4 TPT)
Modern idolatry can be as simple as taking on the world’s values and priorities. Or as Paul said, coveting wealth. And the Lord equates it with spiritual adultery.
In Jeremiah 3:8 the Lord says backsliding Israel had committed adultery… “Thus he gave a ‘certificate of divorce to Israel.” And in Ezekiel 23 :37 the Lord says to Israel “…they committed adultery with their idols…” Once the heart forsakes the lover of our soul and turns to another lover, spiritual adultery can quickly descend to physical adultery or some form of sexual sin.
We are in a serious and challenging time of history. Things that may have been ‘permissible’ in the last season will put us in danger in this new era. Like Israel, we cannot defeat our enemies if we hold onto things that are not of God. It is time for the Body of Christ to be true worshippers—and forsake both our contemporary and pagan gods. True worship requires all of our hearts.
Andrew Scarborough, a Melbourne man who recently ran an evangelism training camp in Bendigo said; “Don’t plan with what is in your pocket but what is in the pocket of God. Idolatry is when you have to consult with anything before stepping out into the will of God. You know what the idol is in your life when the Lord says, “I want you to do this”, and straight away you think, but what about…? That’s the idol right there. What will my spouse say? What will my children say? What will my boss say? What about my bank balance? What about my personality? What about my circumstances? That’s the idol right there. Lay that on the altar and watch what the Lord does with your life.”
KING DAVID—A MAN AFTER GOD’S HEART?
Many have scratched their heads over God calling King David a man after His own heart. (Acts 13:22) Why would God say that when David had committed adultery and murder in the episode with Bathsheba?
The major clue is found 1 Kings 24 and 15. God assessed all the kings the kings of Israel and Judah based on whether they were faithful to Him or whether they worshipped other gods. David never deviated from worshipping God. David never built altars to other gods. or served them. It is made clear when the wife of King Jeroboam went to the prophet (in disguise) to get a word from the Lord for her sick husband. The prophet answered by comparing Jeroboam to David.
“…you have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes; 9 but you have done more evil than all who were before you, for you have gone and made for yourself other gods and molded images to provoke Me to anger, and have cast Me behind your back…” (1 Kings 14:8-9 NKJV)
The Lord compared David with King Abijam of Judah, even referring to his sin with Bathsheba. Of the kingship Abijam the Lord said: 3 “And he walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. 5 “David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” (1 Kings 15:1-5 NKJV)
The kings were compared according to their loyalty and faithfulness to worship God alone. The episode with Bathsheba is mentioned as the only time David disobeyed God.
The truth is, David was out of position. Normally kings were away at war at that time of year—but David had stayed home. His heart strayed from the Lord. Psalm 32 provides profound insight into what really sets David apart—firstly deep repentance. Secondly, even pre-cross, David trusts in the ability of blood to cleanse our hearts from unrighteousness! Read Psalm 32 in The Passion Translation. Compare it with 1 John 1:9 “if we confess our sins He is faithful to forgive and cleanse from all unrighteousness.”
Unlike Solomon, David dealt with his sin and remained faithful to the Lord to the end of his life. Solomon finished badly because his wives drew his heart away to other gods.
How we finish matters! The call to us is to be faithful only to Him—all of our lives.
© 2023 Ruth Webb