On Worship & Idolatry

The average modern Christian’s understanding of worship is so vague and undefined, it isn’t helpful to talk about “worshipping the creator, not the creation.” It would be better (and more to the point) to speak of serving the creator or adoring the creator, not the creation.

Our vague understanding of worship has led to a vague understanding of idolatry, as well. When I hear homiletic use of the word “idolatry,” I find it is typically too high a standard or too low; in other words, “idolatry” is typically defined in such a way that nearly everything is idolatry or nearly nothing is. As such, we very rarely think ourselves guilty of idolatry–either because idolatry is too common and omnipresent a sin to worry about (given that many happy, successful people must necessarily be idolaters), or because idolatry is too esoteric and bizarre a sin for the average man to fear committing.