Devotional - Colossians 3:5
Hello Contineo! I am praying for you as the school year begins - that you begin it well. Lately, we've been studying the Book of Revelation. Revelation is a deep and challenging book, but its messages are relevant for all disciples of Jesus. The question for all disciples in light of Revelation is this: do you live in light of the return of Jesus? Is his return regularly on your mind? Do you have the hope of eternal life constantly before your mind?
One of the most important messages of Revelation is that some people are more prone to deception than others. The question is this: who is the kind of person most likely to be deceived? The answer: the person who loves and lives for idols, rather than God. If Satan knows that all he must do is provide your false god for you, then you will live for that god, even if it means believing falsehood and living in sin.
Read the words of Colossians 3:5 below. Paul's words are clear and serious: put to death all of the idols in your life. There is a Christian philosopher who lived about 1,000 years ago - Thomas Aquinas - who summarized idolatry in terms of four idols we're prone to following:
1. Pleasure
2. Money
3. Power
4. Honor/Fame
None of these things is evil in itself. However, if worshipped (in other words, if you live for them) they will draw you away from God and the truth and into sin. They are false and terrible gods, not worth worshiping, but in themselves they can be gifts from God.
What is your idol? Put another way, which of these four things are you most likely to allow to control your life? By finding the answer to this question, you will be able to avoid that idol - to put it to death - and worship God, who alone is actually worthy of our worship.
"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."
- Colossians 3:5 (NIV)