This is a word against idolatry. In the ancient world, people worshipped carvings of gold, silver or wood. Today we may not use such images, but people still worship the idol of self. Paul points out that this is not in line with reality. God is not the projection of man. Everything that exists came from God’s hands. God is the Maker, not the made.
Then, God is the giver, and does not have any need from us. In the ancient world, people had to bring gifts to the gods, they had to do things for their gods, to propitiate them and sacrifice to them. The gods of people today still make demands from them.
Do not think that we are free from idolatry. Money is a god for some. Fame is a god to others. Our children can be our gods. We ourselves can be our own god. It is appalling at the number of people today who worship America and enthrone it as the highest value in life, the thing for which they would give their lives, the only thing worth living for. These are the false gods that make continual demands upon us.
Are we willing to honestly evaluate and courageously confront, and name, our personal idols? Do we see our idols as affronts to the presence and power of Christ in us and through us? Are we sacrificing our time, our very lives, to those idols—lives purchased and legitimately owned by Christ who died for us? If the answer to any of these is “Yes,” then we need to make a change today.
God is the One who creates. He is the Originator of all things.
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