The Problem of Idolatry in America

The Problem of Idolatry in America

With the presidential election coming upon us, it has become quite clear to me that this country has a problem with idolatry, or the worship of someone or something other than the One True God. I am not surprised as I’ve seen idolatry rearing its ugly head in the church for many years. Sadly, Christians are leading the charge in the case of idol worship in America both inside and outside of the Christian community.

I found a meme on social media the other day that said, 

“The other eleven disciples didn’t stop believing in Jesus because of the actions of Judas. If the actions of others wreck your faith, then you have to ask yourself, ‘Was my faith in Jesus, or people?’”

As an example of this, I recently learned of some long-time friends who have turned away from the Lord. It breaks my heart. Very unfortunately, we used to go to the same church where the lead pastor had an affair with his secretary. Several months after he was discovered, he took his own life. This heartbreaking situation was definitely hard to wrap our minds around. While we both eventually left that church, my friends left their faith altogether. For me, this particular situation with this particular church wasn’t the last time a ministry leader hurt me.

Soon after I shared the above meme, someone I barely know direct-messaged me to ask if I could talk. She didn’t give details, but something happened within her beloved church where she spent her teens and early adulthood. She told me that these were formative years and this incident really rattled her. I completely understood after all of the things I’ve experienced with the church. These situations cause us to question who we are serving: God or man?

The more I’m around churches and ministries, the more I see men and women in the limelight of Christian leadership fall from their pedestals in disgrace. It doesn’t benefit anyone for me to point out names. Chances are you know of at least one, if you’ve not experienced this pain yourself. 

You can look outside the church and see just as much corruption of the whole human race. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, like most years, the ugly side of people comes out and points to the “other side” and draws out all of the dirty deeds that each candidate may or may not have committed. Christians seem to be leading in this disgust. To be clear, I’m neither a republican or democrat and can’t say I’m going to vote for either of these party’s candidates. I also don’t want to see anyone assassinated and am glad the former president is okay. 

My thoughts have nothing to do with policy and everything to do with who we want to look to as our role models in this country. Not to mention, the prominence we put these leaders in our lives. It seems to me that our country’s leaders, as well as our pastors, are taking the place of Christ in our hearts.

What it comes down to is that the standard for role models in America is on a steep decline. We see pastors commit grievous sins and yet they are put back in the pulpit. Men are convicted of crimes, and yet we still look to them for leadership. Where Jesus should be the center of all, our nation is clamoring to all sorts of other people for the center of their worship. As scary as it is, we are doing so “in the name of Christ” as a guise.

We see people in power sin and we sweep it under the rug and promote praying for this person in place of holding them accountable for their actions. Yes, we should pray for our country’s and our church’s leaders but we also should hold them accountable for their actions. 

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”

1 Corinthians 5:9-13

We need to hold people who are claiming to be following Christ in leadership positions answerable to their actions. This is how we become the hands and feet of Jesus, by pursuing righteousness and expecting the people who are supposed to be setting an example to do the same. If not, then are we any better than the sinners we are upholding as our leaders?

When we uphold someone as an idol in our life, we often dismiss their actions. We coat our dismissal as giving them grace, when in reality, we are letting them lead in sin. The value of their leadership is evident by the fruit of their actions. 

Jesus said,

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Matthew 7:15-20 (ESV)

We need leaders in our churches and in our country who are going to be responsible for the fruit they bear. A lot of fruit is easy to discern. An orange that looks like an orange and tastes sweet like an orange is clearly a good orange. If it tastes bad, we don’t suck it up and eat the orange anyway. No! We throw it away. So why, in critical matters such as faith and politics are we letting bad fruit stay in leadership? What does that say to our children?

The Bible makes it clear what good fruit is. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)

“Love” is listed as the first fruit of the spirit in this passage, and in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul makes it clear that it is the greatest of the fruits when he says, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” So, we need to look for leaders who exude love above all else. We should expect this from our ministry leaders, most definitely. We can’t expect this from someone who doesn’t identify themself as a follower of Christ, however. That said, both Harris and Trump claim to be Christians (Though Harris does so loosely). While we can’t know for sure if either of them are saved, we should hold them to their claims. Are either of them bearing the fruit of love? I encourage you to take this question to God and determine that for yourself, surrendered to his guidance. 

Let’s look at what love looks like. While the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians is one of the most famous passages of Scripture both within and without the Christian church. I encourage you to contemplate the whole chapter, but I will put a portion of it here. Put your pastor’s or political leader’s name in place of the word “love” and see if it makes sense.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things…

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13 (ESV)

We have to ask ourselves what love truly is. Whose name is the only One we can absolutely put in the place of “love” with no misgivings? God the Father. He tells the Israelites through the prophet Jeremaiah,

Be appalled, O heavens, at this;

    be shocked, be utterly desolate,

declares the Lord,

for my people have committed two evils:

they have forsaken me,

    the fountain of living waters,

and hewed out cisterns for themselves,

    broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 2:12-13

Anyone else but God placed where Christ should be is an idol and grieves his fatherly heart. Otherwise, it’s like holding onto a broken cistern. God wants Christ, above all, to have hold of our hearts and guide our decisions. God exhorted the Philippians, through Paul the Apostle,

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:5-11

Through Christ, and only through Christ, we are free. Just as my friends have decided they no longer follow Jesus and cease to call themselves “Christians” I found myself ashamed to call myself an American. Then I realized that my being American has less to do with who is leading my country and more to do with how I identify my citizenship. I was born into the “land of the free” and, compared to how many people in other countries live, I live as free. No politician has taken away my physical freedom, just as no preacher has taken away my spiritual freedom. My freedom is in Christ and Christ alone.

Now I ask you: who grants your freedom?

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Bethany Marinelli is an author and speaker out of Orlando, Florida. She also supports her husband, Andrew,  in his auto repair business and homeschools her son, Arthur. 

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