Modern Day Idolatry | 20 Sneaky Idols We Worship

In Bible times, idolatry seemed pretty straightforward.

Don't bow down to statues of false gods? Check!

Because modern Christians don't usually wrestle with the temptation to worship statues, it's easy for us to glaze over this commandment. But the actual definition of "idol worship" is to prioritize something above God...and that's veeeeery easy to do.

So...what can modern day idolatry look like?

It's no longer about bowing down to golden statues or worshipping at the altars of false gods. It's not even necessarily evil desires in your heart.

Modern day idolatry can manifest in seemingly innocent ways, like placing too much importance on material possessions, success, or even relationships. The key is to recognize these subtle modern-day idols and learn how to put God back at the center of your life.

Modern Day Idolatry in Yourself!

One of the sneakiest forms of modern day idolatry, especially in Western culture, revolves around the idea of putting yourself at the center of everything. True, we don't want to be anyone's doormat, but many of us have bought into the idea that we need to:

• Look out for #1 (ourselves).
• Refuse to help others carry their burdens. (That's their responsibility, right?)
• Cut people who don't please us from our lives.
• "Find ourselves."
• "Treat" ourselves excessively. ("You deserve it, queen!")

These ideas all have a kernel of truth in them, which is why they're so convincing. But they can easily start us down a slippery slope, where our ego, pride, identity, needs, and desires can become the objects of our worship.

The fact is that God calls us to something bigger than just ourselves.

Your Needs

Yes, it's important to care for the needs of ourselves and our family members, and to enforce healthy boundaries as we help others. But operating exclusively within that mindset can lead us to becoming like the religious people who looked the other way in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

"Healthy" Boundaries in Relationships

I've lost count of the number of people I know who have gone no-contact with friends, siblings, and even parents in the name of healthy relationships.

Some of them are incredibly understandable and warranted, as in the cases of abuse, neglect, and real dangers of keeping ties to those people.

But others have cut off friends for giving honest feedback, parents for not supporting their dreams enthusiastically enough, and grandparents for giving grandkids a snack without asking first. (All true stories.)

Now I'm not talking about relationships that naturally die off. I'm talking about making people "dead to you" or insisting that they "earn your trust" back.

This everyone-is-dead-to-me-the-second-they-upset-me mentality is another example of placing your own feelings and ego on the throne of your heart. God calls us to community...to love one another, deal patiently with others, and forgive as He forgave us.

Finding Yourself

Yes, "finding ourselves" and developing healthy self-esteem are very good things! But finding our worth in our accomplishments, job titles, or physical appearance, rather than in the worth assigned to us by God, elevates our ego and pride above all else.

Treating Yourself

And yes, please take good care of yourself and allow yourself regular rest and "treats." But it's just as important to practice discipline and self-control. Balance is key.

When you "treat" yourself too often to a Netflix-and-chill night, you can fall into a habit of sloth.

"Treat" yourself to food or alcohol too often, and you might struggle with gluttony or alcoholism (ask me how I know).

"Treat" yourself to expensive cars and clothes too often, and you might not have money left to invest in God's kingdom and purposes!

In any of these situations, you risk placing your own desires above God's desires for your life. This can impact your well-being, keep you from being fully present with others, and prevent you from pursuing God's intentions for your time and energy.

Modern Day Idolatry in Materialistic Culture

Money

Having money, even being incredibly wealthy, is not the same as holding it up as an idol. First Timothy 6:10 clarifies, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (NIV).

Not money. Love of money.

Do I love money? Do I trust money to meet my needs more than I trust God?

Am I drawing a sense of stability from the one true God, or from a fat bank account?

Possessions and Nice Things

Speaking of the love of money, it's also easy to become attached to the things you own, like your car, clothes, or gadgets.

(And who could blame you? The heated seats in your new car? The style and quality of those shoes?! Perfection!)

That's why it's important to constantly check ourselves to ensure we're not valuing our nice things more than our relationships, our spiritual growth, or the calling God has placed on our lives.

Not only can we become too attached to our possessions, we can start to rely on them for comfort and happiness.

I experienced an ugly breakup 20 years ago and responded by attempting to shop away my depression. I filled my closet with tops and shoes that made me feel beautiful, invested boatloads of money into more beauty products than I could possibly use all at once, and decorated and redecorated my apartment several times.

Rather than turning to God for comfort and a renewing of my joy, I sought satisfaction in things. And surprise, surprise, it didn’t work, even $10,000 later.

Idolatry of Success and Careers

The pursuit of career success and professional achievement is usually perceived to be a positive and good thing! But if you're not careful, it can quickly turn into modern day idolatry.

When you prioritize work success over your personal life, relationships, and well-being, it becomes a form of worship. It's essential for you to find a balance between your professional life and your faith to avoid such idolatry.

Idolatry of Technology

As technology advances and becomes an integral part of our daily lives, it can become an object of worship, too.

Social media, phones, and other devices have the potential to consume your time and attention, leading you to idolize them over more meaningful connections. It's crucial for you to be aware of how dependent you are on technology and strive to maintain a healthy balance in its usage.

Idolatry of Sports and Entertainment

Sporting events and entertainment occupy a significant place in modern society.

While there's nothing wrong with enjoying these activities for relaxation and entertainment, they should not become the main focus of your life. When you place too much importance on sports and entertainment, it can lead to modern idolatry, taking your time and energy away from your faith and other valuable areas in your life.

Idolatry of Fame

The pursuit of fame and celebrity status is another form of modern-day idolatry. As you might have observed yourself, many people become obsessed with the idea of being famous, gaining notoriety, or simply "doing it for the likes."

This obsession can lead to neglecting other aspects of your life, such as relationships, personal growth, and faith. Remember that genuine fulfillment comes from God alone, not external validation or fame.

Idolatry of Political Party

Ooooof, this one hits hard! The fact is that if the label "Republican" or "Democrat" or any other political affiliation defines you more than the label "follower of Jesus Christ," you might be experiencing some modern-day idolatry in your heart.

But it doesn't even have to be about your label! If you spend more time debating politics on social media than telling others about God's love for them...if you log more time watching the news than you spend reading God's Word and praying...you might just have a modern idol set up in your heart.

Yes, God wants you to care about and follow the state of the country and the world, and to join your political leaders and community to help make the world a better place. But He calls us to do all of that through the lens of our faith, not our political party.

Modern Day Idolatry in Personal Identity

Weight and Appearance

Of course, we want to treat our bodies well. They’re the temple of God, to eating healthy, exercising, and caring for our skin, teeth, and hair are all good things.

But it is so easy to place special diets, cross-fit classes, Fitbit readings, or the number on the scale, front and center in our lives...the rightful place of God. In First Timothy 4:8, the Apostle Paul reminds us, “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”

We should eat well and exercise, but we can’t allow reaching our goal weight to distract us from our underlying need and true purpose on Earth, helping others to know and follow Jesus Christ. After all, we were meant for more than our current life...we were built for eternal life!

Hobbies

It’s so easy to find an identity within our hobbies.

I run marathons.

Everything I make in the kitchen is to-die-for.

I’m crafty and always throw Pinterest-worthy parties.

I’m a foodie…a gardener…a reader.

None of these activities are good or bad. It boils down to how we hold them in our hearts.

Just like a career, do I identify more as a runner, or as a believer? Do I look forward to making my next craft more than I look forward to spending time with God?

Maybe the toughest question of all, do I invest time and energy into my hobby that I should be investing into time with the one true God?

Modern Day Idolatry in Relationships

Romantic

Whether it’s your spouse, someone you’re dating, or that handsome coworker, seeking satisfaction in our significant other not only sets them up as an idol, but also sets them up for failure.

Why? Because God created humans so that only God Himself can truly complete us and bring us a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction.

Books, magazines, tv shows, and movies tell us differently, don’t they?

Children

When a life is completely dependent on us for survival, it’s easy to forget that being a parent is not, in fact, our entire identity. It can feel like it, especially when our children are small, but it’s not.

Our identity must always be found in the one true God, and in His calling on our hearts. It’s also very easy to treasure our children more than we treasure the Lord, or seek to please them more than we seek to please God.

Of course, our children are precious to us. They’re precious to God, too!

In fact, God loves them even more than we do.

But we cannot allow our children to take God’s place in our hearts.

Friendship and Family Relationships

Friendships are a vital aspect of our lives, providing us with companionship, laughter, and support during both good times and bad. However, just like romantic and familial relationships, friendships can veer into modern idolatry territory if not kept in check.

If you find yourself prioritizing your friends' opinions over God's Word, compromising your values to please them, or devoting too much time and energy into keeping them happy, you may be bordering on idolizing your friendships.

In order to prevent your friendships from becoming modern-day idols, it's essential to nurture a strong relationship with God.

Develop a consistent prayer life, engage in worship, and spend time in God's Word. By doing this, you'll be able to share your faith with your friends and family members, and maintain a healthy balance between your human relationships and your devotion to God.

Idolatry of Emotions and Desires

This one may come as a surprise!

In today's world, it's not unusual for people to become so consumed by their emotions that their emotions become a form of idolatry! When you allow your emotions to dictate your actions and decisions, you might be unknowingly participating in modern-day idolatry.

Passion

Passion can be a powerful motivator that drives you to achieve great things.

But when that passion becomes all-consuming, leaving no room for anything else in your life, it can lead to obsession and unhealthy attachments. It's important to recognize when your passion is overtaking you and learn to channel it in a balanced way.

Anger

Similarly, anger is a constant companion for many people.

Instead of working through it or seeking healthy ways to express and process anger, they let it fester, eventually allowing it to guide their actions and decisions.

When anger dominates your life, it's important to take a step back and evaluate its root cause and find healthier ways to deal with it.

Joy & Happiness

Positive emotions like joy and happiness can bring light and fulfillment to your life. However, it's very possible to become overly dependent on attaining happiness and valuing it above all else.

If you're here, remember that life is full of ups and downs, and it's important not to put happiness on a pedestal. Embrace the full range of emotions, even the uncomfortable ones, because they can provide valuable insights and growth opportunities.

Lust

Lusts can present another challenge in the realm of emotions and desires.

When we allow our physical desires to take precedence over our spiritual growth and well-being, we're engaging in a form of idolatry. It's important to remember that your needs and desires should never overshadow your connection with your higher self or God.

How Can I Recognize Idolatry in My Life?

I love pastor John Piper's definition of idolatry. He said, “It starts in the heart: craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God. That is an idol. Paul calls this covetousness — a disordered love or desire, loving more than God what ought to be loved less than God.”

Identifying the worship of idols in our own lives can be tricky, but there are a few questions that can help get the ball rolling:

• Do I love or treasure anything or anyone more than God?
• Does anything hold a higher priority in my life than my walk with God?
• Does anything bring me more pleasure than the things of God?
• Do I place my identity in anything over my status as a child of God?
• Do I look to anything or anyone to meet my needs instead of God?
• Do I seek fulfillment or satisfaction from anything outside of God?
• Do I seek comfort outside of God?

In short, you'll want to examine what you prioritize, invest your time in, and rely on for your sense of worth. Those are good things in theory, but should never hold the place of the Christ Jesus in your life.

How to Put God Back at the Center

So...how do we ensure that nothing holds a higher priority in our lives than our relationship with God? That the things of this world haven't become modern idols in our hearts?

In order to overcome modern day idolatry, repentance is a crucial first step.

Acknowledge the modern day idols in your life and turn away from them. By admitting your shortcomings and seeking forgiveness, you're starting on the path of redemption.

Next, it's important to prioritize transformation in your life.

Changing your mindset and habits will allow you to break free from modern day idolatry. This transformation can be achieved through prayer, reading God's word, and fostering a deeper relationship with Him.

Additionally, you'll want to work on developing self-control to resist the temptation to idolize worldly things.

Establish healthy boundaries and take practical steps to prevent these distractions from taking over your life. Engage in spiritual disciplines like prayer, fasting, and meditation to strengthen your ability to resist temptation.

You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:3–6, ESV)

This Old Testament commandment from Mount Sinai can sometimes feel irrelevant to modern society today. I mean, those were ancient times, right?

But honestly, I would argue that we've managed to make idol worship easier than ever in these last days, thanks to an increased focus on self, a faster-paced daily life, and incredibly subtle potential idols that come in all different forms.

But not you! Because now you know the definition of idolatry, how to identify the modern day idols in your life, and, most importantly, how to ensure that they don't take the place of God in your heart.

Now all that's left is to live it out. You've got this!

Frequently Asked Questions

Still have questions? Here are some helpful answers about what the Bible says on this topic, how to spot idols in our own lives, and what steps we can take to stay focused on God.

What are some common idols in people's lives today?

We tend to make modern day idols out of things that feel good or make us feel important. Money and career success often top this list, since we can start to believe they define our worth.

Phones and social media are also common idols. We might check them so often that they take up time we could spend with God or with people we love.

Other common idols include:

• Relationships, when we place a person above God
• Beauty and body image, when we obsess over how we look
• Sports and entertainment, when we care more about a game than our faith
• Political leaders or causes, when we trust them more than we trust God

What does the Bible say about idolatry?

The Bible tells us clearly not to put anything before God. In Exodus 20:3, God says, "You shall have no other gods before me."

We also see this warning throughout the Old Testament. The Israelites often turned to statues and false gods instead of trusting the one true God.

The New Testament expands on this idea too. It teaches that idolatry isn't just about statues; it can be anything we love, trust, or serve more than God.

How can I tell if something has become an idol in my life?

We can ask ourselves a few honest questions to figure this out.

Do we think about this thing constantly? Does it control our mood, our time, or our decisions?

Another sign is how we react when we lose it or can't have it. If we feel panic, anger, or deep sadness over losing something, it may hold too much power over us.

We can also look at our habits. If we skip prayer or time with God because we're too busy with this thing, that's often a clue.

What are the consequences of idolatry according to the Bible?

The Bible warns us that idolatry leads us away from God. In the Old Testament, we see how idol worship caused nations to lose God's protection and blessing.

Idolatry can also create emptiness inside us. When we chase after things that can't truly satisfy us, we often end up feeling more lost than before.

The Bible teaches that idolatry breaks our relationship with God. It replaces trust in Him with trust in things that can't save us or give us lasting peace.

Can success, money, or relationships become idols?

Yes, we can turn almost anything into an idol, even good things.

Success can become an idol when we base our identity on our achievements instead of on God.

Money can take over our hearts too. We might start believing that having more money will solve all our problems, when only God can give us real peace.

Relationships can also become idols. We may look to a partner, friend, or family member to meet needs that only God can truly fill.

How can Christians avoid idolatry in everyday life?

We can start by paying attention to where we spend our time, money, and energy. These areas often reveal what matters most to us.

Prayer and reading the Bible help us stay focused on God. When we make these habits part of our daily routine, we're less likely to drift toward other things.

We can also ask trusted friends or church members to check in with us. Having people in our lives who ask honest questions can help us notice idols before they take root.