The Gospel Confronts Idolatry

"(Martin) Luther says that failure to believe that God accepts us fully in Christ--and to look to something else for our salvation—is a failure to keep the first commandment; namely, having no other gods before him. To try to earn your own salvation through works-righteousness is breaking the first commandment. Then he says that we cannot truly keep any of the other laws unless we keep the first law--against idolatry and works-righteousness. Thus beneath any particular sin is this sin of rejecting Christ-salvation and indulging in self-salvation.

For example, let’s say a person cheats on his income tax form. Why does he do that? Well, you say, because he is a sinner. Yes, but why does his sin take this form? Luther’s answer would be that the man only cheated because he was making money and possessions--and the status or comfort from having more of them--more important than God and his favor. Or let’s say a person lies to a friend rather than lose face over something she has done. In that case the underlying sin is making human approval or your reputation more important than the righteousness you have in Christ.

The Bible, then, does not consider idolatry to be one sin among many (and a rare sin found only among primitive people). Rather, all our failures to trust God wholly or to live rightly are at root idolatry--something we make more important than God. There is always a reason for a sin. Under our sins are idolatrous desires" (Tim Keller).