“who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 1:25).
In considering this passage, the great 17th century commentator Matthew Henry once remarked, “It was the greatest honour God did to man that he made man in the image of God; but it is the greatest dishonour man has done to God that he has made God in the image of man.” (1) This portion of Scripture thus depicts a form of idolatry without ever resorting to the use of that word.
Idolatry occurs when someone worships some aspect of creation instead of the One who brought creation into existence. We can define an “idol” as anything that supplants God in the hierarchy of our lives. Whenever someone chooses to prioritize anything above God, that “something” (whatever it is) effectively becomes an idol.
That alternative doesn’t need to incorporate a spiritual idea or belief. Instead, it may reflect an opinion, an ideology, or a deeply held conviction that shapes the direction of our lives. Of course, some might object to Romans 1:25 and its use of the words “worshiped” and “served“ in this context. Since most people in this century do not practice the ancient pagan custom of bowing before a crafted image, we might be under the impression that we do not engage in such idolatrous behavior.
But when we speak of idolatry (ancient or modern), we are essentially referring to a matter of priorities. For instance, let’s take the case of an individual who prioritizes some aspect of his or her life above everything else, including God. A person who does so is someone who is just as guilty of idolatry as the person who bowed before a carved image in the Old Testament era. To borrow a portion of our text from Romans 1:25, each of these individuals exchanges the creature for the Creator, for each relinquishes God’s rightful place in their lives to something else. The same is true of anything that takes God’s place in our lives.
Such practices are an affront to a Creator who merits our love and reverence, not our contempt. As Jesus Himself once said, “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…” (Matthew 6:24 NIV). Thus, “…religious honor cannot be given to a creature, without taking it away, in a disgraceful and sacrilegious manner, from God.” (2)
(1) Verses 19–32 – Matthew Henry’s commentary – Bible Gateway. (n.d.). https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/matthew-henry/Rom.1.19-Rom.1.32
(2) John Calvin: Commentary on Romans – Christian Classics Ethereal Library. (n.d.). https://www.ccel.org/ccel/calvin/calcom38.v.vii.html#:~:text=John%20Calvin:%20Commentary%20on%20Romans%20%2D%20Christian%20Classics%20Ethereal%20Library via Worshiping the Creature (2014, January 20). Ligonier Ministries. https://learn.ligonier.org/devotionals/worshiping-creature