Read this book. Counterfeit Gods
I just finished reading Counterfeit Gods by Tim Keller a few days ago and would highly recommend it to all believers. Keller uses his cultural understanding of many passages to show us how different people throughout the bible were enslaved to idols, set free by the gospel, and refocused on God. The much needed chapter on love is worth the price of the book. The final chapter reminded me that we are to be disciplined in the basics not out of mere duty, but because spiritual disciplines practiced in faith will help us to joyfully dig deeper into the glorious riches of our God, and in doing so usurp the counterfeit gods that seek to master and destroy us. As this continually happens we can truly love God and others.
you complete me. really?
"...we know a good thing has become a counterfeit god when its demands on you exceed proper boundaries." Timothy Keller
In chapter two of Counterfeit Gods, one of the most important chapters written on love I have ever read, Timothy Keller once again brings some biblical and cultural insight that shatters commonly held perspectives. In particularly, he exposes the dangers and idolatry of letting our passions for love, sex and purpose in relationships with each other be our end or our final longing. I can not begin to do justice in writing about this today due to the fact that my perspective has been exposed to light, my heart is full of hope, and my confession to God and Sherry are in order. Sherry can not bear the weight and expectations of my worship, but she can be lifted up and encouraged as God receives my full worship and meets all my hearts longings.
Keller breaks down the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel masterfully. Jacob's idol was Rachel, Leah's idol was Jacob. We read it in our culture today as a great romantic story of persevering commitment and love, but is it? Keller exposes idolatry in a way that is hard to argue with.
Our relationships on earth cannot complete us, redeem us, save us, justify us or make us whole, things we long for and try to find in each other. Our relationship with God through Jesus can. It is when we find that our life is hidden in Christ, we can then be true lovers, true neighbors, true friends and run the race in freedom and allow other believers to do the same. In order really love and receive love well, we must seek ultimate love first and foremost in the overflowing source of love, God.
A few quotes:
Our fears and inner barrenness make love a narcotic, a way to medicate ourselves, and addicts always make foolish, destructive choices.
...reorient the entire focus of your life toward God. C.S. Lewis
If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world [something supernatural and eternal.]." CS Lewis
enslaving idols
In his book Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller strives to help us see the dangers of idols and the superior love, sacrifice, and worth of Jesus. After reading through the introduction and first chapter, I am seeing once again the sneaky power of "incomplete joy(s) of this world" that we try to build our lives on. Living in Thailand makes it very easy to think of idols as merely handcrafted statues that receive the worship of billions of people. However, there are deeper roots in idolatry that every soul on earth must recognize and sever. These idols receive God-status in our hearts in the form of money, sex, power, fame, status, family, ministry and many others. These things alone are neutral and even good gifts from God, it is when we love them more than God that they receive misplaced worship and begin to enslave us.
Introduction to Counterfeit Gods from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.
