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archive: november 2011
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archive: november 2011
changing your
gods
by mike pilavachi
I am writing this article from a very hot and humid Malaysia where I am visiting a quite wonderful fellowship in the city of Ipoh called Church of Praise. Yesterday Pastor Clement asked me to accompany him to visit a young couple who had just given their lives to the Lord. The wife has been a Christian for a few weeks, the husband for a few days.
I was told we were going to "cleanse their house". I groaned inwardly as I thought, “This idea of showing Jesus' love as doing random acts of kindness is getting slightly out of hand.” I imagined myself cleaning their bathroom.
What we actually did was help them to get rid of their idols. They had come to Jesus from a Taoist type faith and they had various objects and statues around the place which they had been trusting to either ward off evil spirits, give them prosperity or any of the other functions that gods are meant to perform.
We began by reading Psalm 91 (in this context it took on a whole new meaning - 'Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty .I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.'). Then we prayed together, packed up the idols and took them away. Pastor Clement told them that now they could trust Jesus, the creator of the universe to protect them.
They nodded matter of factly. Later Clement said something that I cannot get out of my head. As we were driving away he leaned over and said, "The difference between you in the west and us, is that you just have to give your lives to Jesus; we in the east have to change gods."
I was amazed that just a few days after they had come to salvation, this couple threw away all that they had been trusting in for their entire adult lives as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
And that, my friends, is the point! I should not have been amazed. This should be normal. When we in the UK give our lives to Christ, part of the initiation should be that we change gods, that we throw out our idols.
Instead, all too often, the Lord is more of an addition than a replacement. Perhaps this is why we have so many problems with actually living ourt our commitment to Jesus.
I should not have been amazed. This should be normal. When we in the UK give our lives to Christ, part of the initiation should be that we change gods, that we throw out our idols.
Old Testament Israel existed in a culture of many gods. Gods of the mountains and gods of the storms, gods of the seas and gods who liked it if you sacrificed your children to them. In this context God gave them a great commandment, known as the Sheema:
"Hear O Israel, the Lord your God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
Deuteronomy 6 v4-5
The Lord told Israel to show no mercy to the gods of the land but to tear them down. He made it clear that his is a jealous love; he wanted all their hearts, no part of their affections could be given to another.
The story of the early church is no different. The Roman world collected gods like I collect restaurant menus. When the Romans conquered a new people group they allowed them to bring their gods with them into the empire. The more, the merrier! The only stipulation was that if you wanted to get on in Rome you had to agree that Caesar was Lord, or the big cheese god.
This is where the early Christians found themselves in trouble. The great Christian affirmation, "Jesus is Lord" was not a nice sentimental assertion in a chorus but a massive political and moral statement. When the first believers turned to Christ, they at the same time turned from all the gods who had held them captive.
I wonder whether we ought to include in the prayer of salvation a section where people consciously name their gods and turn from them. Gods of consumerism, individualism, materialism, sex, fame, power. Their power needs to be broken over us so that we are able to say with ancient Israel, "The Lord our God, the Lord, is ONE."
I am beginning to think that the great issue for us who are trying to follow Jesus in the west is the issue of discipleship. We become Christians but our lifestyles, attitudes, spending habits and diaries stay the same. We squeeze Jesus in on a Sunday and Wednesday evening and give him a little bit of our money but otherwise life doesn't change very radically. This couple in Ipoh knew that their salvation had to affect their furniture. If Pastor Clement came to my house, what he would throw out? I need to get home and have a look.
about the writer
Mike head up all things Soul Survivor. He says he supports Manchester United, which means everytime you see him you need to say 6-1 really loudly.
A version of this article originally featured in Youthwork Magazine, who are very kind in letting us republish it here...
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