Excerpt from Sins That Crucify
by Howard W. Roberts

We are guilty of idolatry. Our lives have reflected gods other than the one, true, and living God of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Ruth, and Jesus. We have given in to fear and anxiety. We have worshiped at the altar of security, certainty, bigotry, power, and infallibility. We have given control of our lives to our appetites and permitted our appetites to control us. We have been idolatrous, and we need God’s help. Only God can forgive us of our sins of idolatry and restore us to a covenant relationship with God.

Idolatry is an obstacle to the grace of God. Idolatry says we have our own god; therefore, we do not need the pardon and power that come from God. Ironically, idolatry is a sin that crucifies, and the grace that we need comes in the form of a cross. Even when we have done our worst to God, been unfaithful to God, and gone after other gods, God remains faithful to us. From the cross where we have nailed God, God offers us grace, pardon, peace, and power. We have no strength or power to help ourselves receive this grace. Whatever strength we have had, we have misused by making the cross an instrument of destruction. God takes the worst we have to offer and our rejection, which is idolatry, absorbs all the pain, and then offers us loving forgiveness and grace. Surely only our stubbornness and pride could cause us to cling to our false gods in the presence of such grace, forgiveness, power, and pardon.

Idolatry is a sin that crucifies, but the love of God is grace that forgives and cleanses. The sin of idolatry is strong, but the grace of God is stronger. Thanks be to the living God who gives us this unspeakable gift of grace that cleanses us, makes us whole, and enables us to have not gods other than the living God who is the God of the living, the God of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Ruth, and Jesus.

Howard W. Roberts is the author of "Sins That Crucify", published by Smyth & Helwys Publishing. To order, go to the online bookpage or call 1-800-747-3016.