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October 14, 2009
The Hansen Report: Calling Out Counterfeit Gods
Tim Keller banks on the recession to make Americans think about their idols.
There is nothing like a recession to put Americans in a reflective mood. Unemployment and a devalued stock market have led many to consider whether money is the pre-eminent form of American idolatry. New York Times columnist David Brooks has called for a new culture war, a “crusade for economic self-restraint” in a self-indulgent age. Adam Sternbergh wonders whether thrift is a virtue that can be developed or a trait that must be inherited. ABC’s Nightline invited Mark Driscoll to discuss the allure of celebrity and corporate idolatry. And Tim Keller has turned his attention to rooting out idolatry with his latest book, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters.
For Keller an idol is “anything more important to you than God, anything which absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.” Elaborating on the book’s title, Keller writes that a “counterfeit god is anything so central and essential to your life, that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living.” What does Keller have in mind? Well, everything: family, children, career, earning money, achievement, social status, relationships, beauty, brains, morality, political or social activism—even effective Christian ministry.
To make his point, Keller interweaves biblical stories with cultural discernment and illustrations drawn from his counseling ministry. He evokes deep emotion and insight from the story of Abraham and Isaac. Abraham recognized his debt of sin before the holy God, Keller explains, yet trusted in that same God of grace, so he could sacrifice his idol with the expectation that God would somehow keep his promise (Gen. 17:19). Keller ends his account of this story with a Christological interpretation. “The only way that God can be both ‘just’ (demanding payment of our debt of sin) and ‘justifier’ (providing salvation and grace) is because years later another Father went up another ‘mount’ called Calvary with his firstborn and offered him there for us all.”
In his chapter “Love Is Not All You Need,” Keller concentrates on Leah rather than her husband, Jacob, and better-known sister and rival, Rachel (Gen. 29–33). This subtle but significant shift recalls Keller’s counter-intuitive focus on the older brother in his last book, The Prodigal God. Once again Keller connects Leah to Christ. Leah gave birth to Judah, patriarch of Jesus’ tribe.
“God had come to the girl that nobody wanted, the unloved, and made her the mother of Jesus,” Keller writes. “Salvation came into the world, not through beautiful Rachel, but through the unwanted one, the unloved one.”
Turning to money, Keller explains the difference between surface and deep idols. Deep idols seek fulfillment through their public manifestation, surface idols. Deep idols can’t be removed. They can only be replaced, and only Christ can ultimately satisfy. Christ replaces deep idols when we consider his costly grace, how he poured himself out for the world. Keller offers several suggestions for rooting out idolatry. Simply identifying the idols is not enough. Only a lifestyle of worship brings transformation.
“Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart, than your idol,” Keller says. “If you uproot the idol and fail to ‘plant’ the love of Christ in its place, the idol will grow back.”
Counterfeit Gods offers much insight for shepherding local churches. Keller argues that Christians cannot understand themselves or their culture unless they discern the counterfeit gods. Keller’s tests for idolatry could be used personally or passed along in counseling sessions: (1) What do you daydream about? (2) How do you spend your money? (3) How do you respond when your prayers aren’t answered and your hopes are dashed?
Keller offers examples of what these tests might reveal about pastor’s idols.
“Another form of idolatry within religious communities turns spiritual gifts and ministry success into a counterfeit god,” Keller writes. “Even ministers who believe with the mind that ‘I am only saved by grace’ can come to feel in their heart their standing with God depends largely on how many lives they are changing.”
But ministry success wasn’t Jonah’s problem. In fact, the positive response to his preaching in Nineveh was the source of despair for this proud Israelite. Keller treats the reluctant prophet in a prolonged case study. Jonah's plea for death in Jonah 4:2–3 offers hope to idolatrous ministers today. Only someone saved by grace could have been courageous enough to give such a defamatory speech. Only someone whose love for God had replaced love of country could be so brutally honest. There is hope yet for all of us who bend the knee to counterfeit gods.
Comments
Well, I must say I'm surprised at my reaction to your column, Mr. Hansen, because I actually want to read this book of Mr. Kellers.
In fact, and to be perfectly honest about my feelings...I'm really interested in Mr. Keller's explanations.
Wow...I am quite surprised at this reaction of mine!
Posted By: sheerahkahn | October 14, 2009 11:14 AM
He forgot that "god" can be an idol too. Our boxed in, we know everything about God, systematic theology diety is pretty much the most heinous idol of any organized religion.
It was true for the Pharisees...It's true for the Church.
Following God means admitting we know nearly nothing about God before we begin.
Posted By: Mark | October 15, 2009 9:34 AM
Indeed there are many counterfiet gods and thought bombs in the postmodern era of today...God has had to be relegated to backseat behind a craze for success, thrills, pleasure,entertainment and instant gratification...most of which is anchored on money (which drives everything - even ministry ) and what it buys ...and not Jesus - the Rock that never fails. The recession only punctures this gargantuan balloon.
It is interesting for example - that many marriages in the Bible with problematic dimensions notably...Jacob/Rachel and Moses/Ziporrah...are not well analysed for lessons...nor has the fall of Solomon been properly dissected because they challenge our current day paradigms and gods.
The Recession is no doubt a wake up call for a people in the bondage of debt hooked on malls, gadgets and deals...who must buy and buy and buy...and then buy again.
Many need to rediscover the virtues of simple living and contentment...in God. Most need to reread the Bible and let God speak and stop using the Bible as a secondary prop to justify a shameful greedy lifestyle which has become normal...i have written a book "Wealth out of Ashes" on some of the issues...
Posted By: Bode Ososami | October 16, 2009 2:47 AM
I am excited for this book because he takes sin beyond the surface. I used to teach people to look at the sin in their lives and find ways to extinguish it. Now I look at people's sin (and mine) and ask, "Why is this sin in your life?" That question and its answer in Christ changes people.
This book excites me because I think it is going to scream at people to ask themselves what really is behind this whole sin thing.
Posted By: Travis | October 16, 2009 11:02 AM
"The American Banking Association once sponsored a two-week training program to help tellers detect counterfeit bills. The program was unique - never during the two-week training did the tellers even look at a counterfeit bill, nor did they listen to any lectures concerning the characteristics of counterfeit bills....All they did for two weeks was handle authentic currency, hour after hour and day after day, until they were so familiar with the true that they could not possibly be fooled by the false." - Ben Patterson, "Waiting"
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2
Posted By: still | October 17, 2009 2:37 AM
there are no more idols in this "postmodern" time than there were in every time and age.
humans are idol factories--regardless of how they justify/explain themselves.
Posted By: nathan | October 18, 2009 3:45 PM
Can fantasy football be an idol since it has the power to absorb our imagination? My latest post on the spirituality of this cultural artifact relates to the issue of stirring our affections for Christ:
http://thecommonloon.blogspot.com/2009/10/fantasy-football-affections.html
Posted By: Dan S. | October 21, 2009 8:30 PM
Remember Paul's own words:
"All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
1 Corinthians 6:12
and "And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, … I am made all things to all [men], that I might by all means save some."
1 Corinthians 9:20-22.
DEAR SIR,
I WANTED TO KNOW ANSWER FROM U ABOUT THE GENUINE DISCIPLE BARNABAS SEE THE PARTING OF WAYS BETWEEN PAUL AND HIM PROVE THAT]
1.BARNABAS A FAITHFUL DISCIPLE WHO SAT AT THE FEET OF JESUS.
2-PAUL WAS AN ENEMY OF JESUS AT THAT TIME.[NEVER HEARD HIS EXPLANATIONS IN HIS LIFE TIME.
3.BARNABAS ADHERES TO HIS MASTERS VOISE AND STOPS PAUL FROM MAKING INNOVATIONS.
4.PAUL WAS SHREWD LAWYER LIKE ADVANI OF BJP [TOP ORATOR]HIS CAPACITY WAS NO MATCH FOR MEEK AND HUMBLE BARNABAS.OVER TOOK HIM.
5.HE STICKS TO HIS OWN
COMPARE JESUS STAND-
"I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them" (Matthew 5:17).
BARNABAS STAND-
DONT ABOLISH THE LAWS WHICH OUR MASTER FOLLOWED TILL HIS LAST ON EARTH.
PAULS STAND.
"For all who rely o the works of the law are under a curse" (Galatians 3:10); and "you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace" (Galatians 5:4).
Posted By: ALI | December 1, 2009 8:24 PM
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