Considering Counterfeit Gods

While on vacation I started to read Tim Keller’s most recent book Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power and the Only Hope that Matters.  Yes, that is a long subtitle.  You’d think a Puritan wrote this book.

Others have tackled these topics, like Richard Foster in Money, Sex and Power.  But Tim Keller, for better or worse, frames it historically in light of the failure of many of these false gods in the economic crisis most of the world is experiencing.

This is an excellent book, though I am not sure it measures up to The Prodigal God.  Few books do.  This is a subject Tim Keller handles very well.

Some have been critical of the new, prevailing notion of idolatry as if it takes the place of sin.   Keller argues that the idea of idolatry makes more sense than the idea of sin (in this world of relativism).  Beyond that he refers to Luther’s point that idolatry is the root of sin rather than just being one of many sins.  So what Keller is doing here is trying to get to the root of our sin, the many false gods that we serve.

In the Old Testament (and New) idolatry was often (but not exclusively) the worship of created things.  At times it is also the attempt to be God.  Idolatry was  a huge problem for Israel, and Israel’s prophets spent much of their time addressing this problem.  I am currently reading Ezekiel, and Israel’s idolatry was the reason given for the exile.  All this to say that Keller is not undermining biblical theology- rather he is mining it richly.

Keller comes across as winsome and inviting, even as he gives you bad news about yourself and your heart.  He explores a biblical story to explain and illustrate how that false god operates in a person’s life.  He tackles love, money, success, and power & glory as the main false gods of our culture.  These are the things from which we often derive our identity.  And when you threaten someone’s idol, you get one angry person.

We watched the movie Deck the Halls the other night.  Finch (Matthew Broderick) bases much of his identity in being “Mr. Christmas”.  It is “his holiday” and he plans many of the communities events.  When Buddy (Danny DeVito) moves across the street, he inadvertently attacks Finch’s idolatry in his quest to make his own mark.  The new neighbors go to war with each other.  It is all about the counterfeit gods the men were serving.

Keller does not stop with merely discussing how idols work and our primary idols.  He has a chapter on the hidden idols in our lives.  Lastly he points to the end of counterfeit gods through the gospel.  He simplifies Thomas Chalmers’ sermon about the purifying power of a greater affection.

Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart, than your idol.  That is what will replace your counterfeit gods.  If you uproot the idol and fail to “plant” the love of Christ in its place, the idol will grow back.

Keller takes a profound and important message and conveys it simply and provocatively.  His gentleness is evident, but he does not back down from the truth.  Rather, unlike some he speaks it in love.

Tim Keller has given us another important, interesting and insightful book.  I am grateful for this.  I hope to begin giving this away since it hits the heart of every person I meet.  As Calvin notes, we are all idol factories.  But Jesus seeks to make us “praise factories” in response.