Journal: Emmaus Journal
Volume: EMJ 19:2 (Summer 2010)
Article: Holiness And The Problem Of Idolatry
Author: Mark R. Stevenson

EMJ 19:2 (Summer 2010) p. 177

Holiness And The Problem Of Idolatry1

Mark R. Stevenson

Mark Stevenson is a faculty member at Emmaus Bible College and Book Review Editor of The Emmaus Journal.

Introduction

The theme of the 2010 Iron Sharpens Iron conference at Emmaus Bible College was: “The Quest for Holiness.” The word “quest” conjures up images of medieval knights set out on some noble adventure. Naturally, on any serious quest there will be dangers, challenges, opposition, and probably some setbacks along the way. Thus it is essential for those engaged in the quest to know something of the nature of the challenges that will befall them. They need to know what they are up against. What are the dangers? Where are the pitfalls? Who is the opposition? They need to know these things to be prepared—to recognize when they are facing danger and to know how to respond.

The quest for holiness in the Christian life certainly has opposition and challenges; there are dangers and failures. But many Christians today simply are not prepared to face the challenges. They don’t recognize the dangers; they don’t understand the nature of the problems. It may not even bother them that they make little progress in the quest.

At one level we could identify the major challenge we face in the quest for holiness as the problem of sin. We could go further and speak about the world, the flesh, and the devil. But what we would like to attempt here is to get to the root of sin; and at the root of the sin is idolatry.

So part of my thesis is this: at the heart of the challenges we face on the quest for holiness is the problem of idolatry. Now that is part of the

EMJ 19:2 (Summer 2010) p. 178

thesis, because we don’t just want to look at the problem, we also want to consider the solution. But we need to identify the problem first; and to do so, we turn to Romans 1.

The Root Of The Problem: Idolatry (Romans 1:18-32)

This text is an incredibly profound analysis of the human condition. It provides the interpretive key for understanding why the world is the way it is. What Paul is doing in the larger context of Romans is demonstrating why God’s saving righteousness, revealed in the gospel (1:16-17), is so necessary. We really need the gospel, and it is such glorious news because “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men” (1:18).2

So starting here in 1:18 through 3:2...