Here are nine key ways in which people commonly commit family idolatry by choosing family over Jesus.  

One) Not cutting off relatives who are actively working to turn one’s household or church from the Lord.

A timeless principle seen in Deuteronomy 13:6-10 is that people who are actively, deliberately working to turn people from the Lord ought to be cut off from any place of influence which one has jurisdiction over.   

Two) Enabling the bad behavior of offspring in relation to church.

Some church leaders allow their offspring and/or the offspring of others in their good graces to be involved in ministry among their congregation in spite of that offspring’s wicked behavior.  As with Eli in the Bible, rebuking these wicked offspring is not enough.  They need to not only be removed from ministry, they also need to be removed from Christian fellowship altogether.

Three) Attendance of sinful family gatherings and/or permitting spouse and/or offspring to attend sinful family gatherings.

To back down to opposition in these situations or to never implement righteous policy at all along these lines to keep any in the family happy is another expression of family idolatry.  

Four) Not reporting crimes committed by family members to the governmental authorities.

Romans chapter 13 makes it clear that the State is a minister of God’s vengeance on criminals.  When someone won’t report a crime which they have probable cause to believe that a relative has committed to the authorities, this is another expression of family idolatry.  

Five) Choosing a church based on family convenience rather than faithfulness to Biblical truth.

It is not unusual for a father or other head of household to choose the church which their family attends based upon the pressure or perceived happiness of certain family members though they know the church is compromised and unfaithful to Biblical truth.  

Six) Claiming duties pertaining to family to justify sins of omission.

Citing family as an excuse to neglect the obviously needy, and as an excuse to omit the doing of other necessary acts, is unacceptable.  Yet many want to live in a bubble where they delude themselves that life is rosy.  For many, a chief protection of this imaginary bubble in their minds is the claim of “I have a family.”  

Seven) Offense over righteous rebuke of family members.

Some leave churches for the wrong reasons and/or hold unrighteous grudges against certain people because of rebuke and criticism made of a family member which was actually warranted to make.  

Eight) Changing views to accommodate wicked family members.

Some back down from right moral stances and/or begin attending compromised churches to please others.  Perhaps that sinful groveling even involved seeking to justify a family member.  

Nine) Undue measures taken in order to begin a family.  

No individual has a right before God to a spouse and children at the expense of pursuing the whole package of truth contained in His Word.  

No one actually even has a right before God to assume their life is so important that they are entitled to possess anything and/or pursue any interest at the expense of violating His righteous boundaries or of neglecting to do the good which He requires.

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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