Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship. And the compelling reason for maybe choosing some sort of god or spiritual-type thing to worship… is that pretty much anything else you worship will eat you alive. If you worship money and things, if they are where you tap real meaning in life, then you will never have enough, never feel you have enough…
Worship your body and beauty and sexual allure and you will always feel ugly. And when time and age start showing, you will die a million deaths before they finally grieve you… Worship power, you will end up feeling weak and afraid, and you will need ever more power over others to numb you to your own fear. Worship your intellect, being seen as smart, you will end up feeling stupid, a fraud, always on the verge of being found out. But the insidious thing about these forms of worship is… they’re unconscious. They are default settings.� David Foster Wallace - 2005
How far does “the lie” (their self righteousness) go?
God is fine…
16 Do not be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every generous act of giving and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father who made the heavenly lights, in whom there is no inconsistency or shifting shadow. 18 In accordance with his will he made us his children by the word of truth, so that we might become the most important of his creatures.
James 1:16–21
ISV
19 You must understand this, my dear brothers. Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. 20 For human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. 21 Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.
James 1:16–21
ISV
Nevertheless, you are doing the right thing if you obey the royal Law in keeping with the Scripture,
James 2:8–13
ISV
Nevertheless, you are doing the right thing if you obey the royal Law in keeping with the Scripture, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and will be convicted by the Law as violators. For whoever keeps the whole Law but fails in one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For the one who said, “Never commit adultery,” also said, “Never murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but you murder, you become a violator of the Law.
James 2:8–13
ISV
You must make it your habit to speak and act like people who are going to be judged by the law of liberty. For the one who has shown no mercy will be judged without mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.
James 2:8–13
ISV
How much do we turn to the old and how does it impact us and the world around us?
What would this look like if we really turned to the new that Christ brought us?