Paul’s warning in Galatians 5:19-21 lists idolatry and sorcery among “the works of the flesh,” placing them beside sins such as sexual immorality, hatred, and drunkenness. Yet many Christians assume these sins belong solely to the ancient world—of golden calves and pagan temples – overlooking their relevance in our lives today. As we work to understand what Scripture means by idolatry and sorcery, and how they appear in our modern world, it will bring us to a deeper question: Who do you worship?
In Scripture, idolatry is more than bowing down to carved images. The Greek term Paul uses, eidōlolatria, refers literally to “worship of a material representation of a deity” but biblically it expands to include giving ultimate devotion, trust, or affection to anything other than the true and living God.
The Old Testament is full of warnings against this sin. The first two commandments forbid having “other gods” or “making carved images to serve” (Ex. 20:3-4). Israel’s great downfall was repeatedly this very sin—from the golden calf (Ex. 32) to Baal worship in the time of Elijah (1 Kgs. 18). Idolatry was not just a religious mistake; it was spiritual adultery. God describes it with the language of unfaithfulness: “for I the LORD your God am a jealous God” (Ex. 20:5). In Judges we read “yet they would not listen to their judges but played the harlot with other gods and bowed down to them.” (Jdgs. 2:17)
This jealousy is not insecurity from the Lord, it is the righteous zeal of a covenant-keeping God who has every right to expect the loyalty of His redeemed people. When God is jealous, He is protecting a relationship that belongs to Him by His own holy nature. So we ask the question, “What is idol worship today?” Even if we never bow to a statue, the human heart still manufactures idols. Ezekiel spoke of those who “set up idols in their hearts” (Ezek. 14:3).
Modern idolatry takes many forms: Career or success become an idol when our identity and security depend on achievement rather than God. Money and possessions become gods when we trust them to provide what only God can give. Relationships can become idols when we expect another human to satisfy our deepest needs. Self becomes the most popular modern idol—our desires, feelings, and preferences. An idol is anything you sacrifice for, submit to, and seek joy in above God. When we examine our schedules, spending, and thoughts idols often reveal themselves. God’s jealousy confronts us here: He will not share His people with false gods because those rivals destroy us. They do not love us nor could they because of their nature.
Building on this misplaced devotion, Paul also warns against sorcery, a practice deeply intertwined with idolatry. Sorcery from the Greek is pharmakeia which often involved mixing substances to create potions or poisons. Sorcery was a problem in Galatia and Asia minor. We see in Acts 19:19 that those who once practiced magic burned their books in the sight of all. Scripture consistently condemns attempts to access spiritual power apart from God. Deuteronomy 18:10–12 forbids divination, omens, mediums, and necromancy, calling these things “abominations.” At its core, sorcery is an affront to Gods authority by seeking spiritual power from sources other than Him, making it a direct extension of the idolatry we have explored.
In essence, idolatry and sorcery compete with God. God’s jealousy is not like a wounded ego, but zeal of a loving Father determined to protect His people from destruction. He alone created us, redeemed us, and sustains us. Everything else we worship enslaves us and when we give our hearts to idols, we commit spiritual infidelity. When we dabble in counterfeit spiritual practices, we deny the sufficiency of God’s wisdom and power. In all of this, God’s jealousy calls us back to faithfulness— back to the God who refuses to abandon His people even when they wander.
Paul’s warning in Galatians is not theoretical. He concludes with clarity: “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” These sins are not trivial; they reveal the orientation of one’s heart. To worship God alone is to give Him the devotion, obedience, and trust that He alone deserves. It is to reject the heart-idols and spiritual counterfeits that compete for our souls and Gods rightful position.
In a world overflowing with substitutes for God, Paul’s ancient warning remains a modern question: Who do you worship? May our answer be clear—it is the Lord alone.
-Scout Betz