Everyone Has a Price? Modern Idols We Rarely Admit We Worship
- The Wholy Christian
- Jan 14
- 5 min read
When Money Stops Being a Tool and Starts Being a God
Most people don’t think of themselves as idol worshipers. That sounds ancient, primitive, or dramatic. Golden calves, stone statues, pagan temples. That stuff feels far removed from modern life. But idols didn’t disappear. They just got smarter, quieter, and socially acceptable.
Money sits at the front of the line.
There’s a saying people repeat casually, almost jokingly: “Everyone has a price.” It’s meant to sound realistic, maybe even wise. But if you stop and think about it, that statement is deeply revealing. If there’s a dollar amount that can make you compromise your integrity, your convictions, your obedience to God, then money isn’t just something you use. It’s something you answer to.
Money itself isn’t evil. Scripture is clear about that. The issue isn’t having money. It’s when money starts having you.
📜 1 Timothy 6:10
“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”
Notice what Paul doesn’t say. He doesn’t say money is the root. He says the love of it is. That love shows up when people are willing to do anything to get it, keep it, or protect it.
Cut corners. Bend the truth. Step on people. Stay silent when you should speak. Justify things you once said you’d never do. All for a paycheck, a promotion, or a lifestyle upgrade.
If obedience to Christ becomes conditional based on financial comfort, then money has crossed into idol territory.
Career, Status, and the Gospel of “More”
For a lot of people, money’s idol wears a nicer outfit. It shows up as ambition, hustle, or “providing for my family.” Those things aren’t wrong on their own. But they can quietly replace Christ at the center.
Some people don’t chase money directly. They chase status. Titles. Recognition. Influence. Being respected. Being impressive. Being seen as successful.
The problem starts when your identity becomes wrapped up in what you do instead of who you belong to. When your worth rises and falls with promotions, performance reviews, or how your career stacks up against someone else’s.
You’ll sacrifice rest. Neglect your soul. Ignore conviction. Skip obedience. Delay surrender. All because you’re “building something.”
Jesus addressed this exact mindset.
📜 Matthew 6:24
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Notice the word serve. Not admire. Not appreciate. Serve. Whatever dictates your decisions, priorities, and sacrifices is your master.
If Christ gets what’s left over after your career, your ambition, and your grind, then something else is sitting on the throne.
Comfort, Convenience, and the Idol of Ease
Another modern idol doesn’t look sinful at all. It looks cozy.
Comfort.
We live in a world that worships ease. Faster. Softer. Easier. Less resistance. Less discomfort. Less inconvenience. Anything that disrupts peace is treated like a threat.
But following Christ is rarely comfortable.
People avoid obedience because it might cost them something emotionally, socially, or relationally. They don’t speak truth because it could create tension. They don’t forgive because it hurts. They don’t step out in faith because it feels risky. They don’t confront sin because it’s awkward.
Comfort becomes the decision-maker.
📜 Luke 9:23
“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’”
A cross isn’t comfortable. It’s not convenient. And it’s definitely not safe by the world’s standards.
If your faith never costs you comfort, it’s worth asking whether you’re following Jesus or just enjoying the benefits of religion.
Approval, Image, and Being Liked
This one hits close to home for a lot of people.
Being liked feels good. Being approved of feels safe. Being affirmed feels validating. And in a world driven by social media, likes, shares, and followers, approval has become currency.
Some people will compromise truth to avoid being labeled. Others will water down Scripture to stay palatable. Some won’t speak about sin, repentance, or holiness because they don’t want to be seen as judgmental or extreme.
Approval replaces obedience.
📜 Galatians 1:10
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
That verse doesn’t leave much room for negotiation.
If fear of rejection controls what you say, what you believe, or how you live out your faith, then approval has quietly become an idol.
Relationships, Romance, and Emotional Dependence
This one often gets a free pass because it feels loving.
Some people idolize relationships. Marriage. Romance. Being chosen. Being desired. Being needed. Their sense of worth depends on whether someone stays, affirms them, or meets their emotional needs.
They’ll tolerate sin to avoid being alone. Compromise convictions to keep a relationship. Put God on the back burner to keep someone else close.
That’s not love. That’s dependency.
📜 Matthew 10:37
“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.”
Jesus isn’t anti-relationship. He’s anti-replacement. When any person takes the place only Christ should occupy, it becomes destructive, even if it feels good at first.
Control, Security, and Self-Reliance
Some idols don’t look flashy. They look responsible.
Control. Planning. Security. Having everything figured out.
Some people trust God with salvation but not with outcomes. They pray, but only after exhausting their own options. They obey, but only when they can see how it’ll work out.
Self-reliance becomes the safety net.
📜 Proverbs 3:5
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
When trust is partial and surrender is conditional, control has become the real god.
Final Thought
Idolatry today rarely looks like bowing down. It looks like prioritizing. It looks like compromising. It looks like delaying obedience. It looks like saying “just this once” or “I’ll deal with that later.”
The real test is simple but uncomfortable. Ask yourself what it would take to make you disobey Christ. If there’s a number, a relationship, a comfort level, or a reputation that can override your obedience, then that thing deserves an honest look.
Jesus doesn’t compete for space. He demands the throne. Not because He’s controlling, but because anything else sitting there will eventually destroy you.
Ask Yourself:
What decisions in my life are being driven more by fear, comfort, or gain than by obedience to Christ?
Is there anything I consistently protect even when it conflicts with what Scripture says?
If someone said, “everyone has a price,” would my life prove them right or wrong?
Join the Discussion:
What modern idol do you think Christians struggle with the most right now, and why do you think it’s so easy to overlook?
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