Do You Worship or Bow Down to Idols?! Do You Have the Sin of Covetousness in Your Heart? They Are the Same. If So, You Are an Idolater! A Cogent Point to Ponder.

A person bowing down to worship an idol.

A Devotional for May 25, 2025

From my recently released book Daily Readings [of] John Bunyan.

Covetousness is Idolatry[!]

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desires, and covetousness, which is idolatry”

Colossians 3: 5.

My third word is to professors. Sirs, give me leave to set my trumpet to your ears again a little. When every man has put in all the claim they can for heaven but few will have it for their inheritance.

1. I begin with you whose religion lies only in your tongues. I mean you who are little or nothing known from the rest of the rabble of the world, only you can talk better than they. Hear me a word or two. If “I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity,” that is, love to God, and Christ, and saints, and holiness, “I am nothing”. [You are] . . . no child of God and so have nothing to do with heaven. (1 Corinthians 13: 1-2) A prating tongue will not unlock the gates of heaven, nor blind the eyes of the Judge. [See] . . . to it. “The wise in heart will receive commandments; but a prating fool shall fall.”

2. Covetous professor, thou that make a gain of religion, that uses your profession to bring grist to thy mill, look to it also. Gain is not godliness. Judas’ religion lay much in the bag but his soul is now burning in hell. All covetousness is idolatry. But what is that, or what will you call it, when men are religious for filthy lucre’s [money’s] sake? (Ezekiel 33: 31).

3. Wanton professors, I have a word for you. I mean you that can tell how to misplead Scripture, to maintain your pride, your banqueting, and abominable idolatry. Read what Peter says. You are the snare and damnation of others. You “allure through the lust of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error” (2 Peter 2: 18).