The Myth of "Making an Idol"

Lie:  If you spend more time on something or more time with someone other than with God it is an "idol."

First off sleep and work take about 40 hours a week each and no one would call those idols because of it. Secondly and more importantly, in the bible an idol was a "false god," something, usually physical, that people worshiped. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 8:4, "We know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one." The word "idol" was never used in the figurative sense. Idols were always things people literally treated as a god in place of God or in addition to God. The word "idol" was never used to refer to something you "focused on more than God." Using the term in that way is unbiblical legalistic tradition. The idea that a Christian can "make an idol" of something is a man made doctrine.

Is anything you spend time on more than God considered an idol by God? No!
Is anyone you spend time with more than God considered an idol by God? Absolutely not!

The sickness of this teaching is evident when people are taught that their husband, wife, children, or anyone they love deeply can be "idols." That is a sick SICK godless idea. God is love. God wants you to love others. When you love others God is loving them with you. Yet this doctrine says there is a line you can cross in not just love, but in TRUE love, to where you can love too much.

God is not exclusive. He does not exclude people from your relationship with Him. God is inclusive and relational. He is love and you share His love with your family and friends when you love them. You loving others is you loving God. He'd rather you spend time loving someone than he would you reading the bible & doing the other "spiritual" things that people spend their time doing away from their families. Untold harm has been done to wives and children in the name of working for or spending time with God. God wants you to love people and spend time with them. God is always with you and you can recognize His presence at any time, with anyone, doing any thing.