Focus: Beware Of Mellontolatry

Text: Jam.4:13-14

"Go to now, ye that say, TO DAY or to MORROW we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get GAIN. Whereas ye know not what shall be on the MORROW…"

This word MELLONTOLATRY was once used by C. S. Lewis in his book entitled, God in the Dock - Essays on Theology and Ethics, and it appears in the first chapter, Evil and God.

Mellontolatry is actually a word coined from two words that do not necessarily belong together, but intentionally pieced together to convey a sense or message. 'Mellon' means future; 'latreia' means worship. Put together, it means the worship of the future. I believe C. S. Lewis combined these two words to convey this special sense. I have also seen three other words like that, namely, pareltholatry, worship of the past; nynolatry, worship of the present; and chronolatry, worship of time. Man worships virtually anything and everything, including time in its past, present and future aspects.

Rigidity in the management of our time is another form of idolatry. The psalmist says, "My TIMES are in thy hand…" (Ps.31:15), which implies that God can slot in certain things into our daily schedule that look like inconveniences, but they are actually the main things that connect us to God's eternity.

I am trying to underscore a point, which is that nothing should claim our worship apart from God. No man, thing, or season qualify to demand our worship.

Those who worship TODAY say, Let's eat and drink today, for tomorrow, we shall die (read Isa.22:13; 56:12).

The Lord Jesus Christ tells us not to worry about tomorrow. He says, "Take therefore no thought for the MORROW: for the MORROW shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (Mt.6:34). A sage had aptly pointed out a long time ago that "worry is worship given to a wrong god." This anxiety or tension about the future makes people worship work, and pile up wealth for an uncertain future, and indeed a future they have no control over. Some become so stingy because they are more concerned about saving up for the future than giving help. Storing wealth for the future is of primary concern for them than helping people in need or supporting heavenly causes. This reminds me of the story of the Good Samaritan who was on a business trip, but upon seeing his fellow man in distress, he had to commit his time and money to help him out. He gave a bit of himself to another, and even incurred a cost that he promised to repay upon his return. He was a man who lived for today and for those in need, while trusting God for the future. He made saving the life of his neighbor his priority - a man he didn't know from Adam, except that he was a human being as himself. His business trip could wait for another human being to be helped. He was not a worshipper of time, money, or work. Nothing could be more urgent than helping another human being.

On the other hand, the rich fool, in Jesus' story, labored and piled up wealth for the future, but couldn't live to see that future. We need to understand that the future comes daily. Every day that comes is one's future. The future is no day in particular.

We have people who boast of the future. Solomon says, "BOAST not thyself of TO MORROW; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth" (Prov.27:1). You know nothing about what will happen a moment or seconds from now.

The believer's future is not out there in space, but only in Christ. God holds our future. In fact, Christ is our future: "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Col.1:27).

We create our future by what we do today.

Worship nothing but God. You can plan, strategize, work hard, save and invest money all you want, but what you must never do is worship anything or anyone. John writes, "Little children, keep yourselves from IDOLS. Amen" (1Jh.5:21).

Beware of mellontolatry! Don't let laboring for tomorrow keep you from doing good today and being a blessing to people around you, and that means allowing yourself to be inconvenienced sometimes. Today well lived is the best future you can give to yourself. No man's future is empty whose today is full of good works and whose life is free of mellontolatry, which is another form of idolatry. Today is the only day we have. Live and do well today. Love and relate well today. Worship God alone.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter