Q: What are considered to be idols? I have angel figurines, portraits of Jesus, crosses, and other home decorations of that sort from my former faith. Should I remove them from my home? — Lizbeth, from the United States
A: An idol is anyone or anything that you worship who is not God. Any object that you would pray to is certainly an idol. We only pray to God, and we are not to make any graven images of Him (see Exodus 20:2-6).
In a broader sense, an idol can be something tangible, such as a statue, a crucifix, or possessions such as a car or a house. It can be a person, a position, an occupation, or an idea or a goal. Not that these things are bad in and of themselves; but an idol is anything or anyone who becomes more important to us than God.
Sometimes when people learn the truths of God’s word, they decide to remove things from their lives that remind them of how they lived in the past. This is something that you may find helpful to do, although it is your personal decision.
The apostle Paul puts it this way: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV).