Is Your Reputation An Idol?
In this day and age, one's personal reputation can become an idol that distracts you from true faith in God. So many people have allowed a projected image of themself to become an idol. In a recent sermon by Apostle Mike Signorelli, he taught Christians how to flee from idolatry and prioritize God's glory over self-preservation.
Death to self is an essential theme in Christianity but we do not often hear about death to one's ego which essentially is the same thing. In Western culture there has been an affinity towards public image. There is a glorification of celebrities and influencers with an emphasis on upholding an image that does not get you canceled by society.
Deliver Me from Me
In Colossians 3:5, the scripture says: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.” The Apostle Paul says not crucifying one's flesh is idolatry. Many people have their flesh on life support and they are struggling to pull the plug. This is the case because if something comes up that warrants that sin, they want to be able to access it. Scripture though is clear – kill that thing!
Keeping one's reputation is protecting an image of yourself that you want people to hold of you as well. The biblical definition of an idol is an "image.” 1 Corinthians 10:14 is clear that we are to flee from idolatry. 1 John 5:21 reinforces the importance of actively guarding against idolatry.
Apostle Mike challenged his congregation to die to that idol of their reputation. Christians must be willing to give up their reputation. Instead, people are paralyzed by building a reputation and struggling with the weight of keeping it. Many do well to reject physical idols, such as statues of pagan gods or evil imagery but do not realize that they also have to do away with the idol of self.
"Some of you will celebrate the destruction of a statue but still continue to protect the image of your own reputation, that's your idol," the V1 church leader maintained.
Just because an idol is not physically represented doesn't make it less potent. As Christians It is not about us, it’s always going to be about Jesus! God must increase as we decrease.
Humility Is the Antidote
Famous Canadian-born Pentecostal evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson was one of the first women preachers in the 1920s and 1930s. She is renowned for founding the Foursquare Church denomination and Apostle Mike credited her humility when responding to criticism of women preachers. When she received condemnation about women preaching she responded by saying she did not want to hear a woman preach either, she longed to hear a message from the Holy Spirit. We at times get so caught up in the person delivering the message but we all need to hear from the Holy Spirit through that person.
True humility involves recognizing we are worse than what others think rather than striving to maintain a positive image. Defending our reputation leads to self-deception and the deception of others. There is great freedom in dying to your reputation and confessing our sins and prioritizing God over ourselves. We must dismantle the idol of self and reputation. This removes the devil's ability to blackmail us and allows us to reflect God's glory instead of protecting our own image. It’s not about what we protect, it's about what we reflect.
"I don't have a reputation to protect, I have Glory from God I have to reflect," Apostle Mike maintained.
Trying to mold your reputation to gain universal approval is futile and can lead to either worship or destruction of that image by others. That will also cause you to be controlled by what others think of you. Jesus nailed that to the cross and we should too. "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Crucify Your Reputation
We will know God in His sufferings (criticism, rejection) but also ultimately in His glory. Dying to self includes dying to the need for a perfect reputation. Both Jesus and Stephen did not defend themselves when others disbarged their reputation, they prayed for their persecutors ("Father, forgive them...") Luke 23:34, Acts 7:60. Like Christ we too have to let go of personal offenses and prioritize eternal consequences. This shift from a victim mentality to an intercessor for those who wrong us is crucial. Let us move from retaliation to intercession. The Lord deals with those accusing you (Psalm 52).
As Christians we are not called to defend ourselves, rather we overcome evil with good (Romans 12:17–21). This passage underscores the practical outworking of dying to reputation. Instead of seeking revenge or defending ourselves, we are called to respond with kindness, gentleness, patience, and other fruits of the Spirit.
This world will know we are Christians by our love for one another not for how well we defend ourselves. McPherson de-emphasized her identity as a "female preacher" to instead focus on being a vessel for the Holy Spirit. We must all destroy the idol of reputation to allow God's work to flourish.
About the Author
Jeannie Ortega Law is a chart-topping singer, evangelist, media personality and author from New York City. She can be reached on social media: @JeannieOrtega or emailed at Info@JeannieO.com
At V1 Church we believe in teaching Bible-based relationship principles so that you can your family can be strengthened. Connect with us using one of the links below – we’d love to see you and help you walk through the process of reconciliation.