The Apostle John is writing these words close to the end of his life, close to the end of the 1st Century. In our current times, we are 1900 years removed from his time and his culture, yet some things remain the same, namely, the focus on things other than our Creator and Savior. As John says, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols" (1 John 5:21, ESV).
This is the last verse and the last thought that John writes in his opening letter to those who had been influenced by false teachers and the preaching of a false gospel. A letter that was filled with reminders to stay away from sin, resist the devil, love others, and remember that Jesus was the payment for their sin, now ends with a simple statement, "keep yourselves from idols."
In the culture where I live in Nigeria, and even throughout all of Africa, people worship idols. While there may be other names for them like local or traditional gods, they are still idols. These are the same kind of figures that were man-made in the Bible, constructed of stone, wood, stubble, or even likened to the golden calf (Exodus 32). Notice the use of the small "g." Only the creator of heaven in earth, the One from before time, the Everlasting, the one who sent his son, get the BIG "G." Why? Because the capital G makes the name proper. He is THE God, the only God, and no man-made idol can ever stand beside or in front of him.
You may not live in a culture where you can see an idol that people are praying to, but they are still all around. Idols come in many different shapes and forms, and sometimes when we see them, they can be disguised. If you don't live in a culture where there are physical idols like I mentioned above, then maybe you live in a culture where the items or ideas you deal with every day can become an idol. A job, an education, a phone, a social media feed, a friend or spouse, or a cast of other things. Simply put, in most Western cultures idols are what you make them. Phones are not bad, they are good, I have two. But when a phone that is driven by your need to focus more time on it and your social media feed than focusing on God...keep yourselves from idols." When your job takes away from your relationship with Jesus...keep yourselves from idols." When your education dominates your time so much that you remove yourself from daily devotion and seeking Him...keep yourselves from idols." For me, that was a truth I had to learn not long ago.
It was a very simple ending statement, and we might have a tendency to lose this quick statement as we look to close the reading, but John had a purpose for writing it, and I know God had a purpose for me reading it. What about you?
I encourage you to take the 1 John Challenge. For the next 30 days read 1 John every day and see how this prayerful focus on five chapters (only taking about 25 minutes) will open your heart and mind to the Holy Spirit bringing the truth of God's Word alive in you.
If you have any questions about what you have read or want to know more about living a life that includes a relationship with Jesus Christ, drop me an email here.
Have a great day!
Pastor Walt
Philemon 6
