The thought of idols conjures up images of religious darkness and paganism. Could a genuine Christian fall prey to the influence of an idol? Could a Christian become an idolater – one who worships idols? Evidently, we can. The Apostle John’s exhortation would have been hollow if it wasn’t possible.
Wasn’t it a strange way for John to conclude his important Epistle? Why didn’t he write a closing benediction along these lines? “Now, may the only True God and His Son, Jesus Christ, give you peace and comfort your hearts and protect you from the attacks of the Evil One.” But that’s not the way John signed off.
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1John 5:21
John had not mentioned the word ‘idol’ anywhere else in his letter. There are 2500+ words in the English version of 1 John. There’s no mention of idols until you arrive at the last verse. If it was intended to have an impact, it succeeded! If such a warning had been buried in the middle of all the other matters addressed in the letter, we might just think it was another helpful teaching point for the Christians. But when the letter concludes with such a warning, be sure of this — it was intended to be a huge flashing light.
John wrote extensively about the only True God and His Son, Jesus Christ. He outlined the distinguishing marks of an authentic Christian versus fakes and frauds. Some false teachers were worming their way into the minds of believers and spreading heresy about the Person and Humanity of Christ. They were attacking the fundamentals of the faith. John wanted to protect the sheep from such attacks.
In the second last verse of his letter, John highlights the true God and His Son, Jesus Christ. And then he closes with:
“Little Children, my dear ones, keep yourselves, protect and actively guard yourselves from idols – from anything and everything that could potentially move in and occupy the place reserved for the true God in your life.”
The context suggests that John wasn’t referring to metal images but rather mental images placed in their minds by the false teachers. Perhaps when they prayed or tried to enjoy the Lord, the damaging ‘untrue’ mental images of God and His Son constructed in their minds by the false teachers loomed in their thinking like spiritual monsters.
Perhaps you have been trying to reason with another person regarding Bible Truth, but rather than making inroads into their thinking, they’re poisoning you with theirs. You are having thoughts you’ve never had before until their influence entered your consciousness.
Protect yourself from idols. Maybe the mental images you keep mulling over started with a certain site you stumbled across online. Now, the algorithms are feeding you more and more of the same infectious YouTube material. Or maybe it’s a podcast that piqued your interest, so you subscribed, and now some “influencer” is shaping your thinking and even modifying your perspective. You are more upset to have missed one episode of the incentivized influencer than you are when you miss one day of reading your Bible. You are much more likely to get caught up on past episodes than on missed chapters in your Daily Bible Reading Plan.
Others are noticing how much of a grip the narrowly focused topic is getting on you, and they are worried. Of course, it may be a legitimate topic, but it’s quickly claiming the top place in shaping your perspectives. In every conversation they have with you, you seem to find a way to bring up the topic or the influencer’s name. It’s called a rabbit hole. Your acquaintances and even your family sense that you are becoming increasingly engrossed in a topic that’s consuming more and more of your time and occupying an unhealthy proportion of your headspace.
Guard yourself from idols. Of course, we would be highly offended if someone hinted to us that we are going down some slippery slope. We don’t consider what we are engrossed in to be remotely close to becoming problematic, let alone becoming a potential idol in a Biblical sense. The reality is your career could become an idol. His idol could be sports. Her idol could be entertainment, for which she is willing to sacrifice a lot. Others may sacrifice family and friends as well as their ethical principles at the shrine of some politician. Others sacrifice at the shrine of materialism. For many, it could be some philosophy or modern-day thinker/philosopher or culture warrior who is influencing their thinking — gaining and strengthening a death grip on their heart.
No matter what the idol is — all idolatry is wicked because it displaces the true God from the control center of your life. Anything that corrupts my thinking and diminishes my thoughts of the One True God is an idol.
Can you think of anything or anyone who is upstaging and displacing the priority God once had in your life? Or influencing, leading and piloting you (to use a nautical metaphor) into the ‘narrows’ of a potentially dangerous place where your mind is consumed by some issue?
It is no small wonder that John closes his letter with such a plea and a warning. What a tragedy for a Child of God to become so ensnared and trapped in idolatry. It almost sent a chill over old John as he wrote it. Someone called it an ‘eloquent shudder’ as he signed off the letter.
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1John 5:21
The most essential and critical work every Christian (without exception) must be actively and daily engaged in is this:
Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23 NLT
Don’t hesitate to share a thought from your personal experience or a verse that has been a blessing to you – in the comment section below. Or, if you would like to reach out privately, click below.
