1 John 5:21 Children, keep yourselves from idols.
Τεκνία, φυλάξατε ἑαυτὰ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰδώλων.
We come to the last verse of this book. It seems to stand out and is a rather abrupt change of topic. Yet, it fits with the previous verses that remind the readers of one of the most challenging issues we face as humans: we replace the worship of God with worship of something else. Idolatry is the manifestation of the core problem of sin. Sin in its simplest form is a lack of worship of God. One of Satan’s temptations for Jesus was to fall down and worship Satan. Jesus refused because he had total confidence and faith in the Father. Temptation seeks to replace the worship of God with something else. Minimally, temptation seeks to replace God’s will with our own desires. Idols do not need to be physical objects but often they take that form. Idols can be actions or activities that keep us from worshipping God. The bottom line, it is a matter of priorities. What or who is most important in our lives? Whom do we seek to please? Who is master? If we put Jesus as Lord, then there will be no room for anything else. Watch for distractions from this core principle for spiritual growth.
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