The Youth Group just finished our series in 1 John the other day. In that letter, John ends with one of the more curious closing sentences in the New Testament: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (5:21). Curious because he hasn’t mentioned idols one time prior to this verse.
But as you backtrack through the letter, you realize what an appropriate conclusion it is. The idols aren’t physical statues or the idols of the heart; they’re the idols of a false Christ and a false gospel. Idols of denying Jesus as the Messiah (2:22), denying the humanity of Christ (4:2), or denying the real death of Christ (5:6-12).
Anything that distorts the true Christ is an idol born out of a spirit of error in the world from the devil, devised to detract us from worshiping Christ in spirit and in truth – which is our salvation and the key to our joy.
The real Jesus is the true God and eternal life (5:2). He is our Advocate (2:1). He is our propitiation (2:2). He laid down His life in love for us (4:16). He keeps. us from the evil one (5:18). The Word of life took on flesh and manifested His glory to us so that we can have fellowship with Him and with the Father (1:1-3).
So, don’t reduce Him to a theological lesson. Don’t make Him out to be a distant, abstract deity. Don’t strip away His flesh and blood so that He’s functionally not real in your life. Don’t cheapen the glory of the real Jesus.
Instead, sink your teeth into the real Jesus everyday. How? By opening yourself up to Him in His Word. Let Him love you. Let Him feed you. Let Him so fill you with Himself that you can’t help but embody Him in your life.
One day, all we’ve known of Him by faith will turn to sight. And the mere sight of Christ’s loveliness will change us so that “we will be like Him” (3:2). So, guard the real Jesus in your hearts, guard your affections for Him, guard your thoughts about Him…He is more than worth it.
