Serving Sticks and Splinters

"Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." - 1 John 5:21

When you read the first part of chapter 5 in this epistle, you will see that Jesus is being lifted up over and over again. He is being exalted and praised for His love and sacrifice. After this the triune nature of God is touched on, and then finally it talks about God's perfection and our imperfection, and how He gave us the chance to know Him for eternity. At the end of this chapter there is a single statement, no expansion, no explanation and no further instruction. John simply writes: Keep yourselves from idols.

While some may read this as an afterthought, I believe it is intrinsically connected to the entire letter that John wrote. In chapter 1 it says: "If we say we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth." (1:6) Here darkness is the idol. Darkness refers to going through life living as everyone else does, and not making an effort to remain pure and holy in Jesus Christ. If we cannot sacrifice the "pleasures" of life for God, it is an idol. Chapter 2 expands on this and specifically highlights three areas of idolatry - "The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life..." (2:16) These statements are succinct and powerful. When we live to serve our flesh in gluttony, laziness and immorality; when we feed on unclean images, covet what is not ours, and live to "perfect" our appearance; when we boast in our money and power and earthly possessions and feel that we are better than others - These are all forms of idolatry and it cripples us. We live in darkness, separated from God because "God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1:5) 

As we read through chapters 3, 4 and 5, there is a plea for us to see God's perfect nature, His righteousness and His love. The very fact that God died for us, "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us..." (3:16), should be so mind-blowing, so amazing, that we only want to serve Him...Him alone. In His death on the cross, He still sustained all life. He held together the very cross that He hung on. "He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:21) How incredible is that? Jesus became sin for us, so that we can live in His freedom. How overwhelming that God Himself would do that for us, sinful human beings.

Yet like dogs, we return to our vomit and foolishly serve the things of this world.  (see Proverbs 26:11)

The fact is we are imperfect human beings, but God is transforming us to be like Him. "Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

"The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; they have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them." - Psalms 135:15-18

When we turn our focus away from God and to the things of the earth and temporary pleasure, we become as dead as the things we serve. No voice, no sight, no sound and no breath. We become choked, suffocated and blindly live in sin and faithlessness. It is time we put down our idols and reach out to Christ, the Living God who brings life abundantly (see John 10:10), who sustains the very fabric of the earth. Without God, the True Light, we are lost and alone in darkness. Without God, who is Love, we are cold and lifeless with no hope. Please, hear my cry to turn away from that which profits not, turn away from a life tainted by the things of this world, turn away and become set apart. Seek God above all things that you might have life. No longer serve sticks and splinters, but serve the One who breathed life into your nostrils, who knows you inside and out, who knit you together in your mother's womb (see Psalms 139).

"And now, little children, abide in Him; that, when He shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before Him at His coming." (1 John 2:28)