In his first letter addressed to followers of Jesus, the Apostle John issues a six-word parting statement that is extremely direct and powerful. These six words remind us of just how easy it is to fall prey to ideas, habits, and things that become so important in our lives that they take the place of God. John writes, “Dear children, keep yourselves from idols” (I John 5:21). There is a fundamental incompatibility between the worship of God and the worship of idols. Idolatry has been defined as turning good things into “ultimate” things. Perhaps the current Covid-19 pandemic has helped you to see the idols you’re prone to embrace. Share John’s warning with your kids. Teach them to run from idols like the plague. Help them to look for and see the idols that are not easily recognizable. This conflict and temptation will not disappear until the day when Jesus returns and all things are made new. Keeping one’s self from idols is a conscious pursuit we must embrace, model, and teach.
Idolatry
January 29, 2021