WHAT CAN YOU KNOW? Devotion 31 of 32 "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." -- Tomorrow:
"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may KNOW that we have eternal life . . . And if WE KNOW that He hears us, whatever we ask, WE KNOW that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him . . . WE KNOW that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him. WE KNOW that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And WE KNOW that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that WE MAY KNOW Him who is true . . . " (1 John 5:13-21, NKJV)
Rarely will you hear such an admonition to believers in our day! However, this is an all-important word. It is given with the preceding teaching in mind: "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. (1 John 5:20).
We have been told the Lord Jesus is here to give us an understanding. That understanding is the personal and effective knowledge of God – an understanding of Him. The learning process is elsewhere referred to as "learning Christ" (Eph 4:20), and hearing Him and being taught by Him "as the truth is in Jesus" (Eph 4:21). He is revealing the Father to those who are in Him (Matt 11:27), making known His Person, ways, and purpose.
However, the Lord Jesus is not the only one offering understanding. There are also hosts of darkness who are perpetrating knowledge. Their teaching is called "the doctrines of demons" (1 Tim 4:1). They are also "imaginations" and "high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God" (2 Cor 10:5). There are teachers from the spiritual underworld who are "false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ" (2 Cor 11:3). Satan himself is also "transformed into an angel of light," professing to bring illumination to the sons of men (2 Cor 11:4).
In this world, believers occupy an intensely active domain. In it there are a host of false gods and lords. Thus it is written, "For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are MANY GODS AND MANY LORDS, yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. However not all men have this knowledge . . . " (1 Cor 8:5-7). If a person is armed only with the wisdom of men, there is no hope of survival in such a teeming world of activity. Those who imagine that having a brain and a copy of the Bible is sufficient are sure to fall, for nothing could be further from the truth. Apart from being united to and taught by Jesus, man can, and will, be outwitted by the devil and his hosts.
Jesus spoke of "false Christ's" (Matt 24:24). Paul wrote of some who preached "another Jesus" (2 Cor 11:4). The truth of the matter is that there are gross misrepresentations of both God and Christ in the professed Christian world. They are presented in "another gospel" (Gal 1:6). The God and Christ thus presented are NOT "the true God," and eternal life cannot be realized through them. Some of these false gods are tolerant of sin. Others are harsh taskmasters, having no mercy or grace. Still others condone friendship with the world, while others do not require spiritual growth and maturity. Such gods are really false. They are not gods at all.
Satan comes as "an angel of light," and his ministers transform themselves into "ministers of righteousness" (2 Cor 11:14-15). These "wolves in sheep's clothing" (Matt 7:15) – devourers disguised as Gospel preachers and Christian teachers – speak of God, Jesus, salvation, and eternal life. They use words like believe, hope, and obedience. But they are not from God, nor do they enable men to know Him. They are propagators of idols – for anyone other than the "true God" and "the Lord Jesus Christ Himself" are man-made idols.
Believers are admonished to keep themselves from idols – to not allow their devotion to be turned to those who are "no gods" (Gal 4:8). Let it be clear, he is not speaking of the images of heathen religion, or the idol of covetousness (Col 3:5). Of course, these are to be energetically shunned, yet they are not the subject of this text. Such things are so apparent that there must be a near-total disinterest in the God of heaven to be devoted to them. The "idols" of our text are the god's that Jesus does NOT reveal. They are the ones with whom the Son of God does not acquaint us. These are gods and Christs that are taught by men who are not connected with the Head (Col 2:19). They are the gods and lords that support a "form of godliness" that "denies the power" (2 Tim 3:5). You have an identity with these gods without being born again, having faith, or seeking a city whose Builder and Maker is God.
We must not be distracted by the religion of the day, new fads, and doctrinal novelties. Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the Divinely appointed Administrator of the Kingdom. He alone can give us an understanding or, or acquaintance with, "the God of salvation" (Psa 68:20). Whoever cannot give that, is not the real Jesus.
"Little children, keep yourselves from idols." Stated another way, that means to "cleave to the Lord with "purpose of heart" (Acts 11:23). It is hearing Him who is "speaking from heaven: (Heb 12:25). Hear Jesus and be taught by Him. He will acquaint you with God, thereby bringing eternal life to you. The result will be the joyful confidence of faith. It will cause you to triumph over every foe. It will bring effectiveness to your prayers.
If this seems too difficult for you, then ask the Lord to help you keep yourself from idols, for if you do not do it, there is no hope of you being saved. In the Kingdom of God, there is absolutely no provision for worshiping and serving the wrong god, or depending upon the wrong Jesus. Of that, you may be sure.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask for faith and strength to keep myself from every idol and false way.