Jesus Isn't Decaf (By Naomi Meyers)

Leaning back to peruse his writing, he took a moment to stretch his aching back. He had been bent over this parchment far longer than anticipated. What had begun as a simple letter had become a multiple-page sermon. His shoulders were tight from holding the same position. His fingers were beginning to cramp. He wasn’t done yet. Some of the most important bits were still coming. Truths about God. Truths about humanity. Truths so closely interwoven they could not be independently held. Concepts so important John felt compelled to read them over and over again before sending them on. The verbiage had to be exact. There could be no room for misinterpretation, no space for misconceptions, no chance at misunderstanding. If they were living in the awareness of being sons and daughters of God, residing in His amazing love for them, their lives would show it. Every day. They would reciprocate His love. They would keep His commandments. Willingly. But there was only one way to make that happen. Stay away from idols. (I John 2:3-6,15; 3:1, 11, 17; 4:15-16, 20-21; 5:2-3, 21)

John tacked those exact words to the end of his letter. A postscript meant to underscore the whole. Guard against idolatry. Stay away from other gods. Don’t become enamoured with things that aren’t God. Don’t let anything take God’s place. Not fleshly desires. Not earthly things. Not pride in possessions, prosperity, or prominence. Idols of any kind are dangerous. They will distract you, draw you aside. Destroy your relationship with God. You don’t want that. At all. So. Remember who you are in Christ. Remember you are loved and treasured by God. Remember you are forgiven by Him. Remember you are His child. Then live like it. Don’t allow the desire for things temporal to displace your love for God eternal. It was not a new concept. (I John 1:9; 2:7, 28-29; 5:21)

Since the dawn of time, this had been God’s instruction and expectation of His people. In the Garden of Eden, He commanded Adam and Eve to stay away from the center tree. Don’t touch it. Don’t pick its fruit. Don’t eat even one bite. Leave that tree alone. Completely. It was the one rule. The only rule. They didn’t keep it. Enticed by the idea of being as wise as God and captivated by the tantalizing color of the fruit, Eve picked just one piece and tasted. Adam didn’t stop her. Not when she picked the fruit. Not when she bit into it. Not when she offered him a bite. Complicit in her disobedience, either because he also wanted to be wise or he simply didn’t wish to refuse his partner, Adam sided with Eve and chose something earthly over things eternal. (Genesis 3: 1-7)

Achan made a similar choice. After Israel’s exhilarating triumph over Jericho, God’s command had been clear. Rescue Rahab and her family. Burn the city. All of it. To the ground. Only the silver, gold, bronze, and iron were to be taken and placed in the treasury of God’s house. Nothing was to be kept for personal use, stored in a trophy cabinet, or kept for a rainy day. Everything had to go. Everyone knew it. No one was ignorant of the order. But as he wandered around the city, Achan saw things. Things he thought he could secret away without anyone noticing. Things he wanted for himself. A beautiful Babylonian garment. Things that already belonged to God. Five pounds of silver. A bar of gold. Achan’s eyes lusted after those things. His heart desired those earthly possessions more than it hungered for the eternal God. Achan forgot, if only for a moment, that he was one of God’s beloved, precious people and, in that moment of weakness, chose death over life. (Exodus 19:5; Joshua 6:22-7:26)

Even King Solomon, with all the wisdom he had, all the wealth he had, all the good he did, still fell prey to idols. Actual idols. Wood. Stone. Unseeing. Unhearing. Impotent foreign gods belonging to his wives. Wives he should never have had in the first place. Wives, God commanded the Israelites not to take. But Solomon loved women. Many women. He must have. His seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines attest to that fact. Little by little, Solomon’s wives turned his heart away from his God. He followed their gods. Built altars to them. Allowed the burning of incense and offering of sacrifices to them. Completely disregarded his relationship with God Almighty. Entirely forgot who he was. A king chosen by God, blessed by God, prospered by God. A child of God. Distracted by the beautiful women in whom he delighted, Solomon traded spiritual integrity for physical intimacy, sacrificing the constancy of God’s presence for fleeting earthly companionship. (I Kings 11:1-11)

The list could go on. Over and over we read the accounts of those drawn aside by the very things John cautions against to follow their own nefarious desires, chart their own path, become their own person, do their own thing. We read of people drawn into outrageous sins because they forgot who they were. They forgot they were God’s people. They forgot how immense His love for them was. They got distracted by earthly things, their love for God grew cold, and they forgot to live for eternity. They forgot the historic words of Moses as he led the Israelites through the wilderness, “You are sons (and daughters) of God.” You are His children. Your lives should reflect it. Your words should echo it. Your hearts should rest in that truth. You should carefully obey all the things God has commanded because you are beloved, precious children, chosen by God to be His alone. That is who you are. And it should show. In how you live. In what you value. In who you worship. (Deuteronomy 11:16; 12:25-32; 13: 1, 16, 22; 14:1-2; Exodus 20:3-6)    

You see, friend, who you know yourself to be matters. Immensely. Your identity is pivotal to your performance. When you live in the awareness of being a loved, precious child of God, it changes you. Your outlook. Your worldview. Your focus. Belonging to Jesus makes you different. In every way. Being loved by God changes your life. It opens you up to love God in return. Love Him with your whole heart and mind, and strength. Loving God changes your actions. It changes everything about the way you live your life. It changes how you interact with others–who you run from as well as who you run toward. Loving God above everything else in your life enables you to willingly comply with His commands. No drudgery. No hesitancy. No resentment. When you know who you are in Christ, you live like it. (Psalm 26:3; 90:14; 106:7; John 13:24) 

We have come a long way since the day Moses stood before the congregation of Israelites and reminded them that they were children of God. Society has enormously changed since John penned the letter reminding his readers that they were sons and daughters of God. Yet we, centuries later, living in an entirely different society, still need the same reminder. We are children of God. Precious to Him. He has redeemed us. His love for us is steadfast and unchanging. We can count on it. We can also count on a million distractions from the world crowding our minds and attempting to draw our hearts away from following Him. We need to remember John’s postscript. Stay away from idols. All of them. Anything that would draw your mind, heart, or soul away from God. We need to remember that if we allow something, anything, to take the place of Jesus Christ in our lives, if love for money, things, success or power becomes more important to us than God, if we choose to run hard after anything that isn’t of God, we will lose our relationship with Him. Our souls will be in danger. We must be constantly on guard, always watching, because possible idols are everywhere. (Isaiah 43:4; John 3:16-17; Micah 7:20; Lamentations 3:22-23; Romans 12:21; Deuteronomy 6:4-7)

Idols aren’t only wood and stone creations made by human hands, named by human tongues, worshipped at handmade altars. No. Idols are anything that mean more to you than your relationship with God. They are the things you would shortsell your soul to have, do, or be. And they may not be things you can touch or see. Maybe it’s the zeroes on your bank statement. Maybe it’s the letters behind your name. Maybe it’s a posh address, a flashy car, a pretty boat, or a limit-free credit card. It doesn’t matter. Big or small, whatever drives you to do the things you do is your idol. If you love God most, it will show. He will be the driving force behind all you do. His words will be your words. His actions will be your actions. His choice will be your choice. Every day. All day. When you love Him, when you find your identity solely in being God’s child, you will keep His commandments. Because that is who you are. (I John 3:2, 10; Galatians 3:26; Romans 8:16; 12:2; I Peter 2:10; John 14:15; Psalm 40:8; I Corinthians 3:16-17; John 10:3-5)