Keep Yourselves From Idols
“Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”—1 John 5:21
Idolatry is founded in ignorance of Jesus, the true God, and eternal life. None are spiritual worshippers of God but believers in Jesus. There are many idols in the world, suited to the pride and lusts of our corrupt nature. These we are cautioned against. But in reading this very exhortation, the idol of free-will is ready to present itself; as though disciples, by their own power, were to keep themselves. This notion opposes the Spirit and power of Jesus, and springs from that grand idol, pride. Pride introduces the idol of self-righteousness. This blinds the eye to the glory of the righteousness of Christ, which is freely imputed through faith. Thus this trinity of idols, free-will, pride, and self-righteousness, are in unity with each other. By the simple faith of Jesus, we are daily to guard our hearts against all their specious pretensions.
So also every outward object suited to our corrupt nature, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; these naturally call for the attention of our minds, tend to attract our hearts, and promise us pleasure, happiness and joy.
But if these are sought, coveted, and enjoyed, they also become idols. They rival Jesus, they rob our hearts of the consolation of the Saviour’s love; and him of the glory due to his name; which is ever the indispensable duty of all his beloved disciples, to give unto him only. Shall we then say of our own righteousness, or of our sins, ye are our glory? Shall we at all hope in the one; shall we ever seek happiness from the other?
Verily, if so, our hearts are not right with God; we are not sincere and upright before him. Can we at any time halt between two opinions, between Jesus and self, God and the world? Where then is our faith in Jesus, our love to God! Has not God manifested love enough to us in the gift of his beloved Son? Has not Jesus done enough, suffered enough to attract every affection, and to engage our whole hearts in love to himself? Has not the holy Spirit so clearly and fully revealed the love of the Father, and the salvation of the Son, as to make us happy? We must confess this. Surely then conscious shame, holy blushing, godly sorrow, should fill our hearts, if we act not as chaste virgins to our heavenly Bride groom. While we cry in the fervency of prayer to the divine Spirit for power, we shall in the fervor of love, and in the resolution of faith, say, with Ephraim, Get ye hence: ‘what have I to do any more with idols?’ Hos. 14:8
Mortals with joy behold his face.
To eternal Father’s only Son;
How full of truth, how full of grace.
When through his eyes the Godhead shone.
Archangels leave their high abode
To learn new mysteries here, and tell
The loves of our descending God,
The glories of Immanuel.
William Mason (1719-1791) was a High-Calvinist author. For many years he served as a Justice of the Peace, and in 1783 was appointed a Magistrate. He served as editor of the Gospel Magazine before and after the editorship of Augustus Toplady. He is best known for a morning and evening devotional entitled, “A Spiritual Treasury For The Children Of God.”
