1 JOHN 5:21

Everything that John has stated leads to this one command. “Do not set up an idol in your heart.” For John, all of the problems that he had been addressing were issues of idolatry. The lack of true fellowship among believers, the lack of allegiance to a physical Jesus, the fear of one’s salvation… all of it can be traced back to a heart that allows for something other than God to take residence in our hearts. Conversely, if we want God to cultivate our humanity into his design and will, we must remove all idols from persona place. For the church today, as much as in John’s day, this is a problem. We want so badly to hoard every good thing that we are willing to allow seeds of idolatry to coexist amongst the riches of God’s inheritance. If we want to truly experience those riches, we must not allow such seeds to see the light of day. We must stamp them out in our own hearts and lives. This is hard, but it paves the way for a deeply personal Christianity that is meaningful for all. Your righteousness will begin to take shape as God sanctifies you through the work of his son. The confidence given here will drive the extension of this gift to all whom you touch creating true love in your relationships, the likes of which could never be fathomed. Love only God.