“Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.” 1 John 5:21

Gracious Father, this final admonition in John’s first epistle lands on my heart with power. Idolatry is everywhere because there’s no such thing as a non-worshipper. Worship is the most defining category in the whole of life. Whoever or whatever reigns in our heart determines the whole course of our lives.

In Rome I touched statues of gods which filled the temples and lifestyle of that great ancient city. In London, I walked from station to station in a huge Hindu temple, as worshippers offered prayers and gifts to deities that looked so strange to me. In Israel, I studied decaying remains of idols which competed for the worship of the people of God.

But for me to obey John’s command to keep myself from idols requires so much more than simply staying away from ancient sites, pagan temples and man-made idols.

Father, there’s a pantheon of idols constantly angling and clamoring for my heart’s worship. How I wish that as soon as you placed me in Christ that my struggle with idolatry would’ve ceased. That’s simply not the case or this Scripture would be entirely irrelevant.

Sometimes the approval or rejection from people has more sway over my heart than what you think about me. Sometimes the passion to be right is more compelling to me than the good news of being righteous in Christ. Sometimes controlling my circumstances claims more of my time and energy than seeking your face… savoring your grace… and serving your Son. These are just a few of the things which bear the marks of idolatry in my heart.

Have mercy on me, Father, and free my foolish heart from giving anything or anyone the attention, allegiance, affection and adoration you alone deserve. Knowing that I’m one of your “dear children”… forgiven, secure, righteous and beloved in Christ… should be all the motivation I need to keep myself from any form of idolatry.

May the gospel of your grace relentlessly expose and effectively dethrone all “empty nothings” from my heart. May Jesus grown larger and larger in my heart so there’s less and less room for false worship. So very Amen, I pray, in Jesus’ most beautiful and worthy name.

Scotty Smith is the founding pastor of Christ Community Church (PCA) in Franklin, TN. He now serves as Pastor of Preaching, Teaching and Worship. Additionally he serves as an adjunct professor at Covenant Theological Seminary and teaches at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. This article is taken from his blog, Heavenward, and is used with his permission.