It should be valuable to note how the Apostle John ends his letter. What was the last thing that John wanted the recipients of his letter to know? The truth. Three times in 5:20, he repeats this word true: “we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true—even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
Our God is true. He is reality, substance in a world of shadow. Now why does John make such a big deal about this word? Because of 5.21- he knows that his readers are in danger, and we are in danger of replacing the true God, the real God with a counterfeit, with a clever copy, substituting our idea of God for the real thing. This is called an idol, and John says, keep yourself from this. In other words, don’t lose the real thing.
If spiritual life is all about loving God and then loving people, then we are always in danger of falling in love with the idea of God instead of God. And we are always in danger of falling in love with the idea of loving people rather than actually loving people. That’s the diagnosis. What is the cure?
People who are experts in counterfeit money do their job well not by knowing a lot about counterfeits but by knowing the real thing really well. So the cure for our tendency to give in to counterfeits is to keep going back to the one who is true. The only way to keep yourself from idols is to engage the real God. The only way to engage the real God is to enter a relationship with him and get to know him. This is what you must do today, and every day.
Every day, you must look at the one who is true. You must continue to pursue him.
Real life requires the real you, before the real God in real relationship. Ideas and ideals are not enough. Real life requires action, engagement, and commitment.
Don’t lose the real thing.
What action will you take today to keep you from losing the real thing?
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