‘In addition we know that the Son of God has come and is giving us movement from one side to the other to reach balanced conclusions, full breadth critical thinking that reaches across to the other side in order that we continue to know Him who is true, and are within Him who is true, within His Son, Jesus the Messiah. 21 Little children, guard and protect yourselves away from images used for worship. So let it be’ (I John 5 v 20 – 21).
In addition to Christians knowing that they are brought forth by God, and that they exist in contrast to the world, they also know that the Son of God has come and is giving them enlightened reasoning. This means that they think things through, they evaluate and weigh up various considerations that reach across to and take into account the other side – the unseen heavenly realm, the Kingdom of God and Jesus the Messiah. The purpose and completion of reasoning within this illuminated knowledge, insight and understanding and taking it through to its logical conclusion is that Christians ‘continue to know Him who is true; and we are within Him who is true – within His son, Jesus the Messiah’.
Finally, John gives one last practical caution to his Hebrew Christian readers to guard and protect themselves away from images used for worship. As he has explained, no one at any time has seen God and such images ‘bring God down’ by delimiting Him to created forms. In this way people worship and praise created things instead of the Creator. As Christians they know Whom they worship, honour and praise. Not a lifeless metal, wood and stone idol but the living God Who is delivering them from judicial condemnation and ultimately away from their present fleshly body with its impulses and energies that lead to death. They honour and praise God Who has sent His only begotten Son to secure their deliverance, and who in due course will establish and restore the Kingdom of God on earth. And with that caution John concludes his letter.
Christian 2 Christians 