World lives by the false god but the faithful few of God lives for Jesus Christ

1 John 5:19-21

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

• The world lives by the false god, but we know the truth of Jesus Christ.
• Believers in Jesus Christ, keep yourselves from the idol of this world.

The world lives by the false god, but we know the truth of Jesus Christ. “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:19-20

When the Apostle John says, “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one,” it mirrors what is said in Revelation 13:8, “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb…” The “him” in this verse is the beast of the image of the beast that speaks and lives within people.

The “wicked one”, that the whole world is under its influence, is the atheistic entity that has power over physiology. This entity gives people their thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors to enliven the image of the beast to live and speak through them. Today’s culture is a global one and people are being groomed to the mark of the beast by what they are given to say and do. In contrast, we are the faithful few of God who live for Jesus Christ in the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, has given us understanding through the Word of God, so that we can know Him who is true. In Him is the light that brings life and Salvation. As believers in Jesus Christ, we abide in Him who is true, filled with the light that seeks to impart life and Salvation to others. Jesus Christ is the true God and the source of eternal life.

In the next verse, the Apostle John, through the Holy Spirit, says to keep away from the idol of this world.

Believers in Jesus Christ, keep yourselves from the idol of this world. “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.” 1 John 5:21

Those of us who live for Jesus Christ are the “little children” to whom the Apostle John is speaking to. He advises us to avoid the idol of this world, and to walk as Jesus says for us to walk, on the narrow road leading to life and to avoid the mainstream and wide road of society that leads to destruction.

We live for Jeus Christ as His faithful few but the whole world is under the sway of the idol of this world. We know Jesus is the Son of God, but today’s culture is living under the influence of a lie. The lie is that there is no God, Jesus Christ is not needed nor is the forgiveness of sin, and the Holy Spirit is not an important part of who we are. Although we are created to be God’s temple of the Holy Spirit, the idol of this world claims to be God by sitting within us by giving thoughts, feelings, words, and behaviors,  this is the one “…who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4 Click here for a post on the “man of sin”.

The true God is love who gives eternal life through Jesus Christ, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:16-17

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11