Keep Yourself From Idols Series

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1 John 5:21

“Keep Yourself From Idols”

In the first century AD, when people wrote letters, there was a pretty standard approach in the way the letters were structured – including the structure you used to finish your letter. A letter, written in 150AD by Apion, is a great example of the standard way to finish a letter.

Give Capito my heartiest greetings, and my brothers and Serenilla and my friends. I sent you a little picture of myself painted by Euctemon. My military name is Antonius Maximus. I pray for your good health. Serenus sends good wishes to Agathos Daimon’s boy, and Burbo, Gallonius’ son.

(sourced G. Milligan, Selections from the Greek Papyri, 36.)

Now let’s read the end of Paul’s letter to the Philippians.

21 Greet all God’s people in Christ Jesus. The brothers and sisters who are with me send greetings. 22 All God’s people here send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar’s household.

23 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.

Philippians 4:21-23

You can see the similar structure. Greeting people. Sending them a blessing. The New Testament writers didn’t invent a new way of writing – they used familiar structures which connected with the literary experiences of the audience.

Later today you may want to go and read all the endings of all the New Testament letters and you will see it for yourself. You won’t find exactly the same structure as there are variations.

Romans 16 is basically a whole chapter of greetings.

A number of letters simply finish with something like “Grace and peace to you all”. Jude and 2 Peter direct their closing words of blessing to Jesus.

There are all sorts of variation, but for most of the 21 letters in the New Testament.

Yes, I know there are 27 books in the New Testament, but not all of them are letters.

4 are Gospels

Acts is a historical record

Revelation is an apocryphal vision.

Which leaves us with 21 letters in the New Testament – also known as epistles.

For most of the 21 letters in the New Testament they will have a greeting, or a prayer of blessing, or both. For most letters, except for 2.

This is how the book of James finishes.

19 My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

James 5:19-20

It isn’t a standard ending, but it does fit in really well with the overall approach of James and the way James writes.

Now let’s read the closing verses of 1 John 5:13-20

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him.

16 If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know Him who is true. And we are in Him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.

These closing verses give a summary of the whole flow of the letter of 1 John.

Being born of God, and holding onto Jesus as the true God.

Moving away from sin and not allowing the world to impact us.

Having an understanding of the transforming work of God in our lives and living in obedience to that work.

Knowing that you know you have eternal life.

That’s what 1 John is all about.

And then we get to the very last verse where we are expecting a greeting, or a blessing, or both. Instead we read, Dear children, keep yourselves from idols (1 John 5:21).