Don’t Be Distracted

Both Peter and John were concerned that the there are many who are not true believers in Christ, but have been inspired by Satan to destroy those who are.   Both books were written to help Christians maintain a proper spiritual life in spite of the false teachers and distractions around us.  It is important for us to understand what Christ has done for us if we are to be faithful to him.  I John 2:13-14 tells us, “I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father.  I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.” 

The Gospel of John focuses on Christ as God in the flesh, even more than the other gospels.  John 1:1-4 states, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  The same was in the beginning with God.  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.”  The older men had understood the importance of John’s statements about Jesus as God.  Because of their faith, the younger people had been saved, and gained victory over sin, so that the little children knew who Christ is.  Now John is writing to them again, to help them understand that the same things that led to their salvation in the first place will also result in a healthy daily spiritual walk. 

In order to become a Christian, a person must put Christ ahead of everything else, as Luke 14:26-27 tells us.  “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”  Now that they have been saved, they shouldn’t revert back to the old attitudes, putting the things of the world ahead of Christ. 

I John 2:15-17 reminds us, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.  And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 

We valued what Christ offered more than what the world offered in order to be saved.  We need to remember he is still more important after we get saved.  The things the world offers are only temporary, and will be destroyed when the world is destroyed.  Focusing on those things will result in us becoming like the seed that fell among thorns in the parable of the sower as Jesus explained in Matthew 13:22.  “He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.” 

Even the best things this world has to offer, an exciting and pleasant career, wealth, a happy marriage, and a family to be proud of are all temporary, and will end at death.  Only the things the God has commanded will last beyond that point.  While some of these things are important, they are peripheral and we must not allow them to distract us from obeying God. 

If we are not careful, we can become like the guy who went with a friend of mine to cut firewood.  When he took out his chainsaw, my friend was impressed by how well cared for it was.  As they began to cut wood however, the guy stopped every few minutes to wipe off the sawdust, and excess chain oil and check how sharp the blade was.  My friend waited until he used up a tank of gas to do those maintenance chores.  At the end of the day, my friend had his pickup filled with firewood, while the other guy had only six or seven pieces in his.   He was so distracted by caring for his saw, he had forgotten their purpose was to get a load of wood for the winter.  We mustn’t allow even important things to distract us from our main purpose.