This may seem to be an unusual sign-off line as John completes his first letter, but it summarises the pastoral warnings of the epistle.  The churches had been infiltrated by false teachers seeking to pull the believers into idolatry (an idol is anything which is worshipped, but is not God).  As far as we know, the false teachers did not present physical objects to worship, although their culture was full of such statues.  Instead, they wanted Christians to worship their religious philosophy rather than the Lord Jesus Christ.  And they degraded Jesus – saying that He was not God who had come to earth in a human body (2 John 1:7).

Physical, philosophical, cultural and life-style idols abound in a world full of materialistic consumerism.  There is so much to desire and lust after in our culture as in the 1st Century.  All idol-promotors boast that their idol will make worshippers powerful or beautiful, rich or wise (1 John 2:16).  Intellectual arrogance loves to worship concepts which purport to 'explain the world', but deny that God is its creator: while our fleshly nature worships self and all that will promote self.  When these idols captivate our attention, time and money … they are given the place which rightfully belongs to God.  As Jonah understood, “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them.” (Jonah 2:8).  Nobody can serve idols and serve God at the same time (Matthew 6:24).

When John tells his readers to keep (guard) themselves from idols, he speaks with God's voice.  It is a divine instruction which demands active personal attention.  We must reject the call to worship which every idol will project.  But in the face of so many, how can we be constantly vigilant?  The answer is to ensure that we actively place our time, money, energy and attention into desiring, worshipping and serving the Lord.  Loving Him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength is the only protection (Mark 12:30; Luke 4:8).  

It is never too late to reject idols, repent and start again with the Lord.  It is our responsibility.  We cannot blame anybody (especially God) for not taking the idols away, because this corrupt world will always be full of them.  Nor can we blame other people for luring us into idol worship.  It is our responsibility to keep ourselves from idols, but a responsibility which we cannot fulfil unless we earnestly desire the Lord's help, having received His love.  We cannot resist idolatry in our own strength, but in presenting our weakness to our strong God, we can keep idols away from our focus on the Lord.  Flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14).  We will only work with Him when we worship Him, and only Him.