The First Commandment: “You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me”

30 Jan The First Commandment: “You Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me”

Posted at 15:03h in English Service by

Pastor Vincent - 26 March 2015

Let God Be True, And Every Man A Liar

All English Service

We may have heard the gospel often enough. Sometimes, listening to the gospel gives us some practical contradiction as we detect what we feel, think and do right now may not be in agreement with what God says of us. Sometimes, when we are being driven by our emotions, make decisions according to our own desires, pride and gains, we unconsciously defend ourselves by justifying for them without even verifying them through the truth of God. But in the midst of justifying for our disbelief and unfaithfulness, God's faithfulness remains unchanged. Paul said - Let God be true and every human being a liar - including your emotions, your thoughts, the things that draw much of your attention. Nothing in this world, seen and unseen, is more real than God Himself. And this has to be the starting point of faith, ie acknowledging the unchanging God and thus yield to Him first. This is like putting God's will and truth on the other side of the weighing scale, and let it be accentuated in all aspects of our lives more than our own emotions, will and thoughts. Next, knowing the disparity between what we feel and what God says of us, God asks us to test the trueness of His word, so that we will come to know Him better, and see how He's still leading us in His covenant today. As we seek reconciliation with God through what the truth says, our thoughts, emotions and living will be directed to the truth. As we submit to His will, God will prove Himself to be true. Through the message today, may it expose the hidden dilemmas we have been sweeping under the carpet. God says, "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6 NIV)" . Indeed, God wants us to know Him, follow Him and be convinced by the truthfulness of God in everyday of our lives so that we can enjoy the happiness this precious reality brings us!

Related Topics: Regeneration & Sanctification | More Messages from Pastor Vincent

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<Ex 20> 1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

 

 

2 questions:

(1) What does this commandment teach me about God?

(2) What does this commandment teach me about our Christian response and duty?

 

“First” commandment: Most important >>> Foundation to other commands

 

First commandment: The object of our faith; are we worshipping the right God?

 

“What does the Lord require in the first commandment?”

  • HEIDELBERG CATECHISM: “What does the Lord require in the first commandment?” [Q&A 94]
    • That I, not wanting to endanger my own salvation, avoid and shun all idolatry, sorcery, superstitious rites, and prayer to saints or to other creatures. That I rightly know the only true God, trust Him alone, and look to God for every good thing humbly and patiently, and love, fear, and honor God with all my heart. In short, that I give up anything rather than go against God’s will in any way.
  • Challenges faced today in obeying this first commandment: Pluralism, relativism and liberalism
  • “No other gods before me” may sound like God just wants to be the Number 1 God among many other ‘gods’, but no!
  • “Before me”: Besides me, to my face, in my presence

 

Idolatry is a BIG problem for mankind

  • Idolatry is the Number 1 enemy of our relationship with God
  • It’s so hard for the human heart to stay single-hearted
  • HEIDELBERG CATECHISM: “What is idolatry?” [Q&A 95]
    • Idolatry is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed Himself in the Word.
  • 2 tests:
    • (1) What do you love most?
    • (2) What do you trust most? 

 

Exclusive devotion

  • “Forsaking all others”
  • Similar to exclusive relationship in marriage
  • Problem: We may not reject God altogether, but we also want other ‘gods’
  • God is a jealous God <Ex 20:5>
  • We are called to worship God with our everything <cf. Lk 10:27>
  • Though salvation is God’s free gift, following Jesus will cost us everything <cf. <Lk 14:25-33; Mt 16:24-26>

 

 Reflection

  1. Share about your struggles with idolatry. What are your idols? How can you set them in their right places (e.g. let money really be a ‘tool’ instead of ‘master’), and not let them usurp God’s place in your heart? How can you test whether you have succeeded in so doing?
  2. How have the pluralism, relativism and liberalism of our times challenged your obedience to the First Commandment? How can you restore the exclusive and singlehearted devotion to God? Are you willing to exclusively worship God even if it costs you everything?
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Preacher Hui Jun
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Huijun serves as Secretary of The Blessed RUN Ministries. She is also the Preacher at The Life Church and Missions (Singapore). She graduated from Singapore Bible College and currently lives in Singapore with her husband, Chengji.

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