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

Preacher Huijun - 5 November 2015

Anxiety-Free In Christ

All English Service

Anxiety is one major state that distract saints from following God. Do you worry easily? We cannot worry and seek God soberly at the same time. When we worry, not only the devil is attacking us like a roaring lion in an attempt to destroy our trust in God, our overpowering desires also prevent us from trusting God that He loves us supremely and knows what we need best. Unconsciously, our body, mind and spirit enter into a "labouring on our own" state. Jesus said, "do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own". We often hear people say "Do not worry, be happy". What then is the surety we can rest on for not being worrisome; and what is the assurance that we can be happy? When Jesus gives us the word "Do not worry about tomorrow", He means to tell us that the Father God loves you so profoundly deep that He is willing to give up His one and only Son to die for our sins, so that we can be clothed in His righteousness, as long as we believe in Him. The Father our God who clothes even the flowers and grass of the field, how much more will he clothe you today, who are being called and justified by Him? That is the surety we can rest on today for not being worrisome - He cares for you, more profoundly and more unimaginably and so goodly than we think. How then can we be sure that we can be happy? We can be happy today as long as we know what is God's will for us today - "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness (not your focus and your goodness that you fight on your own)" and be faithful today in the roles, time, tasks which God has entrusted to you, today. We can plan for tomorrow, but we plan knowing God is with us tomorrow, and He's the one who is responsible of the outcomes come what may.

Related Topics: Healing, Personal Issues, Regeneration & Sanctification | More Messages from Preacher Huijun

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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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