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 - 17 October 2013

Beware Of The Influence Of Sin

Man often understand sin loosely. To many, sin is committing adultery, telling lies, taking drugs, murdering and more.. But sin is more than just the action of committing the wrong doings, it is the spiritual problem inside man that slowly creeps into us, without us knowing, that drives us away from the truth of God. It takes away our wanting to approach God fearlessly and stripping away our desire to come to Him. Sin is Satan's strongest weapon against evangelism. Because the moment you separate from the love of God, you lose the conviction in testifying for God. As a result, the world attracts you for it fulfills the desires inside you; the word gives you pressure and make you feel accused, for you know the truth but you cannot do it. Slowly, we are captured by fear than love. One day, we even lose the ability to love self and others. In fact, the most frightening thing in this world is not sinning but the unconsciousness of sins. It is through regeneration in Christ (born again) that one comes to realize the depth of our sins and the immense power of the finished work on the cross. If you want to overcome sin, you have to become a new person, born again in Christ. With a new life, there will be birth of new desire - and that is to seek God always and pursue Holy Living. Come to Lord and tell Him about your sins. Taste the sweetness of repentance today and leave Satan with no room in your heart to accuse you and toy your emotions. For Satan drives you away from God using the sins, God is still loving you and waiting for you to return, just like the prodigal son. Those forgiven much, love much. A person who has tasted the immense depth of God's love will hate sins and yearn to be in sync with God and testify for Him.

Related Topics: Sin & Temptations | 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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