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 - 21 May 2015

Believing And Forsaking

What gives you the ongoing stamina in this Christian race? Everyone wants to feel useful, be recognised and thrive in the world. When Christians do not follow the current of the world, we often feel the pressure of being “different”, or unfitting, so much so that it brews doubt in us about the practicality and worthiness of this Christian race we’re running in. Paradoxically, the world often seems so beautiful, believable and enjoyable before God destroys it. But through the stories between Abraham and Lot, God has a message for His people - don’t be afraid to jeopardize your worldly joy when you choose to set apart for God, because when you hold onto the promise of God by faith alone, your God who chose and gave you the promise will also sanctify and glorify you. We often find ourselves a partial Lot who lives by sight, but desiring to be Abraham who lives by faith. This is because we do not believe that God’s promise is more real and more beautiful than what we’re holding on, or our conditions just inhibit us to believe that God will truly make us the heir of the world, just as He told Abraham. Abraham wanted a son, but God gave him The Son. When he parted ways with Lot who was then the only hope he had, God revealed to him and strengthened him with His promise again when he had no hope in his earthly conditions, God was all he had. When we are encouraged by God’s promise alone, the faith we have will also lead us to infinite possibilities of God’s work in our life. Let’s receive a covenanted reason and direction in this Christian race today, God delights in us witnessing the trueness of His promise 🙂 — “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:24

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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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