This evening, I took a few minutes from television to discuss the First Commandment of The Ten Commandments. The First commandment is taken from Exodus 20:3, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Exactly what does that mean? Let’s first discuss the duties required of the first commandment. According to The Westminster Larger Catechism, “The duties required in the first commandment are, the knowing and acknowledging of God to be the only true God, and our God; and to worship and glorify Him accordingly, by thinking, meditating, remembering, highly esteeming, honoring, adoring, choosing, loving, desiring, fearing of Him; believing Him; trusting, hoping, delighting, rejoicing in Him; being zealous for Him; calling upon Him; giving all praise and thanks, and yielding all obedience and submission to Him with the whole man; being careful in all things to please Him, and sorrowful when in anything He is offended; and walking humbly with Him.”
What are the sins which are forbidden in the first commandment? According to The Westminster Larger Catechism, “The sins forbidden in the first commandment are atheism, in denying, or not having a God; idolatry, in having or worshipping more gods than one, or any with, or instead of the true God; the not having and avouching Him for God, and our God; the omission or neglect of anything due to Him, required in this commandment; ignorance, forgetfulness, misapprehensions, false opinions, unworthy or wicked thoughts of Him; bold and curious searching into His secrets; all profaneness, hatred of God; self-love, self-seeking, and all other inordinate and immoderate setting of our mind, will, or affections upon other things, and taking them off from Him in whole or in part; vain credulity, unbelief, heresy, misbelief, distrust, despair, incorrigibleness, and insensibleness under judgements; hardness of heart; pride; presumption; carnal security; tempting God; using unlawful means, and trusting in lawful means; carnal delights and joys; corrupt, blind, and indiscreet zeal; lukewarmness, and deadness in the things of God; praying, or giving any religious worship, to saints, angels, or any other creatures; all compacts and consulting with the devil, and hearkening to His suggestions; making men the lords of our faith and conscience; slighting and despising God and His commands; resisting and grieving of His Spirit, discontent and impatience at His dispensations, charging Him foolishly for the evils He inflicts on us; and ascribing the praise of any good we either are, have, or can do, to fortune, idols, ourselves, or any other creature.”
Wow! All of that from one verse! I know that I personally have broken this commandment and I am quite sure you have as well. I did not break it intentionally. For instance, placing anything ahead of God can be considered an idol. Examples are spending too much time on the internet, too much time on Facebook, iPhone, exercise, sports, Super Bowl, work, or anything that takes your mind away from God, etc. There is forgiveness through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is through Christ that we have forgiveness from the old law. Reading through The Westminster Larger Catechism can help a person understand much better what these verses mean, especially when dealing with the law of the Ten Commandments. There is forgiveness for our sinful nature and that is only found through Jesus, God’s one and only Son. If you don’t know Him, won’t you consider asking Jesus into your heart today?
If you have already given your life to Christ, but do not have a committed relationship with Him, I would strongly suggest that you spend time in God’s Word, reading Scripture, which I believe to be the inspired Word of God. Reading the Bible and praying is the key to a “real relationship” with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. As you place God in His rightful place, then you will experience His blessings in ways that you never have experienced them before. It is my prayer that you will come to know the risen Savior more intimately and that your life will be filled with fruit of the Spirit.
References:
Quotes taken from The Westminster Larger Catechism included in The Reformed Study Bible, R.C. Sproul, General Editor, Reformation Press, 2015, Page 2459.
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