Even though Biblical illiteracy is at an all-time high, most people still have some idea of what the Ten Commandments are. While they may not be able to list more than a few, they are at least aware that God gave these laws for human behavior to Moses who faithfully recorded them for us.
Our modern tendency is to highlight the last six commands that deal with our relationships with other people. We are all aware of the damage inflicted by murder, adultery, false witnessing, covetousness, theft, and parental dishonor. Sadly, even these are being increasingly neglected with mounting consequences.
The truth, however, is that our ability to keep the last six commands depends entirely on our efforts with the first four which involve our relationship with God. Until we give Him His rightful place we’ll never be able to treat other people as we should.
In fact, the first command sets the stage for all the others but rarely gets much attention. Having no other gods seems straightforward enough and since we’re not surrounded with many idols, we assume we are safe with this one.
The crux of this command, however, lies in the definition of a god. A god is not only that which we worship, but that which we look to believing it will meet all our needs, solve our greatest problems, and bring us maximum happiness. Such a definition seriously reframes our thinking and implicates all of us in a variety of ways.
Anything we want more of believing it will make us happy is either already a god to us or is in danger of becoming one very soon. At one time or another, all of us have looked to money, fame, success, health, sex, leisure, family, or material possessions to “satisfy” or complete us. All of these promise happiness and offer to meet our deepest needs.
Sadly, we’ve all also been disappointed by these realizing too late their inability to deliver as expected. And yet, we continue to return to their altars believing larger quantities will do it. We may not pray to them, but deep down they have replaced the Being who alone can grant us peace, contentment, provision, and joy.
In Greek mythology, Zeus became a white bull to deceive and then seduce Europa illustrating our tendency to fall for deceptive gods. Even Wall Street’s bull misleads many with the lie that wealth ensures happiness and security.
Some wise souls have perceived the lying spirit found in these false gods either by insight or experience. Unfortunately, they have gone to the opposite extreme believing that swearing these off is the path to greatest blessing. Even this is an idol taking the place of God. There’s nothing wrong with any of the items above as long as we enjoy them under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The God who made us knows how we function, not just physically, but spiritually, emotionally, socially, relationally, and in every way. He wants us to experience completion, joy, and happiness and He knows these are only found in Him. The presence or absence of these other imposters is largely irrelevant. Therefore, He decreed the first commandment first. As we obey that one, God then empowers us to keep the other nine.
Ultimately God knew that we are inherently unable to perfectly obey any of His commands and so made a way for us to keep them all. By sending His Son, He offers forgiveness for all our failures in keeping His laws and brings us into a right relationship with Himself as Lord above all. It is through Jesus that we keep God in His rightful place and His Holy Spirit then empowers us to obey Him.
Let us each inspect our own lives for false gods that deceive us into pursuing them instead of Him, and that lead us down paths of frustration and destruction. Let’s keep God above all.
Blessings, George