Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Exodus 20:1-3.

“Then God spoke all these words, saying,

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

“You shall have no other gods before Me.”  Exodus 20:1-3.

——————-  

We tend to rush to focus on the first commandment without first meditating on God’s statement of introduction to His Ten Commandments:  “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.”

In other words, if the LORD God was “only” the Almighty Sovereign LORD God, we should fear Him and have no other gods before Him and obey all of His commandments.  But, the LORD God first reminds us of His position as Heavenly Father to us.  He has brought us out of the house of slavery to sin and Satan and has brought us into a land of such abundant goodness.

Thus, we have an additional good reason to worship and obey Him. “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.” Romans 6:22.   

We may also rush to the next commandments without meditating on what this first commandment means.  “You shall have no other gods before Me.”  Both the Heidelberg Catechism and Westminster Larger Confession can help.  I will start with a copy and paste of only from the Heidelberg Catechism followed by a cite to the specific place in the Westminster Larger Confession followed by a direct link to it.

Q. 94.  What doth God enjoin in the first commandment?

A.  That I, as sincerely as I desire the salvation of my own soul, avoid and flee from all idolatry, sorcery, soothsaying, superstition, invocation of saints, or any other creatures;  and learn rightly to know the only true God; trust in Him alone, with humility and patience submit to Him;  expect all good things from Him only;  love, fear, and glorify Him with my whole heart;  so that I renounce and forsake all creatures, rather than commit even the least thing contrary to His will.

Q. 95.  What is idolatry?

A.  Idolatry is, instead of, or besides that one true God who has manifested Himself in His Word, to contrive or have any other object in which men place their trust.  Heidelberg Catechism.

Here is the cite and link to what Westminster Confession states about the first commandment:  Questions and Answers 104-106 –  https://www.apuritansmind.com/westminster-standards/larger-catechism/

“One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “What commandment is the foremost of all?”  Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘HEAR, O ISRAEL!  THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD;  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’  The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.”  Mark 12:28-31.