The Ten Commandments, Part 1
“And God spoke all these words: ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’” (Exodus 20:1-3 NIV) Some may say, “That one’s easy to follow…I worship no other god.” However, when we love something more than God, it becomes another god that is before the one true God. Sometimes we focus more on events or on our family than on God, and that is breaking the first of the Ten Commandments.
And before you say, “I was never a slave in Egypt” I must say that, while we may not have been slaves in Egypt, we were slaves to sin. God did, indeed, free us from the slavery of sin by the hefty price of His own Son’s blood. We owe Him a debt that cannot be repaid and so how could we have anything or anyone above the God who brings forth freedom from slavery in Salvation?
Let’s further define what another god may be. It could be a football game if you care more about the score of the game than about your wife who needs you or the dusty Bible on your counter. Perhaps a god could be the cleanliness of your home. Do you care more about what touches the floor than who touches the floor? Do you remember Matthew 25:40? What about talking on the phone to all your friends? Did you call God today? What about money? Does not a single flower from the kingdom of heaven contain more beauty than you could ever buy? How about sex or lust? Do you desire God’s will? Do you go wherever the action is or do you follow the Guide? Do you have other gods before Him?
I’m going to assume that you are like everyone and do have some problems in this area. How, then, do you get out of them? Do you ever feel like you just can’t stop sinning and there is no need to try? This is a trap! Do not think like this. Realize that through constant repentance and calling on the Spirit to guide you, there will be victory. Though you may desire something again…it will be further down the line and you’ll have a victory or a quicker recovery. Resist Satan and he will flee. What is the best way to resist Satan? Just run to God’s outstretched arms. His Word.
Yehoshuah (Jesus) was asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36) He answered, “…‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40) The first commandment tells us the very first thing we must do to honor and respect God. Keep Him first!
The first sin…ever, was Satan trying to place himself higher than God. The first sin ever threw, not only Satan out of the kingdom of heaven, but it also took one third of heavens angels with him. This, the first commandment, is so very important to follow that we could drag others to hell by not following it…just like Satan did. This is of major importance! Please pray as David did in Psalms 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” (James 2:10-11) And with that verse we begin our journey into the Law, the Ten Commandments, which are not burdensome, but rather a wonderful blessing from our Creator who loves us.