Catechism Question 56
What is the first commandment, and what does it teach us?
The first commandment is “You shall have no other gods.” It teaches us that we must worship and serve God, and that we must not worship or serve any other gods.
Focus and Purpose of this Question
This question focuses on the first commandment. It also sets the pattern we will follow for each of the commandments. For each commandment, we will not only ask that the command be stated but also ask what this means. Each command has a specific thing that is forbidden or commanded. However, the opposite of what is forbidden or commanded is also implied in the command. So, in the case of the first command, the actual command is forbidding the worship of other gods. However, when Moses reiterates this command in Deuteronomy 6:13-14, which is quoted by Jesus in the temptation story in Matthew 4:10, the command is now expanded to indicate that (1) we are to positively fear and worship God and (2) we are forbidden from worshipping anyone or anything other than the One True God. So the first commandment teaches not only what is explicitly forbidden (worshipping other gods), but also the opposite of this which is implied (you must worship the One True God).
This same pattern is seen in many of the Scriptures we list below. For example, in Paul’s critique on humanity in Romans 1:21-23, he notes that we are guilty of both not worshipping the One True God, and also of then making other gods to worship. This shows that Jesus, the apostles, and the other writers of Scripture understood that the first command not only forbade worshipping other gods but that it also positively commanded the worship of God. We will also see this pattern repeated for each of the commands.
Thus, the first command really deals with the only proper object of worship – Yahweh, the One True God. We must worship Him, and we must worship only Him.
Additional Questions:
What is the first commandment? What does it teach us?
What is the first commandment? What does it forbid us from doing? What does it teach us to do?
Scripture References:
Exodus 20:3
You shall have no other gods before me.
Deuteronomy 5:7
You shall have no other gods before me.
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”
Deuteronomy 6:13–14
Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. 14 Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you.
Joshua 24:14
Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.
Psalms 14:1–3
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Romans 1:21–23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
2 Kings 17:34–37
To this day they persist in their former practices. They neither worship the Lord nor adhere to the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands that the Lord gave the descendants of Jacob, whom he named Israel. 35 When the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites, he commanded them: “Do not worship any other gods or bow down to them, serve them or sacrifice to them. 36 But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To him you shall bow down and to him offer sacrifices. 37 You must always be careful to keep the decrees and ordinances, the laws and commands he wrote for you. Do not worship other gods.
Colossians 3:5
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
Ephesians 5:5
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person — such a man is an idolater — has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
Questions for Further Discussion:
What does the first commandment teach us? What does it actually forbid? What are we told in the rest of Scripture that it implies we must do?
If we simply do not worship other gods, have we really kept the first commandment? What about an atheist who denies any god exists – even Yahweh. When this atheist does not worship Yahweh, is he violating the first commandment?
Why is it important to understand that each of the Ten Commandments not only is teaching what is explicitly commanded or forbidden, but also its opposite duty is being implied?
Are other gods only deities, or can we turn almost anything into a god that we worship and serve? Does the Bible ever refer to other things as gods or idols, even if they are not literally gods or idols?
Additional Information:
This question is based on questions 94 and 95 of the Heidelberg Catechism, questions 45-48 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, and question 9 of the New City Catechism. Any resources you find on the Heidelberg, Westminster Shorter, or New City Catechisms will have a good discussion on this question.
For additional information, see the teachings “Idolatry in the iWorld” (September 16, 2013), “The Lord and the gods of This World” (November 8, 2009), and “Thyatira – The ‘Tolerant’ Church” (March 19, 2017).
Suggested Worship Song:
Give Us Clean Hands (By Charlie Hall)
We bow our hearts, we bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols
So give us clean hands and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh give us clean hands and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh God let this be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
We bow our hearts, we bend our knees
Oh Spirit come make us humble
We turn our eyes from evil things
Oh Lord we cast down our idols
So give us clean hands and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Give us clean hands, oh God and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God of Jacob
(Give us clean hands)
So give us clean hands and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Give us clean hands, oh God and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God of Jacob
Oh God of Jacob
Give us clean hands and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Give us clean hands, oh God and give us pure hearts
Let us not lift our souls to another
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God let us be a generation that seeks
Who seeks Your face, oh God of Jacob
Oh God of Jacob