LICC – Word for the Week – A fresh look at the 10 commandments
“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 20:2”
The commandments must come very high in the world’s list of all-time most influential writings, but many of us, even those who are Christians, would have difficulty listing them off the top of our head. Today, however, according to a recent NOP survey (The Times, September 3rd 2004), 10% of young people have never heard of them and nearly half of those between the age of 15 and 24 could not name a single one. For many others, they lurk in the memory but sadly often only as evidence that Christianity is a judgemental, legalistic faith.
Sometimes we miss crucial points in well-worn passages and a closer look can give us fresh and life-changing insights. I learnt the commandments at school, and in the Anglican church I attend they are written up in centuries old lettering on the wall. But in both cases they begin, ‘You shall have no other gods before me’. But now reading them again, I see that they begin with redemption. God who demands holiness does so because he is the deliverer and rescuer, the mighty worker of miracles. The life of holiness and obedience is our commitment of gratitude to our redeemer and saviour. These are not the rules that have to be kept in order to earn salvation; they are kept as the loving response of the already saved.
So the Lord says to Israel and to us ‘you shall have no other gods before me’. The ‘you’ is singular. There is no one, not one single individual in the rescued covenant community, who is to have any other allegiance ever. It is about the exclusive nature of our practical relationship with God. Nor is there any way this command is compatible with pluralism of any kind. The God of Israel who reveals himself on Mount Sinai, will later reveal himself in Jesus Christ, ‘who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation’. (Col. 1:15) There is no other god anywhere.Margaret Killingray
Sometimes we miss crucial points in well-worn passages and a closer look can give us fresh and life-changing insights. I learnt the commandments at school, and in the Anglican church I attend they are written up in centuries old lettering on the wall. But in both cases they begin, ‘You shall have no other gods before me’. But now reading them again, I see that they begin with redemption. God who demands holiness does so because he is the deliverer and rescuer, the mighty worker of miracles. The life of holiness and obedience is our commitment of gratitude to our redeemer and saviour. These are not the rules that have to be kept in order to earn salvation; they are kept as the loving response of the already saved.
So the Lord says to Israel and to us ‘you shall have no other gods before me’. The ‘you’ is singular. There is no one, not one single individual in the rescued covenant community, who is to have any other allegiance ever. It is about the exclusive nature of our practical relationship with God. Nor is there any way this command is compatible with pluralism of any kind. The God of Israel who reveals himself on Mount Sinai, will later reveal himself in Jesus Christ, ‘who is the image of the invisible God, the first born of all creation’. (Col. 1:15) There is no other god anywhere.Margaret Killingray
you shall have no other gods before me rules kept as a loving response to
our Redeemer and Saviour
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