By Louis DiModica
When thinking about the Ten Commandments, most people focus on the “easy” ones—do not steal, do not murder, do not commit adultery (Exod. 20:13-15). But what about the first one? “You shall have no other gods before me,” commanded God, first and foremost (Exod. 20:3). In stating it first, God imparts particular significance to it. And if it’s important to God, it should be important to you and me. So, we need to ask the question: how do I put God first in my life? The answer lies in recognition of our created nature. Through acknowledgement of our creaturehood, we show our dependence on God and obey the First Commandment.
German reformer Martin Luther wrote that “God cannot be worshiped [placed first in your life] unless you ascribe to him the glory of truthfulness and all goodness which is due him” (The Freedom of a Christian, 62). Trusting God is essential to worshiping Him and placing Him first. When we rely on anything else—money, fame, relationships, or otherwise—, we place that thing before God. Even trusting in self causes us to place God second. But the First Commandment makes it clear: God desires to be first in every aspect of our lives.
By trusting God, we show our dependence on Him. When you hop on an airplane, you trust the pilot to get you safely to your destination. You depend on the pilot’s skill and ability. In the same way, sheep trust their shepherd, depending on him for their safety. Our God is the Good Shepherd (John 10:11)! We are commanded to acknowledge our dependence on Him alone for every need, just as the birds of the air and the grass of the field (Matt. 6:25-34). Through dependence, we trust God, and ensure that we place no other god before Him.
In the same way, we obey the First Commandment by recognizing our created nature. We are creatures, created by an almighty God to trust and depend on Him. Rudolph Otto, a 20th century German theologian, called this recognition “creature-feeling… the emotion of a creature, abased and overwhelmed by its own nothingness in contrast to that which is supreme above all creatures” (The Idea of the Holy, 10). Otto’s definition serves as a clear diagnosis to the Christian who thoughtfully considers our situation. We are temporal. God is eternal (Isa. 40:28). We are foolish idiots. God is the fountain of wisdom (Jam. 1:5). We are deceptive, cruel, corrupted, and broken by sin. God is truthful, good, and perfectly righteous (Zech. 8:8). Everywhere we fall short, God’s strength completes us (2 Cor. 12:9). When we recognize our own insufficiency—and His perfection—we depend on our Creator and trust Him alone: we acknowledge our creaturehood.
In this way, the First Commandment commands us to creaturehood. Only by trust in and dependence on our Creator do we ensure that we place no other gods before Him. Yet as Christians, through creaturehood we encounter a joy that goes beyond mere obedience of the First Commandment. When we acknowledge our dependence on our Creator and place our trust in Him, we are justified before Him. “For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (Rom. 3:28). And we are encouraged that “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36). Trust and dependence are all that is required for us to be saved and receive eternal life. When we acknowledge our creaturehood, we not only obey the First Commandment. We receive justification and salvation by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
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