The Number One Rule

“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.”  Exodus 20:3

Everything in scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments, is based on the very first commandment referenced above.  To place anyone or anything ahead of God, the Creator and Sustainer of life, is to violate the first commandment.  To reject Jesus Christ, God’s Son and the Savior of mankind, is to also violate the first commandment because to do so is an act of placing oneself before God, the sovereign and righteous LORD of the whole earth.  To reject Christ is to say that one doesn’t need God nor His salvation, instead claiming that he or she can live apart from Christ and still be acceptable to God on one’s own terms, placing oneself as equal to or above God, in effect, becoming a god of one’s own making, a rival to Almighty God.  Adam and Eve found out the hard way that God will have no equal.

Why do some folks say that they believe in God, and they even claim to pray to Him, but they reject His Son, Jesus Christ?  How do they justify the relationship that they claim to have with God, but exclude His Son?  Jesus made it clear in John 10:30 when He said, “I and My Father are One.”  God can’t be separated from His Son.  No one can have one without the other.  Jesus told His disciple, Philip “he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9).  Folks can carry on a conversation in a diverse group about God, but when someone brings up the name of Jesus, some people become uncomfortable.  Why is that?  Scripture tells us that there is power in the name of Jesus (Matthew 28:18), and I think folks who don’t know Him in a personal relationship do not like to feel that convicting spirit.

Jesus said that the only way to God the Father was through Him (John 14:6).  He called Himself the Door to the Father (John 10:9).  Trying to please the Father and be accepted by Him any other way will not work.  We come to the Father by faith in His Son and in His sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sin which separates us from the LORD.  We are saved by grace through faith and not works of any kind (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Some folks have trouble believing this simple, but profound fact.  I find it completely logical:  God made man.  Man rebelled against God and sinned breaking the relationship between the two.  God made the way to be reconciled back to Him again and offered His plan of salvation and forgiveness freely to all people.  Suppose you and a friend had a real falling out, a serious break in your relationship.  Let’s say it was the friend who instigated the argument.  If the friend comes to you and sincerely repents, you have a choice to forgive him/her and restore the relationship, or you might be so deeply hurt that you can’t bring yourself to forgive him/her.  It would be in your best interest to forgive, but it’s your choice.  God, on the other hand, has made a promise to forgive anyone who sincerely repents and places faith in Christ.  He doesn’t hold back forgiveness because He has been hurt by our sin, and our sin does hurt Him.

Why do folks find it so hard to accept the gospel especially considering that life in Christ is the best life that one can have on earth and in heaven?  Why spend a lifetime fighting against the One who only has our best interest at heart?  Christ never forces anyone to believe in Him, but He always stands ready to forgive and welcome any man, woman, boy or girl who come to Him in repentance and faith.  Some ask why Christians keep harping on Jesus and the gospel.  We do because we actually care about others, their lives, and their eternal destination.  We do what the Lord has asked us to do because we love Him, and we love those whom He loves.  It’s not hard to do if you believe.