Great Commandment, First

Idolatry is probably the sin that the Bible most often warns us against. We worship the source of our values and standards, whether the true God or a counterfeit.

Idolatry is the most frequently committed sin, seen in five commandments. God challenges us to either defend our body of beliefs or drop them in favor of His.

Idolatry constitutes the fountainhead from which all other sins flow, all of which amplify obsessive self-centeredness and self-indulgence.

The problem with the Pharisees is that they never grasped the simplicity of the law, much less the spirit of it, but dissected it to be thought righteous.

Bill Onisick suggests that if we inculcate the mission statement found in Deuteronomy 6:1-5 (known as the Shema), we will have a high certainty of life and a huge chance at success. If we get this one thing right (loving God with all our heart, soul, and m. . .

He who loves God must love his brother, including every fellow human being. Our closeness with God transcends the other human relationships.

Clyde Finklea, focusing on the concept of living a life that pleases God, as was exemplified by Enoch in Genesis 5:21, identifies seven qualities that enable us to live a life that pleases God. These seven qualities include 1.) faith and belief, 2.) righte. . .

The Pharisees were in the office or seat of Moses. Jesus taught His followers to follow their words (pertaining to the Law of God), but not their personal examples.

'Enoch walked with God,' but what does this mean? To walk with God requires these five attributes that we all need to strengthen in ourselves.

God has invited us into a love relationship—one in which He has already shown Himself to be absolutely faithful. If we truly love Him, severing our affections with this world, we will meet the demands of becoming holy. God's Holy Spirit enables us to. . .

John Ritenbaugh stresses that God esteems certain spiritual qualities above other spiritual qualities. To elevate a minor regulation above a major regulation is to spiritually lose ones sense of proportion. The attribute of love (I Corinthians 13:13) super. . .

John Ritenbaugh reiterates that Deuteronomy (the Old Covenant in its fullest form) constitutes instruction for the Israel of God, serving as a compass and guide, preparing God's people to enter the Promised Land. None of Deuteronomy is done away. The singu. . .

The meal offering represents the intense self-sacrifice required in service to man. Our service to man must be done for God's sake rather than man's appreciation.

Clyde Finklea, referring to a book by billionaire J. Paul Getty, How To Be Rich, which discusses being a rich person (that is, living as one) rather than becoming a rich person, asks the question, "How can God's People Be Christian?" Christ, at L. . .

An idol is anything in our lives that occupies the space which should be occupied by God alone, anything having a controlling force in our lives.

The meal offering represents the fulfillment of the second great commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Here is how to understand this offering.

Our intimate fellowship should not be with the world, but be concentrated upon God and those who have made the Covenant, loving them as we would ourselves.

The peace (or thank) offering was the most commonly given in ancient Israel. It pictures God, the priest, and the offerer in satisfying fellowship.

We are called to take on the very nature of God, to put on the love of God. Surprisingly, We can rekindle our first love by ardently keeping God's Commandments.