Choosing to NOT Make Myself Into a God

Regardless of the secularism that is woven into our present-day culture, we are a generation of worshipers. We tend to revere whatever makes us feel good. And that can cover a broad spectrum of deities. Whether they be the gods of food, money, or sexual expression, there are a host of individuals and groups who bow and obey whatever these icons dictate. This present-day pantheon, however, is not limited to the traditional fleshly indulgences. Many worship at the altar of education, family loyalty, political power, scientism, and nationalism to name a few more.

You may ask, what is my definition of a god? All that I have mentioned above are a part of living in this world. And that is exactly the problem. We have taken pieces of what are meant to serve humanity here on earth and made them into things to which we sacrifice and give ourselves in ways never meant to be. The way I see it, that which I primarily look to for guidance, meaning, comfort, and provision quickly turns into that which I worship. Afterall, what is worship if it is not the act of giving myself to something I believe will provide purpose and utility for my existence?

Foundational of All

The very first of the 10 Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). There is a reason it is first. It is primary. All other commandments and expectations of humans according to the three largest monotheistic religions (Christianity, Judaism, and Islam) depend on this understanding. We must choose to resist the temptation of setting up other deities to direct and shape our lives. Because it is the first on the list, it seems that it may be the easiest or most common to break. We need this constant reminder that we must worship nothing else.

We would do well to spend a good amount of time meditating on what this means. NO OTHER GODS! It’s not really saying that no other gods exist. It seems to be indicating that there are many possibilities for gods in our lives and we have to learn to turn away from them and choose to worship the One who is truly and rightfully our God and Maker.

I could go down a list and give you my opinion about the many ways we turn various things, feelings, and ideas into objects of worship. But instead, I’m going to focus on one: the god of self.

You and I Are Not Him

Over the years, I have heard it said, “There is one God, and you are not Him.” It has mostly struck me as humorous, but not so much anymore. The implications need to be understood. From what I see, this is the primary form of idolatry today:

I am the final word on what is true (I create and describe reality for myself).

I am the final word on what is right (I determine my own standard of righteous behavior).

I am the final word on what is evil (I pass judgment on what I reckon to be the sin and heinous acts of others).

And most importantly,

I am the final word on what is good (I determine the way things ought to be).

Our culture has set things up so that how I feel is the determination for what is. Submitting any of the above “final words” to be determined by anything (or anyone) outside myself is now considered the basis of breaking the most important modern commandment: “You shall have no other God before yourself.”

So, what does it look like to obey the first of the 10 Commandments?

It’s foundational and probably the most difficult to walk out in every area of life. I see it as similar to what Jesus affirmed as the Greatest Commandment: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 ESV, as well as Mark 12:30 and Luke 10:27). Loving God will always mean putting Him and what He wants first, ABOVE ALL ELSE. And when we begin to truly love God, obedience to the other commandments tends to flow much more smoothly as a part of us. When I am revering God and what He has revealed, all feelings, preferences, cultural thinking, political ideas, and judgments within me must also bow before Him. I go to Him first as my reference point for everything because He is God and I am not.

Changing the Way I Think

As a follower of Jesus, if I don’t internalize and make the first of the 10 Big Ones a part of me, anything else I do “for Him” is empty. If I keep myself at the center, calling all the shots, I make a mockery of myself as a Jesus follower. I am instead turning everything around and expecting Jesus to follow me so that He can affirm and bring into being all that I want and feel. Ultimately I then end up creating another god who I am serving. And that god is me.

The only proper response is to change the way I think (also called repentance). Worshiping my own opinions and feelings is a sin (maybe the biggest of all). It is one from which many other sins and forms of lostness sprout and grow. And it is possible and very likely that those other besetting sinful habits that I struggle to control are being nourished through my breaking of the first commandment. Hmm.

This first commandment and all the ones following are a foundational guide to how we were designed to thrive in this world. You will do well to meditate on it deeply: “You shall have no other gods before me.” As right as it may feel for some at the moment, setting ourselves up as gods is unnatural and ultimately leads to brokenness and death on multiple levels.

It’s time to make the One True God your only God.

Response:

• What comes to mind when I hear the word “idolatry?” How might I be guilty of holding onto idols in my life?
• Where might I be worshiping things other than God but not calling or seeing it as idolatry?
• In what areas of my life am I most likely to set myself up as the “final word” on what is true, right, fulfilling, and good?
• How might I be thinking and behaving as if I am my own god?
• Jesus, how can I better love the Lord my God with ALL my heart, soul, mind, and strength?

(Edited and reposted from June 5, 2023 “Choosing to Have No Other Gods”)