This guide is not meant to give an exhaustive review of the question, but rather give pointers from the Bible.  To that end we have inserted a few comments and Bible verses that are relevant to the discussion – this may help get the discussion started. For a more comprehensive study of this topic see the related online resources at the end of this guide.

Introduction

Should you drink beer at the party or stick with soft drinks? Should you look at the test answers on the teacher's desk while she is out of the room if you have the opportunity or focus your attention elsewhere? Should you take, as your own, the Walkman that another student left in the auditorium or should you return it to its owner? Should you have sex with your boyfriend or girlfriend or should you wait until marriage? Should you play basketball for the school team on Friday evening or observe the Sabbath? These are just a few of the challenges a young person may face during his or her teen years. Each situation forces a person to make a choice.

Comment: Ask questions about “situation ethics” compared to the moral standards and absolutes of God's Word.

Is there a right choice? If so, what is the right choice? If there is there is a right choice, why is it the right choice? There are right answers to each of the questions above and the reason that they are the right answers is related to the first commandment. This commandment is found in Exodus 20:3 and reads "You shall have no other gods before me."

In this study, we will seek to better understand the first commandment because it is crucial to our choices and the entire course of our lives.

Who Should Be God?

EXODUS 20:1 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

1. This verse immediately precedes the Ten Commandments.

Describe God.

· Genesis 1:27 – God created man, you and me, in His likeness.
· John 4:24 – We are mortal; however, He is Spirit.
· What other Bible verses describe God's appearance?

What are His attributes?

· Job 9:8-9, Psalms 33:6, Acts 17:24 – God possesses all creative power (Omnificent).
· I Peter 3:22, I Corinthians 15:27, Mark 14:62.  He is Omnipotent.  God possesses all power and authority.
· Psalms 139:7, Isaiah 57:15. He is Omnipresent.  God created time and space and cannot be limited by them.
· Joel 2:13 – God is patient and merciful

Do you think He is qualified to give mankind commands and instructions?

· Daniel 9:14 – God is righteous in His acts
· Malachi 3:16 – God doesn't change
· Titus 1:2 – God cannot lie
· Does one who creates something have the right to decide how it should be used?  What is the root word of the word authority?

Why?

· Matthew 23:37 (also Luke 13:34) – Christ would have gathered His people to protect them if they would have listened.
· Matthew 7:11 – God as a “good parent.”
· Who but the One that created man is more qualified to instruct us, to give us command in showing love for our well being?  God commands show us how to live and what to live for.  His first command shows how to love Him who is our loving Parent.

2. What kind of relationship does He want with you and all people?

· Deuteronomy 10:12-13, 30:6 – God wants us to love and obey Him with our whole being.
· 2 Corinthians 6:18 – He wants us to see Him as our Father.
· How do loving parents emulate what God does for us?

EXODUS 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me."

3. In this modern age, what gods do people worship?

· Acts 19:27-35 – gods of myth, folklore or other professed deities.
· Gods of accumulating stuff or physical wealth.
· Gods of wrong self-gratifying pleasure. 
· Anything we choose to serve other than our true Creator is not in keeping with His first commandment. 
· What other things do people “worship” in terms of time, money or effort that supersedes putting God first in their lives?

4. How could other gods come before the true God?

· I Samuel 8:7, Matthew 21:42 – worship of other gods in outward rejection of the true God.
· Romans 1:21-22 – They do not glorify God because they do not know Him and professing to be wise, they become fools.

5. How might people profess to worship God and yet have other gods?

· John 4:22 – Some worship what they believe is the true God, but worship in the vanity of their understandings.
· Can people worship God completely if they have an incomplete understanding of Him and His way of life?

6. What would it mean to love the world? Consider I JOHN 2:15-16 and then reply.

· John 4:13-14, Matthew 6:19-21 – to love this temporary world more than the eternal life that God seeks to give us.
· Romans 12:2 – to love the world is to conform to it rather than God's way of life.

7. Why would friends of the world be enemies of God? Read JAMES 4:4.

· Romans 8:1-7 – a mind that rejects God is a mind that sets itself to be mindful of what it chooses.
· What defines a friend?  What defines an enemy?

8. Why can't a man serve two masters? Read MATTHEW 6:24 and comment.

· Deuteronomy 30:15-19 – Differing expectations, standards, etc.
· What examples do you have of being obligated to two contradicting people or situations at the same time – how did that work out?

COMMENT: These last three questions and verses show it is impossible for man to serve both God and other gods. A person caught in this situation will inevitably come to hate one and love the other.

9. Why did God command that man have no other gods before Him?

· Deuteronomy5:8-10 – God is jealous for us to live a righteous life in His love.
· John 10:10 – Only through the worship of God can we have life as God intended for us.
· What other verses show that God wants a relationship with us that we accept – not a relationship forced upon us?

What negative outcomes might there be to not keeping this commandment? Consider Psalm 106:36-39 and Romans 1:20-25.

· If we continue in following unholy practices (becoming defiled), we cut ourselves off from the true source of spiritual life, the only true God.
· We unknowingly reject the sacrifice of Christ and bring upon us a fearful judgment where the gods that are worshipped cannot remove the penalty demanded for our transgressions.
· What verses back up these points, and similar others?

10. An atheist is also confronted with choices. How would he or she determine what is the right or wrong choice?

· Relying on self to govern what is right and wrong – God's commands and instruction are of no value.
· Situation ethics
· Moral relativism
· What other choices?

How could such an individual be certain that he or she made the right choice?

· Waiting for time to pass to judge the value of the choice.
· Waiting to see the fruit of the choice.
· Might not ever know.
· How do you know in your own life?

COMMENT: The atheist would have to rely completely upon himself or herself. The Bible addresses the atheistic point of view which implies a total reliance upon one's self.

Why would it be foolish to live as if there is no God? Psalm 53:1

· Jeremiah 18:11-12 – there is no hope in a life lived apart from God.
· Do you have personal examples of choices gone wrong made without God's input?

Why can't man direct his own steps? Jeremiah 10:23; Jeremiah 17:9

· 1 Samuel 16:7 – man judges by outward appearances, God looks on the heart.
· Luke 18:19 – There is none good, except God.  Though man may strive to do good, he is limited in his ability to discern his own heart and mind. 
· What verses show mankind cannot discern good of himself?
· What verses show God alone directs our steps?

Where do evil ideas and actions come from? Mark 7:21-23

· Matthew 12:34-35 – from our heart (the figurative seat of our thoughts and desires) precede evil ideas.
· Ephesians 2:2 – Satan has great influence in this world, especially in those who have turned from God.
· What other verses show Satan's influence over this present world?

What is the end result of relying upon one's self? Proverbs 14:12

· Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – having to trust in our own strength.
· What other verses verify these points?

Putting First Things First

1. Why do you think God began the Ten Commandments by saying, "You shall have no other God's before me?"

· Focusing first on God (Mark 12:29) gives us the correct source of information to start.
· Can the rest of the Commandments be kept properly without keeping the first Commandment properly?

Could it be a matter of putting first things first?

· Mark 12:32 - We are to love God first and foremost and then our neighbor as ourselves. 

What does it mean to put first things first?

· “First things first” refers to an order of priority.  Place the highest priority on the items that are to be placed first.  Learn to think of God as your highest priority on the “first things” list as first to accomplish in your life.

COMMENT: Consider this: many teens today are extremely busy. They have school, extracurricular activities, teams, clubs, student government, athletics, part-time jobs, plus helping with chores at home. At times, it seems young people can be pulled in every possible direction.

How do you juggle tests in algebra and biology on Tuesday with an away baseball game tonight that will get you home late accompanied by the pressure of finishing up your term paper on Friday? To get everything done on time with the best performance possible, it is important to put first things first. As you prioritize your time, activities, and projects you can get more done and do it well. As you analyze what must be done, you must choose where to begin. God did the same thing as He revealed His most basic instructions for mankind's conduct. He asked, "Where do we begin?" He then instructs us that our top priority is to place God first.

PROVERBS 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

PROVERBS 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

2. Why is "the fear of the Lord" the beginning of knowledge and wisdom?

· We understand, and intimately know God who commands respect.  Following His instruction is the basis of all Godly understanding.
· We accept God as our Creator, the One who knows our thoughts and intent of our heart.
· In respect, we desire instruction and seek a deeper relationship with our Creator.
· What other points of scripture back these thoughts up?

COMMENT: Acknowledging God is wise means that we turn to Him for guidance in the everyday decisions we make at home, in school, and as we have fun with our friends.

3. How would placing God first in our lives, which is the essence of the First Commandment, relate to the other nine commandments?

By placing God, who is love, first in our lives we show Him that He is priority in our lives. With the priority set, we can now go on to a deeper understanding on how that is achieved with the other remaining commandments. 

If we had other gods would we keep the commandments? Why or why not?

All 10 commandments show us how to properly love God and neighbor. Having other gods before the true God shows that we do not understand the true God.  How then can we understand and keep the other commandments?

Summary

1. Does our society believe and teach the importance of the First Commandment?

· No.  Antinomianism (against the law) pervades our modern society.  Many teach God's way of life is valueless in a modern world, or that His law has been done away.
· Psalm 14:1 – too many say there is no God.

2. What are the benefits of accepting and living by the First Commandment?

· Deuteronomy 30:6 – life.
· It is the necessary step to developing a meaningful relationship with our Creator.

3. What are the curses of failing to live by the First Commandment?

· Deuteronomy 30:19 – death.
· Unable to develop a proper Godly relationship with our Creator.
· Unhappiness and guilt for disobedience to His command.

COMMENT: The First Commandment: "You shall have no other gods before me" is the beginning point from which everything else flows.

It establishes that there is a God in heaven who created all and rules over all. It is to Him and Him alone that we should bow in worship. It is to Him that we can come and seek answers to life's difficult questions and challenges.

What decision should we make in a particular situation? As we acknowledge God, we can know the right decision and be assured that the result of our choice will be positive. As we acknowledge God as first in our lives, we can be assured that he will direct our paths and provide us those things that we need.

We began this study with decisions that can confront us. The question now is how we will respond to the First Commandment, "You shall have no other gods before Me."