In this series, I take our law homily from our church gathering each week (The law homily is where we read from the law of God and let His law examine our hearts so that we can be a tender-hearted and repenting people), and I post them here for your edification. Here is this week’s law homily on the prohibition against mental idolatry. 

You shall have no other gods before Me. - Exodus 20:3

INTRODUCTION

At the end of his life, after leading the Israelites into the Promised Land, Joshua stood before them and issued a solemn charge: "Choose this day whom you will serve" (Joshua 24:15). He knew these chosen people needed to actively respond to the God who chose them by choosing Him in return.

CHOOSING THE GOD WHO CHOOSES

You see, for us to have no other gods before Him, we must make a daily choice for the Lord. This isn't a matter of earning our salvation through good works—we know that would be contrary to grace alone. No, God chose us before the foundation of the world. He drew us to Jesus. He sought us while we were lost. Salvation originates entirely from His merciful election (Ephesians 1:4-5).

But just because we didn't initially choose God in order to be saved, that doesn't mean we have no need to choose Him once we are saved! Though our seeking didn't make us Christians, being a Christian now requires our continual seeking after Him. God chose us first so that having been spiritually awakened, we would "choose this day whom we will serve."

In this way, God does for us what He requires of us. He chose us to make us the kind of people who choose Him daily. To choose Him means consciously setting our minds and hearts on the Lord each new day (Colossians 3:1-2). It means reaffirming our loyalty, obedience, and devotion to Him alone. It involves continually repenting of idolatry - putting anything or anyone ahead of God in our priorities and affections.

WHAT IT MEANS TO CHOOSE THE LORD

Choosing God is expressed through prayer - both set times of prayer and a continual spirit of prayer throughout the day, lifting up thankful praise and personal petitions (1 Thessalonians 5:17). It means gathering for corporate worship to honor Him with our love, adoration, and reverence as His people (Hebrews 10:25).

Choosing Him involves meditating on His Word - reading it, studying it, memorizing it, and letting it dwell richly within us to shape our thoughts and affections (Psalm 1:2, Colossians 3:16). It requires fellowship with His people, the Body of Christ, encouraging and being encouraged toward greater faithfulness (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Choosing the Lord shows itself in sacrificial service, using our spiritual gifts to build up the church and bless the world around us, just as Christ did not come to be served but to serve (1 Peter 4:10, Mark 10:45). It means wholehearted obedience flowing from hearts inflamed by His love, running the path of His commands with delight rather than begrudging duty (Psalm 119:32, John 14:15).

Choosing God daily involves denying ourselves, crucifying the sinful cravings of the flesh, taking up our cross, and following Him wherever He leads, no matter the cost (Luke 9:23). It's setting our minds on things above, not on earthly things, allowing our citizenship in heaven to cadence our steps on earth (Colossians 3:1-2). It's the challenging but joyful road of acknowledging Him in all our ways, letting His Word guide every aspect of our lives (Proverbs 3:5-6).

In essence, choosing the Lord each day is an all-encompassing way of life. It impacts our priorities, relationships, work, money, time - every part of our being. To choose Him is to surrender to His gracious Lordship in every sphere, delighting to bring Him maximum glory through total obedience fueled by gratitude for His saving mercies (Romans 12:1-2). So let us heed Joshua's exhortation afresh. Since God graciously chose us first, let us now choose Him anew each day - forsaking all idols, surrendering every area of life to His lordship, and becoming a people passionate about the one true God. As the Westminster Larger Catechism states, the duties tied to the first commandment include "choosing and cleaving to God alone as our God."

THE NEED FOR REPENTANCE

Regrettably, we must confess that we regularly violate this command through idolatry. The seductive idols of money, status, comfort, and pleasure lure our wandering affections away from the Lord. The proud idols of self-reliance, self-promotion, and self-indulgence enslave us. Even good things like family, work, and ministries get disordered and wrongly elevated above our God.

So, let us corporately and individually repent of our idolatry. Let us, with tears, confess how we have cherished, prioritized, and served false gods instead of the one true God who alone is worthy of all our worship and obedience. Let us cry out for the Spirit's help to uproot every idol from our hearts. Let us plead for God's empowering grace to be single-mindedly devoted to Him and Him alone.

But we don't merely need to confess our sins - we need to receive anew the assurance of pardon that comes through Christ's atoning work. Though we have failed to have no other gods before Him, Jesus, the perfect Idol-Smasher, succeeded in this first commandment on our behalf. When tempted to worship Satan for earthly power, He remained faithful to God alone (Matthew 4:10).

In His life, death, and resurrection, Christ perfectly loved the Lord His God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength. And that wholehearted devotion is credited to us who are united to Him by faith! His Law-keeping life becomes our righteousness. So, while lamenting our idolatry, we can rejoice that Jesus lived for us the absolute allegiance to God that we couldn't. His shed blood paid sin's penalty, purchasing our pardon and cleansing us from all idolatry.

A CALL TO CHOOSE ANEW

As you read these words, pause to remember why Christ came. He died to free you from slavery to sin and self so that you could be liberated to joyfully choose God as your supreme delight and treasure. His goal was to recover the highest human privilege for you - the ability to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

So, given His immeasurable mercies toward you, will you choose whom you will serve this day? Will you decide afresh to have no other gods before the one true God? Amid all the pseudo-saviors and idols vying for your worship, will you reserve your wholehearted devotion for Jesus Christ alone?

Take a moment to examine your heart. Repent of any idolatries you find there - whether material or spiritual idols. Forsake any subtle or overt forms of self-reliance, self-promotion, or self-indulgence that have pulled your affections away from your first love. Pour out your heart in sincere repentance before your Maker and Redeemer.

And then choose again deliberately to cleave to Him alone as your Lord and Savior. In the depths of your soul, reaffirm your loyalty and obedience to Christ the King. Enthrone Him over every area of your life. Rededicate yourself to following Him no matter the cost. Make a solemn vow to bring Him glory through obedience fueled by gratitude for His sin-atoning sacrifice. 

To the glory of God alone!