July 21, 2023 -- Deuteronomy 6:4-9 -- The Basics of the Faith: the Only, Living and True God

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“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 ESV

One common misconception of the non-believer, that also infects far too many believers as well, is the notion that there are many titles and labels for God and all religions are basically different paths to the same God. God is exclusive. He is in a category all on His Own. There is no other gods. That is scandalous to the people of the world. It is the blessed assurance of the Christian. The Shorter Catechism puts it this way:

Q. 5 Are there more Gods than one?

Answer: There is but one only, the living and true God.

One of the source texts for question and answer 5 is our text. Those believers of the Old Testament who anticipated Jesus, and New Testament believers in Jesus, are joined together in the revealed knowledge that the LORD God is the One, True, Living God. There are none beside Him.

The New Testament fully confirms the teaching of the Old Testament, that Jesus is the only way to knowing God, John 14:6. The LORD, the Living and True God, is all-knowing, all-wise. It is to His great honour and glory that He has revealed Himself through the creation, then through the Bible and the greatest revelation is Jesus Christ Himself.

Knowing this fact, that there is but one only, the living and true God, makes one more devoted to the Living God. Knowing this fact deepens the worship the believer offers to Him, because we realize it is the lovingkindness of God that stoops to our weakness and frailty so that by His Self-revelation we can know Him. Knowing this fact motivates our evangelistic zeal. Knowing this fact is brought ever closer to our hearts and minds as we teach others. The teaching of it confirms our knowledge of Him and strengthens our faith in the Only, Living, True God.

Our Father in heaven hallowed be Your Name. Thank You for making yourself known through the wonders of creation, and more directly making Yourself known through the Word, and then most perfectly revealing Yourself through Jesus Christ. Father, pour out Your Spirit so that believers can grow in their understanding of Who You Are, so that we will worship You in spirit and in truth, and more willingly tell all those around us of Your greatness. This we pray in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

https://youtu.be/u0a1Pq9avbg “O Worship the King” Chet Valley Churches

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