The most serious sin in the Bible is Idolatry.

God forbids us from having any other gods- He is the one and
only. God forbids us to make any idols: substitutes for God
God is not here forbidding painting a picture of Jesus the a!arene" like the one hanging on a #all in our
house. That concept triviali!es and actually circumvents #hat is the most serious evil in the Bible. $%lease
note: that evil is not se&ual behavior or abortion.'

God is meant to be in control of our lives. He gives security ( meaning and purpose" but #e re)ect God and
his control. *e #ill be free from God+ *e make idols to replace him. In fact" #e make idols to
make us god. Through the use of idols" #e believe #e are in control of our circumstances. Through the use
of idols" #e believe #e give our lives meaning and purpose. ,ur self-made idols give us" through our faith in
them" #hat only God can truly give.
This is not only error and self-deception. It is tragic self-destruction. ,ur self-made idols eventually take
over our lives. ,ur idols become real gods #ith po#er over us. *e make them to serve us and #e end up
serving them. ,ne #riter has said" -.it/s not )ust a matter of substituting one /god/ for another0 #hen #e turn
a#ay from the 1iving God" the source of our being and meaning and doing" things start to go #rong. Idolatry
is not )ust a theological matter. It has devastating effects on us" in our families and friends" in our
communities" in society and for the planet god put us on. That is #hy God hates it. He loves his creation and
#ants all our relationships right and healthy.2
There is a sad truth to this0 but" the implication here is that if idols delivered #hat they promise" they #ould
be good. Then idolatry #ould not be evil. That can never be. Idols are evil" al#ays" first and foremost
because they are substitutes for God. That is #hy they fail to deliver. ,ur concern must primarily be #ith
the former" not the latter" reality.
Idols become loved. Idols take over a man3s heart- his devotion- even #hile that man seeks the 1ord"
remaining a believer in God. These idols are stumbling blocks- they lead to the #orse 4in: the re)ection of
God" not simply to trouble or misery for the idolater. It is also true as #ell that Idolatry is the root and cause
of all evil in society. 4ee 5om 6:67-89 cf. :ol 8:;
Implications of the 1st
Commandment
The first commandment is much more
than a law against worshiping idols. It is a
summons to a whole way of life. God
calls us to the absolute obedience of faith
in Him who is constant and
unchangeable... always the same, faithful
and just, without any evil. It follows that
we must necessarily accept his words and
have complete faith in him and
acnowledge his authority. He is
almighty, merciful, and infinitely good.
!ho could not place all hope in him"
!ho could not love him when
contemplating the treasures of goodness
and love he has poured out on us" Hence
the formula God employs in the #cripture
at the beginning and end of his
commandments$ %I am the &ord.%
'Catechism ()*+,
#ince faith is such an important response
to the first commandment it also follows
that we must nourish and protect our faith
with prudence and vigilance, and to reject
everything that is opppposed to it. -any
today tae lightly the duty to now the sacred truths of our faith revealed by God.
.et many of these same individuals have
detailed and through nowledge of
worldly matters. Though it is not wrong to
learn of the things of this world, when it
is paired with a wilful neglecting of the
truths revealed by God may well show
where our true priorities lie and e/hibit a
form of idolatry.
Idolatry not only refers to false pagan
worship. It remains a constant temptation
to faith. Idolatry consists in divini0ing
what is not God. -an commits idolatry
whenever he honors and reveres a
creature in place of God, whether this be
gods or demons 'for e/ample, satanism,,
power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the
state, money, etc. 'Catechism (11(,.
The Second Commandment
"Thou shalt not make for thee any graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the
earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them."
This commandment forbids creation of any substitutes for God 1 worship of any inds of idols, either physical or imaginary.
The commandment was given when idolatry was manind%s sicness. In those times pagans deified all ind of objects 1
innumerable gods and goddesses 1 heavenly bodies, animals, birds, reptiles, plants, all inds of demonic and grotes2ue
creatures, anything in which dar superstition saw something supernatural or une/plainable. The 3ld Testament prophets
and subse2uently the 4postles and Christian preachers enlightened the world with faith in one and only one true God, the
Creator of the universe and the Heavenly 5ather of manind. Gradually, Christian teaching has almost completely
eradicated the old paganism, and in our days the worship of idols is confined to just a few corners of the world '6apan,
India, and the jungles of #outh 4merica and 4frica, as remnants of ancient superstitions.
However, there still e/ists a more subtle form of idolatry which persists even among those who would consider ludicrous
any literal worship of idols. Indeed, the spirit of the second commandment forbids worship of anything or regard of
anything more than God. !hen any relative object becomes for a person something to which he dedicates all his thoughts,
time and energies, that object becomes an idol. 7ot only unbelievers but many contemporary Christians as well are mostly
concerned about gathering material wealth and worldly fortunes, about maing a successful career, achieving physical
happiness and physical gratifications. There are many who give themselves up to political ideas or adore worldly leaders,
movie or music stars, and because of their own little temporary gods, they completely forsae the true God and the salvation
of their souls. 5or some, contemporary science has becomes the supreme authority by which they judge and even reject the
God1revealed truths. In general, anything material and temporal that becomes the most important object for a person to the
detriment of his soul has become his false god. 4lso, such strong passions as se/, drug addiction, drunenness, smoing,
gambling, gluttony, greed, vanity, pride, et cetera, have become the cruel masters of many. !hen the boo of 8evelation
predicts the increase of paganism toward the end of the world, it certainly means this indirect form of idolatry$ 9They
worshipped idols of gold, silver, brass, stone and wood which can neither see nor hear nor wal9 '8evelations :$(),. The
4postle ;aul labels greed as idolatry, and regarding gluttons he comments that 9their god is their belly9 'Colossians <$=>
;hilippians <$1:,.
The Third Commandment
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."
This commandment forbids the impious and disrespectful use of the name of God as, for e/ample, in meaningless
conversations or joes. #ins against the third commandment include swearing 'thoughtless, habitual oaths in casual
conversations,, blasphemy 'audacious words against God,, '"If he has blasphemed God and the king, take him out and
stone him that he may die" '1 ?ings (1$1),, sacrilege 'when people scoff or jest at sacred things,, perjury 'oath breaing,,
calling upon God as a witness in meaningless worldly affairs, and breaing promises given to God. 4lso, joing and
laughing in church are sins against this commandment.
@ecause the name of God designates the #upreme and 4lmighty @eing, it carries a great and miraculous power. 4s we now
from the @ible, nature instantly submits to God%s name when people invoe it with faith and reverence. 5or e/ample, by
invoing God in his prayer, -oses divided the waters of the 8ed #ea so that the Israelites could cross it. The prophet Alijah
prayed that it would not rain and it did not rain for more than three years> and when he prayed again, the heaven gave rain,
and the earth produced its fruit. The boo of the 4cts of the 4postles narrates many miraculous healings and e/orcism of
evil spirits accomplished by invocation of the name of the Incarnate #on of God, our &ord 6esus Christ. Therefore, one
should use the name of God with awe and reverence as, for e/ample, in pious prayer, in preaching, in serious religious
conversations, and in similar well1intended activities. Bsing God%s name in an oath is permitted only in special
circumstances such as judicial proceedings 'Hebrews +$1+11C,. The name of God invoed attentively and piously always
draws to man Divine Grace. It brings to him enlightenment of mind and gladness of heart.