The First Commandment: Worship and Loyalty to God
The First Commandment, as articulated by Jesus in Mark 12:30, calls for complete devotion to God: "you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength" [1]. This commandment is considered the "first and great commandment" because it concerns the primary object of worship and demands the entirety of a person's being—heart, soul, mind, and strength [1, 11]. It serves as the foundational principle from which all other duties and actions toward God should flow [11].
This comprehensive love for God is not merely an emotion but encompasses active obedience and loyalty [9]. It is commanded in various biblical texts, including Deuteronomy 11:1 and Joshua 22:5, and is seen as the true principle and motive for sincere and cheerful obedience to God's laws [2, 12]. Obedience to God is impossible without faith [3]. The love for God is demonstrated through keeping His commandments, walking in His prescribed ways of worship, duty, faith, truth, holiness, and righteousness [3, 12]. As 1 John 5:3 states, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments" [2].
The concept of glorifying God is closely tied to the First Commandment. Scripture commands believers to glorify God (1 Chronicles 16:28, Psalm 22:23, Isaiah 42:12) because it is His due [4]. This glorification is attributed to His holiness, mercy, truth, faithfulness, and wondrous works [4]. Believers glorify God by relying on His promises, praising Him, and performing all actions in a manner that honors Him [4]. This includes living a life devoted to God, which is a characteristic of saints [6]. Such devotedness should be unreserved and encompass one's spirit, body, members, and substance [6].
Christian conduct, in alignment with the First Commandment, involves believing God, fearing Him, loving Him, following Him, obeying Him, and rejoicing in Him [5]. It also extends to believing in Christ, loving Christ, following His example, obeying Him, and living for Him [5]. The transforming work of God's Spirit enables believers to develop a new nature, expressing God's life within them, which is part of the gift of salvation [7]. True worship, which is central to the First Commandment, occurs "in spirit and in truth," meaning that God's Spirit reveals God's truth and reality to the worshiper [8]. Jesus Christ is identified as "the Truth" (John 14:6) [8].
Obedience to God is a clear indication of knowing Christ and belonging to Him [10]. If one does not obey Christ, it suggests a lack of belonging or love for Him [10]. As believers obey Christ and His commandments, their love for God and knowledge of Him mature, leading to a life lived in union with God and demonstrating love for others [10]. This devotion is grounded in God's mercies, goodness, call, and the redemptive work of Christ [6].
Sources
- Mark “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’This is the first commandment. -- Mark 12:30”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to God — Commanded -- De 11:1; Jos 22:5. The first great commandment -- Mt 22:38. With all the heart -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Better than all sacrifices -- Mr 12:33. Produced by The Holy Spirit. -- Ga 5:22; 2Th 3:5. The love of God to us. -- 1Jo 4:19. Answers to prayer. -- Ps 116:1. Exhibited by Christ -- Joh 14:31. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 5:11. Should produce Joy. -- Ps 5:11. Love to saints. -- 1Jo 5:1. Hatred of sin. -- Ps 97:10. Obedience to God. -- De 30:20; 1Jo 5:3. Perfected in obedience -- 1Jo 2:5. Perfected, gives boldness -- 1Jo 4:17,18. God, faith”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Obedience to God — Commanded -- De 13:4. Without faith, is impossible -- Heb 11:6. Includes Obeying his voice. -- Ex 19:5; Jer 7:23. Obeying his law. -- De 11:27; Isa 42:24. Obeying Christ. -- Ex 23:21; 2Co 10:5. Obeying the gospel. -- Ro 1:5; 6:17; 10:16,17. Keeping his commandments. -- Ec 12:13. Submission to higher powers. -- Ro 13:1. Better than sacrifice -- 1Sa 15:22. Justification obtained by that of Christ -- Ro 5:19. Christ, an example of -- Mt 3:15; Joh 15:20; Php 2:5-8; Heb 5:8. Angles engaged in -- Ps 103:20. A characteristic of saints -- 1Pe 1:14. Saints ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Glorifying God — Commanded -- 1Ch 16:28; Ps 22:23; Isa 42:12. Due to him -- 1Ch 16:29. For his Holiness. -- Ps 99:9; Re 15:4. Mercy and truth. -- Ps 115:1; Ro 15:9. Faithfulness and truth. -- Isa 25:1. Wondrous works. -- Mt 15:31; Ac 4:21. Judgments. -- Isa 25:3; Eze 28:22; Re 14:7. Deliverance. -- Ps 50:15. Grace to others. -- Ac 11:18; 2Co 9:13; Ga 1:24. Obligation of saints to -- 1Co 6:20. Is acceptable through Christ -- Php 1:11; 1Pe 4:11. Christ, an example of -- Joh 17:4. Accomplished by Relying on his promises. -- Ro 4:20. Praising him. -- Ps 50:23. Doing all ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conduct, Christian — Believing God -- Mr 11:22; Joh 14:11,12. Fearing God -- Ec 12:13; 1Pe 2:17. Loving God -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Following God -- Eph 5:1; 1Pe 1:15,16. Obeying God -- Lu 1:6; 1Jo 5:3. Rejoicing in God -- Ps 33:1; Hab 3:18. Believing in Christ -- Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23. Loving Christ -- Joh 21:15; 1Pe 1:7,8. Following the example of Christ -- Joh 13:15; 1Pe 2:21-24. Obeying Christ -- Joh 14:21; 15:14. Living To Christ. -- Ro 14:8; 2Co 5:15. To righteousness. -- Mic 6:8; Ro 6:18; 1Pe 2:24. Soberly, righteously, and godly. -- Tit 2:12. Walking Honestly. -- 1”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Devotedness to God — A characteristic of saints -- Job 23:12. Christ, an example of -- Joh 4:34; 17:4. Grounded upon The mercies of God. -- Ro 12:1. The goodness of God. -- 1Sa 12:24. The call of God. -- 1Th 2:12. The death of Christ. -- 2Co 5:15. Our creation. -- Ps 86:9. Our preservation. -- Isa 46:4. Our redemption. -- 1Co 6:19,20. Should be With our spirit. -- 1Co 6:20; 1Pe 4:6. With our bodies. -- Ro 12:1; 1Co 6:20. With our members. -- Ro 6:12,13; 1Pe 4:2. With our substance. -- Ex 22:29; Pr 3:9. Unreserved. -- Mt 6:24; Lu 14:33. Abounding. -- 1Th 4:1. Persever”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:24: 4:24 A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10; cp. Gen 1:26; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-23). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10).”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 4:24: 4:24 in spirit and in truth: One Greek preposition governs both words (literally in spirit and truth) and makes them a single concept. True worship occurs as God’s Spirit reveals God’s truth and reality to the worshiper. Jesus Christ is the Truth (14:6; cp. 14:17; 15:26).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 103:18: 103:18 To obey God means to be faithful and loyal to him.”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 2:3: 2:3-6 Obedience is one clear indication that we know Christ and belong to him. If we do not obey Christ, it is obvious that we do not belong to him or love him. • As we obey Christ and his commandments, our love for God and our knowledge of him will grow toward completeness and maturity. We will live . . . as Jesus did, in union with God and showing love for others.”
- Matthew (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Matthew 22:35: This is the first and great commandment. Whether the object of it is considered, who is the first and chief good; or the manner in which it is to be observed, which requires and engrosses the whole heart, soul, and mind, and all the strength and power of man; or its being the principle from whence all the duties, and actions of men should flow, and the end to which all are to be referred; and is not only a compendium of the duties of the first table of the decalogue, but of all others that can be thought to, and do, belong to God. This is the first command in order ”
- Joshua (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Joshua 22:4: But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law,.... The ten commandments, and all other laws, both ceremonial and civil: which Moses the servant of the Lord charged you; in the name of the Lord, to keep and observe: to love the Lord your God; of which keeping the commands of God is an evidence, and which is the true principle and motive of hearty, sincere, and cheerful obedience to them: and to walk in all his ways; which he has prescribed, all his ways of worship, paths of duty, faith, truth, holiness, and righteousness: and to keep his commandments”