What is Required in the Second Commandment?

Dear Neighbor,

What is required in the second commandment?

Firstly, the commandment should be observed carefully and taken to heart. It is not a vein thing that the Lord our God takes His word seriously; therefore, His people should take His word seriously and observe all that He commanded. The heart is the center of a person, for in the heart a person cares and holds what is most important to them. (cf. Dt. 32:46)

Secondly, the commandment is pure for it was given by the mouth of God to His servant. When a person disregards the commandment of God, he disregards the Lord. To disregard His is word is saying that His word is nothing, and therefore, makes God out to be nothing. All worship of God by man should be pure, and done as ascribed by God without bringing into worship that which He has declared in His word to be unholy. The commandment is holy because God is holy. (cf. Mt. 23:20)

Finally, the second commandment requires devotion. Devotion to God and His word, and not giving of oneself to another, or a thing created by man. Idolatry is the equivalent of a man’s wife having an affair with another man. She vowed to be solely devoted to her husband alone for life. The second commandment requires our sole devotion to God. (cf. Acts 2:42)

In conclusion, the second commandment requires us to observe the commandment carefully, take it to heart, have pure worship, and be solely devoted to God.

Michael Peek

Your Servant for Jesus’ Sake