Key Beliefs: Supporting Basic BeliefsSample

God

Deuteronomy was written to the people of Israel after they had been freed from slavery in Egypt and were headed toward Israel, the promised land. In Egypt, the people worshiped many gods, and all the other nations had many gods as well. These gods were believed to provide the people with things they needed like rain, health, or children. If they needed something, a person would perform an act of worship to the god of that thing to get it. The assumption was that gods are selfish and will only give something if they are given something. In this chapter, Israel is told there is one God, and He wants the people to give all of themselves to Him. He wants to be in their lives all the time, not just when they want something. God had already rescued them from Egypt and wanted to continue to make them successful, but He had to be their one true God.

Jesus referred to Deuteronomy 6:5 when He told some people about the greatest commandment in Matthew 22:37. God wants our absolute devotion in our thoughts and actions. It’s not God saying, “I’ll do something for you when you do something for Me” but, “I have already done for you, and I want to be your only God.” God gives us the choice to worship Him or not, but worshipping Him can’t be half-hearted. He has to be worshipped as the God of everything, all the time.