So I discovered that I have been writing posts about the wrong catechism for the past few days. Well, sort of. I found out that there is a catechism that is specifically tailored to the 2nd London Baptist Confession, whereas the catechism I had chosen was something a bit different, written over a century after the Confession. Since I discovered this shortly before this was scheduled to post (meaning I have no time to revise it), and seeing as I particularly enjoyed writing and studying for today's and Friday's posts, I have decided to let them post and keep them up. Starting next week, however, I'll switch to the right catechism, known as Benjamin Keach's catechism, or more informally, "The Baptist Catechism." Sorry for the confusion!
Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god." (Isa. 44:6)
Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. (Isa. 48:12)
For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods. (Ps. 97:9)
This is definitely one of the easiest questions in the entire catechism - or the whole of Christian doctrine - to answer. No truly regenerated follower of Jesus would ever deny the answer given: God is the first and chiefest being. Quite literally, God being the chiefest being means that he is highest over all things. He is first, he is sovereign. David says that "all that is in the heavens and in the earth" belongs to him and exalts him as "head above all" (1 Chron. 29:11). According to Paul, God is also the source and granter of all authority: his exact words say, "There is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God" (Rom 13:1).
Another verse that states this idea of God being first and chiefest is Isaiah 43:10: "Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me." In other words, God is the only God; there is no other god, and all claims to deity other than the one made by God himself are false. All man-made gods are no gods at all, and to worship them is folly; Isaiah 2:8 condemns the Israelites for "bow[ing] down to the work of their hands, to what their own fingers have made." Doesn't that sound ridiculous? In contrast, God made us with his own hands, and we, the creation, must worship him, the Creator.
So God is the first and chiefest being. That's a very simple statement with a whole lot of depth and truth to it. It should remind us who is truly in charge, and that he is totally sovereign. And it is cause for us to fall on our faces and worship he who is first and chiefest.
No comments:
Post a Comment