2010-11-22

How does the First Commandment compare to the other Commandments?

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The First Commandment is the chief Commandment. It already includes the other Commandments because only he who in his heart obeys the First Commandment, obeys the other Commandments in the right way. For this reason the explanations to the other Commandments all begin with the words: “We should fear and love God that..”. Luther says: “If the heart relates to God in this way, it has kept this and all the other Commandments.On the other hand, he who fears and loves something else in heaven or on earth, keeps neither this Commandment nor any of the other Commandments.” All of us have to confess that we have not kept even the First Commandment, but have broken it. We can, however, confess our sin to God and believe that it has been forgiven for the sake of our Savior, Jesus Christ