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The prohibition against the worship of all but one deity was
unique in religious history. The other nations of the world were
polytheistic and thus innately tolerant of the views of others,
as it was believed that no one god had absolute power and
controlled all the phenomena of nature. This same tolerance that
characterized pagan cultures in the biblical period is now true
of much of Western culture. Tolerance of other views, not truth,
is thought to be the highest virtue in our time. [32]
Loving God and keeping His commandments are one and the same.
The behavior of those who love God is characterized by obedience
to God’s laws, while a man cannot be considered to love God is
he does not keep His commands. The fact that love can be
commanded of the believer proves that love is not an emotional
feeling but a behavior characterized by obedience and commitment
to the Lord. [47]
Wrong thoughts about God lead to wrong behavior. [54]
A God of faithfulness, who does not deal deceitfully with His
people, requires of His people the same transparency and honesty
in personal relationships. [163]
Obedience to the law was not to be the means to a relationship
with God but was the desired response to that relationship. It
was the great deliverance of the exodus that served as the
foundation for the Lord’s right to expect obedience to His
commands. Similarly, in the New Testament, the responsibilities
of Christians are based on redemption provided by Christ’s
atonement. [178]
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