No Other God
The Ten Commandments are fundamental to the Christian and Jewish faiths.Given by God to the children of Israel through the prophet Moses, the first two ofthese commandments direct our worship and our priorities. In the first, the Lordcommanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3).Centuries later, when Jesus was asked, “Which is the great commandment in thelaw?” He answered, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and withall thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:36–37).
The second of the Ten Commandments elaborates the direction to have no othergods and identifies what should be the ultimate priority in our lives as Hischildren. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness ofany thing” in the heavens or the earth (Exodus 20:4). The commandment thenadds, “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them” (Exodus 20:5).More than merely forbidding physical idols, this states a fundamental priority forall time. Jehovah explains, “For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, … shewingmercy unto … them that love me, and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5–6). The meaning of jealous is revealing. Its Hebrew origin means “possessingsensitive and deep feelings” (Exodus 20:5, footnote b). Thus we offend God whenwe “serve” other gods—when we have other first priorities.1
I.
What other priorities are being “served” ahead of God by persons—even religiouspersons—in our day? Consider these possibilities, all common in our world:
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Cultural and family traditions - •
Political correctness - •
Career aspirations - •
Material possessions - •
Recreational pursuits - •
Power, prominence, and prestige
If none of these examples seems to apply to any one of us, we can probablysuggest others that do. The principle is more important than individual examples.The principle is not whether we have other priorities. The question posed by thesecond commandment is “What is our ultimate priority?” Are we serving prioritiesor gods ahead of the God we profess to worship? Have we forgotten to follow theSavior who taught that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments? (seeJohn 14:15). If so, our priorities have been turned upside down by the spiritualapathy and undisciplined appetites so common in our day.
II.
For Latter-day Saints, God’s commandments are based on and inseparable fromGod’s plan for His children—the great plan of salvation. This plan, sometimescalled the “great plan of happiness” (Alma 42:8), explains our origin and destinyas children of God—where we came from, why we are here, and where we aregoing. The plan of salvation explains the purpose of creation and the conditionsof mortality, including God’s commandments, the need for a Savior, and the vitalrole of mortal and eternal families. If we Latter-day Saints, who have been giventhis knowledge, do not establish our priorities in accord with this plan, we are indanger of serving other gods.
Knowledge of God’s plan for His children gives Latter-day Saints a uniqueperspective on marriage and family. We are correctly known as a family-centeredchurch. Our theology begins with heavenly parents, and our highest aspiration isto attain the fulness of eternal exaltation. We know this is possible only in a familyrelationship. We know that the marriage of a man and a woman is necessary forthe accomplishment of God’s plan. Only this marriage will provide the approvedsetting for mortal birth and to prepare family members for eternal life. We look onmarriage and the bearing and nurturing of children as part of God’s plan and asacred duty of those given the opportunity to do so. We believe that the ultimatetreasures on earth and in heaven are our children and our posterity.
III.
Because of what we understand about the potentially eternal role of the family,we grieve at the sharply declining numbers of births and marriages in manyWestern countries whose historic cultures are Christian and Jewish. Responsiblesources report the following:
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The United States now has the lowest birthrate in its history,2 and in many European Union nations and other developed countries, birthrates are below the level necessary to maintain their populations.3 This threatens the survival of cultures and even of nations. - •
In America, the percentage of young adults ages 18 to 29 who are married fell from 59 percent in 1960 to 20 percent by 2010.4 The median age for first marriage is now at its highest level in history: 26 for women and almost 29 for men.5 - •
In many countries and cultures (1) the traditional family of a married mother and father and children is coming to be the exception rather than the rule, (2) the pursuit of a career instead of marriage and the bearing of children is an increasing choice of many young women, and (3) the role and perceived necessity of fathers is diminishing.
In the midst of these concerning trends, we are also conscious that God’s plan isfor all of His children and that God loves all of His children, everywhere.6 The firstchapter of the Book of Mormon declares that God’s “power, and goodness, andmercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth” (1 Nephi 1:14). A later chapterdeclares that “he hath given [his salvation] free for all men” and that “all men areprivileged the one like unto the other, and none are forbidden” (2 Nephi 26:27–28). Consequently, the scriptures teach that we are responsible to becompassionate and charitable (loving) toward all men (see 1 Thessalonians 3:12;1 John 3:17; D&C 121:45).
IV.
We are also respectful of the religious beliefs of all people, even of thoseincreasing numbers who profess no belief in God. We know that through the God-given power of choice, many will hold beliefs contrary to ours, but we are hopefulthat others will be equally respectful of our religious beliefs and understand thatour beliefs compel us to some different choices and behaviors than theirs. Forexample, we believe that, as an essential part of His plan of salvation, God hasestablished an eternal standard that sexual relations should occur only between aman and a woman who are married.
The power to create mortal life is the most exalted power God has given to Hischildren. Its use was mandated by God’s first commandment to Adam and Eve(see Genesis 1:28), but other important commandments were given to forbid itsmisuse (see Exodus 20:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). The emphasis we place on thelaw of chastity is explained by our understanding of the purpose of ourprocreative powers in the accomplishment of God’s plan. Outside the bonds ofmarriage between a man and a woman, all uses of our procreative powers are toone degree or another sinful and contrary to God’s plan for the exaltation of Hischildren.
The importance we attach to the law of chastity explains our commitment to thepattern of marriage that originated with Adam and Eve and has continued throughthe ages as God’s pattern for the procreative relationship between His sons anddaughters and for the nurturing of His children. Fortunately, many personsaffiliated with other denominations or organizations agree with us on the natureand importance of marriage, some on the basis of religious doctrine and otherson the basis of what they deem best for society.
Our knowledge of God’s plan for His children7 explains why we are distressedthat more and more children are born outside of marriage—currently 41 percentof all births in the United States8—and that the number of couples living togetherwithout marriage has increased dramatically in the past half century. Fivedecades ago, only a tiny percentage of first marriages were preceded bycohabitation. Now cohabitation precedes 60 percent of marriages.9 And this isincreasingly accepted, especially among teenagers. Recent survey data foundabout 50 percent of teenagers stating that out-of-wedlock childbearing was a“worthwhile lifestyle.”10
V.
There are many political and social pressures for legal and policy changes toestablish behaviors contrary to God’s decrees about sexual morality and contraryto the eternal nature and purposes of marriage and childbearing. Thesepressures have already authorized same-gender marriages in various states andnations. Other pressures would confuse gender or homogenize those differencesbetween men and women that are essential to accomplish God’s great plan ofhappiness.
Our understanding of God’s plan and His doctrine gives us an eternal perspectivethat does not allow us to condone such behaviors or to find justification in thelaws that permit them. And, unlike other organizations that can change theirpolicies and even their doctrines, our policies are determined by the truths Godhas identified as unchangeable.
Our twelfth article of faith states our belief in being subject to civil authority and “inobeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” But man’s laws cannot make moralwhat God has declared immoral. Commitment to our highest priority—to love andserve God—requires that we look to His law for our standard of behavior. Forexample, we remain under divine command not to commit adultery or fornicationeven when those acts are no longer crimes under the laws of the states orcountries where we reside. Similarly, laws legalizing so-called “same-sexmarriage” do not change God’s law of marriage or His commandments and ourstandards concerning it. We remain under covenant to love God and keep Hiscommandments and to refrain from serving other gods and priorities—even thosebecoming popular in our particular time and place.
In this determination we may be misunderstood, and we may incur accusations ofbigotry, suffer discrimination, or have to withstand invasions of our free exerciseof religion. If so, I think we should remember our first priority—to serve God—and, like our pioneer predecessors, push our personal handcarts forward with thesame fortitude they exhibited.
A teaching of President Thomas S. Monson applies to this circumstance. At thisconference 27 years ago, he boldly declared: “Let us have the courage to defythe consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise,brings the smile of God’s approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractivevirtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but as thedetermination to live decently. A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what hethinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all menhave their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage aswell.”11
I pray that we will not let the temporary challenges of mortality cause us to forgetthe great commandments and priorities we have been given by our Creator andour Savior. We must not set our hearts so much on the things of the world andaspire to the honors of men (see D&C 121:35) that we stop trying to achieve oureternal destiny. We who know God’s plan for His children—we who have madecovenants to participate in it—have a clear responsibility. We must never deviatefrom our paramount desire, which is to achieve eternal life.12 We must neverdilute our first priority—to have no other gods and to serve no other prioritiesahead of God the Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
May God help us to understand this priority and to be understood by others as weseek to pursue it in a wise and loving way, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ,amen.
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