I can recall in my earlier days of Bible study, skipping over this Commandment when
studying the Decalogue, with the idea that "Of course I have only one God -- no idol
worship in this home!" My thoughts would turn to old Biblical movies showing
"heathens" bowing down to statues, large and small; or other movies on ancient or
modern cultures worshipping the sun or moon or some cult-like figure.

However, I have since learned that as my own concept of the great "I AM" expands,
so does my definition of "other gods."

I can't speak for what other religions teach on the First Commandment, but in
Christian Science, it is impossible to be a practicing Christian Scientist without

a working knowledge of this crucial rule of God. We simply cannot understand

Christian Science without a recognition that there is only one God, one power,

one good, one Mind. We must have a willingness to actively deny the existence

of "other gods."

In her book Miscellaneous Writings, Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and
Founder of Christian Science, writes: "Christian Science begins with the First
Commandment of the Hebrew Decalogue, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before
me.'" She writes extensively on the First Commandment, which she refers to as
her "favorite text."

The First Commandment is a vast subject. I will try to break it down into several
areas, as I try to explain it as it is taught in Christian Science. There is also a

separate page with ideas for teaching the First Commandment to Children.

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE IS MONOTHEISTIC

Just so there is no confusion for anyone new to the teachings of Christian Science,
we do share the belief with other Christians and Jews, that there is only one God:
"The Science of Christianity is strictly monotheism, — it has ONE GOD. And this
divine infinite Principle, noumenon and phenomena, is demonstrably the self-existent
Life, Truth, Love, substance, Spirit, Mind, which includes all that the term implies,
and is all that is real and eternal." (Christian Science Versus Pantheism, pg. 12)

BASIC DEFINITION OF "OTHER GODS"

Let's start with a definition of "god" from Webster's New World Dictionary:
"1. any of various beings conceived of as supernatural, immortal, and having
special powers over the lives and affairs of people and the course of nature;
deity, esp. a male deity 2. an image that is worshipped; idol 3. a person or
thing deified or excessively honored and admired."

I think that definition can support what Mrs. Eddy teaches us about "other gods."
However, let's take a look at her definition of "gods" found in the Glossary of the

textbook of Christian Science, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures:

"GODS. Mythology; a belief that life, substance, and intelligence are both mental
and material; a supposition of sentient physicality; the belief that infinite Mind is
in finite forms; the various theories that hold mind to be a material sense, existing
in brain, nerve, matter; supposititious minds, or souls, going in and out of matter,
erring and mortal; the serpents of error, which say, 'Ye shall be as gods.'

"God is one God, infinite and perfect, and cannot become finite and imperfect."
(S&H pg 587)

Note, that whereas the dictionary definition speaks of persons, things, images, and
beings, Mrs. Eddy classifies "gods" as beliefs, suppositions, theories, and error.
What this points to is the mental nature of "other gods."

Note, also, in the definition above, that she refers to gods as "the serpents of error."
This is illustrated, of course, in the story of Adam and Eve. The "serpent" was the
first to disobey the principle and rule against suggesting or believing there may be
a power besides the one God. Adam and Eve fell for the serpent's suggestions, and
we are still listening to the "whispers" of the "serpent" today in every type of
malicious suggestion against good. That is why, if we wish to bring peace and
harmony to earth, we must learn to recognize "other gods" in their various forms
and disguises, and deal with them immediately. Mrs. Eddy gives a fuller description
of what the snake symbolizes, in her Glossary definition of serpent:

"SERPENT (ophis, in Greek; nacash, in Hebrew). Subtlety; a lie; the opposite of
Truth, named error; the first statement of mythology and idolatry; the belief in more
than one God; animal magnetism; the first lie of limitation; finity; the first claim that
there is an opposite of Spirit, or good, termed matter, or evil; the first delusion that
error exists as fact; the first claim that sin, sickness, and death are the realities of
life. The first audible claim that God was not omnipotent and that there was another
power, named evil, which was as real and eternal as God, good." (S&H pg 594)

WHO IS "ME"

We have shown that Christian Science teaches that there is only One God, and that
the "other gods" are only myths, lies, and illusions that must be dealt with as such,
until they are proven to be powerless. But, what, exactly, is God -- the "me" that is
speaking to us in this Commandment?

The Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,
by Mary Baker Eddy, contains the complete revelation and explanation of the nature
of God as revealed to Mrs. Eddy. One of the definitions which summarizes her

teachings on God is found on page 587 of the textbook: "GOD. The great I AM;

the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-acting, all-wise, all-loving, and eternal; Principle;
Mind; Soul; Spirit; Life; Truth; Love; all substance; intelligence."

But, she also discusses God with relation to the First Commandment. For instance:
"The first demand of this Science is, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' This
me is Spirit. Therefore the command means this: Thou shalt have no intelligence,
no life, no substance, no truth, no love, but that which is spiritual. The second is like
unto it, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' It should be thoroughly understood
that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind
will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and
the true brotherhood of man will be established. Having no other gods, turning to no
other but the one perfect Mind to guide him, man is the likeness of God, pure and
eternal, having that Mind which was also in Christ." (S&H pg 467)

A favorite citation from Science Health delves further into the grand results of what
a world devoted to proving and obeying the First Commandment would be like.
She writes:

"'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.' (Exodus xx. 3.) The First Commandment
is my favorite text. It demonstrates Christian Science. It inculcates the triunity of
God, Spirit, Mind; it signifies that man shall have no other spirit or mind but God,
eternal good, and that all men shall have one Mind. The divine Principle of the First
Commandment bases the Science of being, by which man demonstrates health, holi-
ness, and life eternal. One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the
brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, "Love thy neighbor as thyself;"
annihilates pagan and Christian idolatry, — whatever is wrong in social, civil,
criminal, political, and religious codes; equalizes the sexes; annuls the curse on man,
and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished or destroyed." (S&H pg 340)

You may be able to see now why the Ten Commandments, and this First Command-
ment, especially, are part of the "first lessons" of Christian Science. Uplifting the
human race into the understanding and demonstration of man's spiritual nature is the
goal of Christian Science. Elsewhere in Mrs. Eddy's writings we read the following:

"The First Commandment, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me,' is a law never
to be abrogated -- a divine statute for yesterday, and to-day and forever."
(Message for 1902, pg 4)

"The sacred command 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me,' silences all
questions on this subject, and forever forbids the thought of any other reality, since it
is imposssible to have aught unlike the infinite." ('02, pg 5)

"The Christianization of mortals, whereby the mortal concept and all it includes is
obliterated, lets in the divine sense of being, fulfils the law in righteousness, and
consummates the First Commandment, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.'
All Christian faith, hope, and prayer, all devout desire, virtually petition, Make me
the image and likeness of divine Love." (Message of 1902, pg 6)

"The First Commandment of the Hebrew Decalogue, 'Thou shalt have no other gods
before me,' and the Golden Rule are the all-in-all of Christian Science. They are the
spiritual idealism and realism which, when realized, constitute a Christian Scientist,
heal the sick, reform the sinner, and rob the grave of its victory. The spiritual
understanding which demonstrates Christian Science, enables the devout Scientist
to worship, not an unknown God, but Him whom, understanding even in part, he
continues to love more and to serve better." (First Church of Christ, Scientist and
Miscellany, pg 5)

BACK TO "OTHER GODS" AND HOW THEY AFFECT US

I have learned over the years in my study of Christian Science, that as my concept of
God has expanded, so has the variety of "other gods" that I must learn to expose and
denounce. Just being ignorant of these "other gods" does not protect us from their
abuses, or prevent us from being enslaved by them. We must face and challenge them
when we recognize they are present and trying to operate in our consciousness. Study
the following citations from the writings of Mrs. Eddy, and see what she identifies as
"other gods" and how they operate in our lives:

"The true understanding of God is spiritual. It robs the grave of victory. It destroys
the false evidence that misleads thought and points to other gods, or other so-called
powers, such as matter, disease, sin, and death, superior or contrary to the one
Spirit." (S&H 275)

"If Christian Science takes away the popular gods, — sin, sickness, and death, — it
is Christ, Truth, who destroys these evils, and so proves their nothingness."
(S&H 347)

"Was it Mind or matter that spake in creation, 'and it was done'? The answer is
self-evident, and the command remains, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me.'"
(Miscellaneous Writings pg 23)

"Christian Science reveals the infinitude of divinity and the way of man's salvation
from sickness and death, as wrought out by Jesus, who robbed the grave of victory
and death of its sting. I understand that God is an ever-present help in all times of
trouble, — have found Him so; and would have no other gods, no remedies in drugs,
no material medicine." (Miscellaneous Writings pg 96)

"For matter to be matter, it must have been self-created. Mind has no more power
to evolve or to create matter than has good to produce evil. Matter is a misstatement
of Mind; it is a lie, claiming to talk and disclaim against Truth; idolatry, having other
gods; evil, having presence and power over omnipotence!" (Miscellaneous
Writings pg 173-174)

"Divine Science deals its chief blow at the supposed material foundations of life
and intelligence. It dooms idolatry. A belief in other gods, other creators, and other
creations must go down before Christian Science." (S&H 535)

Click here to continue with the First Commandment