What is forbidden in the first commandment?

Which Bible passages support this answer?

The Westminster Assembly attached these Scripture proofs to answer 47. Read them together and ask what each one shows about the answer.

1. Psalm 14:1

   For the music director, by David. Fools say to themselves, “There is no God.” They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right. (NET)

2. Romans 1:21

   For although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give him thanks, but they became futile in their thoughts, and their senseless hearts were darkened. (NET)

3. Psalm 81:10-11

   ¹⁰I am the Lord, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.’ ¹¹But my people did not obey me; Israel did not submit to me. (NET)

4. Romans 1:25-26

   ²⁵They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshiped and served the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. ²⁶For this reason God gave them over to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged the natural sexual relations for unnatural ones, (NET)

What does this answer mean?

The first commandment forbids two things. One is denying the true God, or failing to worship and glorify him as God and as our God. The other is giving the worship and glory that belong only to him to anything or anyone else. Leaving God out and putting something else in his place are both forbidden.

What can we ask our children?

1. Can we break this commandment by forgetting God?
2. What does it mean to give God's glory to something else?
3. What might tempt us to love something more than God?