One God

• monotheism is the belief held by all christians that there is only one god
• in the earliest centuries of Israel's history, the jewish people believed that other gods existed, but should not be worshipped. the sinai covenant makes it clear that Israel's god, the lord, alone should be worshipped
• the development of monotheism can be seen in the Old Testament writings of the prophets
• the classic statement of monotheism is found in the jewish statement of faith knows as the shema, Deuteronomy 6:4
• Deuteronomy 6:4

  'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one'
• israel's monotheism (monotheism in the bible) was not a philosophical concept, but it applied to life, it was ethical monotheism- this was expressed in Israels obligations as set out in the sinai covenant, these obligations were listed in the Ten Commandments
• when Jesus was asked which of the Ten Commandments were the greatest, he said that love of god and of neighbour were the greatest and summed up the whole of the jewish religion.
• key quote

  'I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God'- Isaiah 44:6
• ethical monotheism, as seen throughout the New Testament, ties in with christian beliefs about salvation
• monotheism

  refers to the belief that there is one god
• the sinai covenant refers to the agreement made through Moses between god and Israel; in return for their absolute commitment to god, Israel was to be god's chosen people
• ethical monotheism

  means that belief in one god also includes following the moral codes linked to that belief, e.g. the Ten Commandments in the bible