Monotheism

• What is monotheism 


  The belief that only one God exists
• In the Old Testament, the Israelites believed in more than one God, and this is seen in multiple Bible verses - Exodus 15:11 'Who is like thee, o Lord, among these gods' and Psalm 86:8 'There is none like thee among the gods, o Lord'. One of the names for God in the Bible is 'Elohim' which in Hebrew translates to 'gods' - God was seen as the head of the gods
• Monotheism seems to have developed in the thinking of the Israelite Prophets - Isiah 43:10 '...I am He. Before me no God was formed, nor shall there be any after me...' and Isiah 44:6 'Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of the hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; beside me there is no God"
• Monotheism in the Bible is Ethical Monotheism 


  In the Old Testament, good moral behaviour is at the heart of the covenant agreement between Israel and God, where God 'adopts' Israel in special relationship, and in return Isreal promises moral and religious obedience.
• Monotheism in the Bible is Ethical Monotheism


  In the New Testament, Jesus tells his followers that whoever weakens in obeying these commandments or who teaches others to weaken, shall be called least in the Kingdom of heaven - many Christians therefore think that they have to obey the same moral laws, but others prefer to believe in approaches such as Situation Ethics
• Monotheism in the Bible is Ethical Monotheism


  In Mark's Gospel, Jesus quotes from the preface to the first commandment in Deuteronomy 6:4 'Hear, o Israel: The Lord our God is One'. This phrase forms the heart of the Shema prayer in Judaism and is said to be the ideal expression of ethical monotheistic belief
• Monotheism in the Bible is Ethical Monotheism


  Moral obedience is at the heart of salvation:

  Jesus in the world as God's son is part of 'Salvation History' meaning the unfolding of God's plan throughout history to save the human race from sin and death after the disobedience of Adam and Eve

  Jesus' ethical teachings shows how humans can get into the Kingdom of God

  God alone has complete power, authority and love to save humans from sin