If the first commandment concerns the object of our worship, the second commandment concerns its manner.

In the first God demands our exclusive worship, and in the second our sincere and spiritual worship. For ‘God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth’.

We may never have manufactured some gruesome metal image with our hands, but what hideous mental image do we hold in our minds?

Further, although this second commandment does not forbid the use of all external forms in worship, it implies that they are useless unless there is inward reality as well.

We may have attended church; have we ever really worshipped God?

We may have said prayers; have we ever really prayed?

We may have read the Bible; have we ever let God speak to us through it and done what he said?

It is no good approaching God with our lips if our hearts are far from him. To do so is sheer humbug.

To preview more of the content of John Stott's book (from which this material originates), please click on this link, then click on the title "Basic Christianity".