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In this episode of The Reformed Standard, we explore Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 5, “Are there more Gods than one?” and its answer: “There is but One only, the living and true God.” The episode unpacks this foundational truth in two parts: first, establishing God’s absolute oneness and uniqueness, grounded in the Shema of Deuteronomy 6:4, and then exploring what it means that He is “the living and true God” in contrast to dead, false idols. Through biblical examples like Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal, we see how this doctrine isn’t merely theoretical but deeply pastoral—freeing believers from divided loyalties and the exhausting pursuit of false gods, while calling us to wholehearted devotion to the one God who is real, active, and faithful.
Key Takeaways
- The catechism’s answer has two essential components: there is only one God, and this God is living and true.
- God’s oneness (Deut. 6:4) is not merely numerical but speaks to His absolute uniqueness and demands our undivided allegiance.
- The logical necessity of monotheism flows from God’s infinity and sovereignty—there cannot be multiple infinite or absolutely sovereign beings.
- Unlike lifeless idols that must be carried and cannot act (Jer. 10), our God is living—personal, active, and powerful in His engagement with creation.
- God is the “true God” because He is ultimate reality, while idols are built on false promises that inevitably fail those who trust in them.
- The confrontation between Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18) dramatically demonstrates the difference between the living God and dead idols.
- This doctrine liberates believers from the exhausting task of serving an “endless parade of dead, false idols” and the anxiety of divided loyalties.
Key Concepts
The Logical and Theological Foundation of Monotheism
The Christian affirmation of one God isn’t merely a religious preference but follows necessarily from what we know about God’s nature. As the catechism teaches, God is infinite—without limits or boundaries. Logically, there cannot be two infinite beings, as each would necessarily limit the other, creating a contradiction. Similarly, God’s sovereignty as the Almighty ruler cannot be shared or divided. Unlike pagan pantheons with gods of limited domains who compete and conflict, the biblical God is the only uncreated, self-existent, and absolute being. This theological truth, captured in Israel’s foundational Shema (Deut. 6:4), doesn’t just inform our thinking—it orients our entire life. The oneness of God demands the wholeness of our devotion, calling us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and might.
The Contrast Between the Living God and Dead Idols
The description of God as “living and true” gains its force through contrast with idols. As Jeremiah mockingly describes, idols are crafted objects—decorated wood that must be carried because they cannot walk or speak, unable to do either good or evil. By contrast, our God is alive—personal, active, and engaged with His creation. The episode powerfully illustrates this through Elijah’s Mount Carmel showdown (1 Kings 18), where 450 prophets of Baal frantically yet futilely try to rouse their god, while Elijah’s simple prayer to the living God brings immediate, dramatic response. This theological truth has profound pastoral implications: we aren’t left making sacrifices to indifferent deities or abstract forces, but are in relationship with a God who sees, hears, and acts. While idols depend on their worshippers for existence, the living God is the one who carries His people.
Memorable Quotes
“The oneness of God demands the wholeness of our devotion.”
“The idols are things that men have to carry; the living God is the one who carries His people.”
“We are freed from the exhausting, impossible task of serving the endless parade of dead, false idols our hearts produce. We are freed from the anxiety of divided loyalties. We are called to give our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole might to the One who is worthy, for there is but one God… the living and true God.”
Full Transcript
[00:00:06] The Probing Question: Are There More Gods Than One?
On Tuesday, we let a probing question search us. “Are there more Gods than one?” We considered how this question isn’t a mere mathematical inquiry, but a sharp, pastoral examination into the loyalties of our own hearts. We confronted the reality that man’s nature is, as Calvin said, a perpetual factory of idols, and that the battle for exclusive allegiance to God is a constant one.
[00:00:30] The Catechism’s Answer: One Living and True God
Having sat with the weight of that question, we now turn to the catechism for its clear, concise, and liberating answer: there is but One only, the living and true God.
This answer is presented in two distinct but inseparable parts, and we need to feel the force of each one.
[00:00:49] Understanding God’s Oneness and Uniqueness
First, the catechism asserts, “There is but One only… God.” The primary proof text for this is the bedrock of Israel’s faith, the Shema, from Deuteronomy 6:4: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” This declaration was the central, defining truth for God’s people, setting them apart from the polytheistic nations surrounding them. But the word “one” here means more than just the number 1. It speaks of uniqueness, of a being who is in a category all by Himself. This wasn’t just a creed to be recited, but a total life orientation. In the very next verse, Israel is commanded, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” The oneness of God demands the wholeness of our devotion.
[00:01:37] Logical Necessity of One Infinite God
This is not just a revealed truth; it’s a logical necessity that flows from everything we have already learned about God’s nature. We affirmed that God is infinite. By definition, there cannot be two infinite beings, for one would necessarily limit the other, which is a contradiction. We affirmed that God is the Almighty, the sovereign ruler over all things. By definition, there cannot be two ultimate sovereigns. The pagan worldview was filled with gods who had limited domains—a god of the sea, a god of the harvest, a god of war—who were often in conflict. The claim that there is “One only” God is to say that there is only one being who is uncreated, self-existent, and absolute. All other claims to deity are, by their very nature, fraudulent.
But the catechism does not stop there. It is not enough to simply say there is one God. We must know what kind of God He is, for this is what distinguishes Him from the idols of our hearts.
[00:02:35] The Living and True God vs. Idols
And so, the answer continues: He is “the living and true God.”
The proof text for this comes from the prophet Jeremiah, chapter 10, verse 10: “But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.” To understand the power of this statement, you have to read it in its context. In the surrounding verses, Jeremiah mercilessly mocks the idols of the nations. They are made of wood and decorated with silver and gold. They are the work of craftsmen. They have to be carried because they cannot walk. They cannot speak. Jeremiah says, “They cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” They are dead, inert, powerless things.
In stark contrast, Jeremiah declares that our God is the living God. He is not a static object or an abstract force. He is personal, active, and powerful.
[00:03:28] Elijah’s Confrontation with the Prophets of Baal
There is perhaps no more dramatic illustration of this in all of Scripture than Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in 1 Kings 18. There you have the ultimate showdown. On one side, 450 prophets of Baal, frantically crying out, dancing, and even cutting themselves to get the attention of their god. And what is the result? Silence. “There was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.” Baal was a dead god. On the other side stands Elijah, the lone prophet of the LORD.
He calmly rebuilds the altar, lays the sacrifice, and prays a simple, confident prayer to his God. And what happens? Fire falls from heaven and consumes not just the sacrifice, but the wood, the stones, the dust, and even the water in the trench. The God of Israel proved Himself to be the living God, the God who sees, hears, and acts in power. The idols are things that men have to carry; the living God is the one who carries His people.
And He is the true God.
[00:04:29] The True God vs. False Idols
This means He is the reality to which all other claims of deity are false. The idols are a lie. They are, as Jeremiah says, a “delusion.” They promise security, comfort, or power, but they are a fraud. They cannot deliver. The god of money promises security but vanishes in a market crash. The god of personal comfort promises happiness but leaves us empty and alone. They are false gods because they are built on false promises.
Our God is the true God because He is reality itself, and He alone is faithful to His promises. He is the one in whom we can place our ultimate trust, because He is who He says He is, and He will do what He says He will do.
[00:05:10] The Liberation of the Christian Faith
So, when we bring the whole answer together, we see its profound pastoral power. Because there is only one God, our allegiance must be undivided. Because He is the living God, our worship is not a dead ritual but a dynamic relationship. And because He is the true God, our faith is not a blind leap but a confident trust in ultimate reality.
And this is the great liberation of the Christian faith. We are freed from the exhausting, impossible task of serving the endless parade of dead, false idols our hearts produce. We are freed from the anxiety of divided loyalties. We are called to give our whole heart, our whole soul, and our whole might to the One who is worthy, for there is but one God… the living and true God.