Joel M Bradshaw

3And Samuel said to all the house of Israel, “If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your heart to the LORD and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.” 4So the people of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtaroth, and they served the LORD only. –1 Samuel 7

Inclusivity is seen by many to be a virtue. Equity of outcome is also viewed that way by some, as well. But neither are on the table here. It’s very simple. Israel’s God wanted no pantheon. Yahweh demanded exclusivity. This is the basis of the first of the 10 Commandments. No other object of worship is his equal and deserving of being uttered as a member of his unique category. No other gods can stand before Yahweh.

To claim relationship benefits from Yahweh, Israel needed to live in a manner that proclaimed exclusivity. Worship is always an either/or and not a both/and. Returning to Yahweh is a wonderful thing, but it must be done with all your heart. You can’t give God some.

The gospel is inclusive in that all may come. But it is exclusive in that you may only come through Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6, with emphasis)

When it comes to God’s love, you want all. But are you willing to give him all of you? Be exclusive with your worship.–JMB