Online Business and the First Commandment

It was interesting that a recent Bible Lesson was about God, because I had an experience recently that brings home the differing perspectives of Christians regarding God, His power, and the First Commandment.

 I was sent a package in the mail, upon request, for me to look into a home-based, online business. I put in the DVD and it was a glossy propaganda piece about a "proven marketing system" that ensures success for everyone who gets involved in this business - one that apparently is run by a "major company" (though the name of the company was not mentioned) and is looking for people to sell its "wellness products" (which, again, the video did not describe - other than a couple of testimonials that claimed that using a certain product caused them to lose weight, lower their cholesterol, etc.).




I finished watching it, turned the TV off, and realized that this was not going to be a good fit for me.

The really interesting part was, this company apparently bought air time and endorsements from some of the country's top conservative radio talk-show hosts (those with apparently high percentages of so-called "Christian conservatives"). Anyway, the time came for me to speak on the phone with one of the business "coaches" that this company put forth. I calmly explained to her that this concept was not going to work for me, and she asked why.

"Because whatever you are selling directly competes with what I do," I said. She asked what I did, and I said, "I use prayer to help people achieve wellness." She tuned me out, and said, "Well, the Lord has blessed me and my family with this concept - you have your opinions and I have mine." With that, she abruptly hung up.

Yes, I do have my opinion, and it's this - I'm amazed that some Christians are OK with marketing to people with the underlying purpose of violating the First Commandment, in the name of achieving financial freedom.

In the aforementioned Bible Lesson, it said in Isaiah, "I am the Lord, there is none else; there is no god beside me." (Chap. 45). And in Exodus, the First Commandment is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Ex. 20:3). This is simply that God is the only power in the universe, and to believe in anything other than God to have power is erroneous and sinful.

This company is using Christians, who supposedly try to live a Christian life, which includes abiding by the First Commandment, to market products and give off the belief that they have the power to make people well. But the First Commandment says God, a spiritual entity, has all the power in the universe - so where does the power come from that is contained in these "products" which are not spiritual, but material?

The answer: Human belief. This company is playing the role of serpent in Eden, and it has apparently found a collection of Adams and Eves to beguile.

This could have been a big money-maker for my family, but I was not going to eat the fruit of the tree. God has said that He is the only power - I should only trust Him and believe in Him to provide my wellness constantly, perfectly, eternally. And I should not attempt to beguile others into believing something else, because that would make me a hypocrite.

That serpent, erroneous mental belief, certainly can be "more subtil than any beast of the field." We all have to be watchful of the propaganda we hear and see. Anytime there is a belief in a power other than God, we should dismiss it and rebuke it.

That is living by the First Commandment.