The first of the Ten Commandments given at Mount Sinai was this:
You shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3).
When we understand who the Lord is, it is easy to see what is wrong with having other “gods.” No one else can compare with God! Yes, there are some beings who have power. But all their power simply points to the far, far greater power of the true God who made them. He made everything “alone” (Isaiah 44:24). He does not need or depend on anyone else. If God gave them power, He can also take it away from them. He who gave them life can just as easily end it. Before Him, they are powerless!
The apostle Paul helped people to leave their useless “gods.” He wrote letters to those who believed his message. Here is what Paul said about idols:
For we know that ”an idol has no real existence,” and that ”there is no God but one.” (1 Corinthians 8:4)
… you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God (1 Thessalonians 1:9).
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods (Galatians 4:8).
ERV: In the past you did not know God. You were slaves to gods that were not real.