Sunday Worship 11.00 am and 6.30 pm Minister: Dr William (Bill) J M Parker
4. How Do You Use It? – Exodus 20:7 - 29/4/2018 (am)
Ten Commandments
Sermon Date:29th April 2018 (am)
How Do You Use It? - Exodus 20:7
Main Teaching Point:
God commands that we should not misuse His Name.
Many Christians limit breaking of the Third Commandment (3C) to verbally abusing God’s Name. This is a dangerous misunderstanding!
The Thrust of the 3rd Commandment
3C literally says You shall not bear/lift up the name of the LORD your God to falsehood/emptiness. God’s Name speaks of His identity/character. Historically, to safeguard against breaking 3C, Jews refused to pronounce God’s covenant Name YHWH [tetragrammaton – the 4 letters speaking of God’s self-sufficiency/existence, supreme authority]. When read they substituted Adonai (Lord) or Jehovah (consonants of JHWH plus vowels of ADONAI).
What is Forbidden in the 3rd Commandment?
The Westminster Confession of Faith, Larger Catechism (WCFLC), Question/Answer 113 gives an extensive answer (I encourage you to look it up). It includes:
- Blasphemy. Treating God’s Name with irreverence/contempt. Calling God The Man upstairs/above comes perilously close to blasphemy! Using God’s Name flippantly, without thought is blasphemous [the Oxford Dictionary states that ‘Jesus’ is An oath used to express irritation, dismay, or surprise]. Athletes thank God for victory, Chat Show hosts end with Good night, God bless. Are they using God’s Name with proper awe/reverence? Are we when we sing or pray?
- Perjury. Attaching God’s Name to falsehood, lying under oath in court. (Leviticus 19:12; Genesis 27:20).
- Murmuring against God’s decrees and providences. How could God do that? God, why are You letting this happen to me?
- Perverting what the Bible says. Using the Bible to justify a wrong course of action.
- Using God’s Name to advance your own agenda. God told me to do it, or, God told me to tell you …
- Opposing God’s truth and ways. Denying the reality of creation, Jesus’ divinity, humanity, resurrection. A promiscuous lifestyle. Ignoring the institution of marriage.
- Saying you are a Christian when you are not(Isaiah 29:13).
- A slovenly Christian life(Ephesians 4:1; Colossians 3:23-24). Others judge what we profess with our mouths by examining what we do in our lives and judge Jesus accordingly.
- Rejecting salvation. Treating the Lord Jesus’ work with contempt.
Are you surprised? Have you seen yourself as guilty of breaking 3C in ways you were not aware of?
The Seriousness of Transgressing the 3rd Commandment
Misuse of God’s Name shows contempt towards God and His love, grace, mercy. It is a direct attack on His honour, glory. God will count as guilty those misusing His Name (Leviticus 24:10-23).
Guarding against Breaking the 3rd Commandment
- Realise how easy it is to break 3C.
- Recognise you have broken 3C countless times.
- Rejoice that Jesus has taken the punishment you deserve for breaking 3C
- Repent of your sin.
- Always verbally revere God’s Name.
- Always carefully watch your walk with the Lord (Micah 6:8).
- Always humbly accept God’s providences in [your] life.
In short, a holy profession and a holy life. (Look up WCFLC Question and Answer 112).
When someone is dear to us we want others to respect them. When their name is disrespected, they are disrespected. Will we desire for those who are dear to us what we deny our Creator, Saviour, Lord? Let us do all that we can to honour God’s Name by how we use it verbally & how we live it behaviourally.
© Dr Bill Parker 2018