This
past weekend I attend the quarterly meeting of our Presbytery (soon-to-be-divided),
a regional (somewhat) gathering of EPC churches in Laurel, MS. It was great to get together with dear
friends who I so rarely get to see and catch up with. It’s a time in which we handle the business
of the church on a larger scale, but it’s also a time of fellowship. We talk little about theology, but instead
about families, friends, mutual acquaintances, and life in general. We spend much time talking about each of us
as a person and not strictly as a pastor.
However, the conversation does eventually turn to something that has happened
in one of our congregations. We laugh
with and at each other as we share stories about things that have happened at
our particular churches. We’ve shared
stories of awkward situations, strange events, and comical moments. And if you have ever known a pastor who says
that he doesn’t do this, then he’s lying.
One of my
friends and mentors in ministry shared a story one time about a sermon preached
by a guest preacher on our text for today, the third commandment. Now, this text is commonly interpreted as a
condemnation against coarse language, particularly that which contains the name
of God. Well, this guest preacher stood
up in the pulpit and the first few words out of his mouth at the time of the
sermon were comprised of only those of a profane nature. He capped off this little episode by then
stating the “biggie” that most of us say is strictly forbidden by this commandment
right from the center of the pulpit.
Now, he then went on and gave his opinion as to why he hadn’t violated
this commandment (an opinion that he and I do not share), but no one in
attendance really heard anything he said.
All they could focus on was how he began his sermon. The conversations in the car after church
weren’t about how he presented God’s Word in a unique way so that it finally
made sense, but that families couldn’t believe what he had said. After all, he was a preacher and he said it
in church…in the sermon.
Now, I point to
this example not just to show how some have so brutally misinterpreted this
text, either too loosely or too strictly, but to point to an even greater
tragedy. You see, for this pastor to
stand in the pulpit and to spew such profanities and end with God’s name being
taken so misused shows just how diluted the name of God has become in our world
today. The third commandment reads, “You shall not take the name of the Lord you
God in vain.” Some translations say
something to the effect that you shall not misuse the name of God. God’s name is special; it’s special because
it carries with it his personal identity.
It deserves reverence and awe.
Using it frivolously is common today and we quite often fail to realize
how serious of an error it is. The way
that we use God’s name conveys how we really feel about him. When we feel that we can use his name the
same as we would any other name, then we have diluted God to be just like any
other person. We should respect his name
and use it appropriately. We should
speak it in praise and worship with reverence and not carelessly in cursing or
in jest. Now I’m not saying that we go
so far as to follow the ancient or modern orthodox Jewish school of thought and
not even be allowed to say or write out the name of God. I’m just saying that we ought to have a sense
of the magnitude of that name when we use it.
When we say or write or in any way use God’s name, we ought to treat it
with the reverence and respect that it deserves. Our usage of his name should in no way shape
or form lessen our view, or anyone else’s view, of God.
I want to also
point out that not only does this command speak to how important God’s name is
and the reverence that we ought to display when using it, but it also speaks to
our using his name of ourselves. By
this, I mean that the misuse or taking of his name in vain extends much further
than just what we orally portray. It
extends to our actions, behaviors, and really all parts of our lives as well. When we call ourselves children of God, when
we call ourselves Christians, but we live in a manner that is against God, that
is a violation of this commandment as well.
Think about it; if we are saying that we are of God and yet are living
and acting in defiance of God’s will, then isn’t that a misuse of the God’s
name. To claim that we belong to him yet
his Word has no impact upon us is vainly taking and using God’s name. When we became Christians, we didn’t say that
we believed in God and belonged to him, but were going to wait a few years
until we began living as such (at least not intentionally we didn’t). No, when a Christian professes faith in Jesus
Christ as their Lord and Savior then they are forever changed from that moment
on. From that point they are to forever
be marked by the name of God, proudly baring the name Christian across their
chest. When I speak with a couple prior
to their getting married, I make sure and emphasize that they are not just
making a pledge to each other, but they are making a pledge to each other in
the name of God. When we make that
pledge in God’s name, then we are to honor that pledge unless for some reason
there is a violation that is allowable by God.
I know that I am going to offend with this statement, but “growing
apart” isn’t exactly a Biblical grounds for breaking a vow taken and made in
God’s name. I use this as an example
because it is quite possibly the most common form of misusing and taking God’s
name in vain that exists in our world today.
The third and
final aspect of the third commandment is found in the second half of verse 7, “You shall not take the name of the Lord in
vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” For the Lord will not hold him guiltless who
takes his name in vain. My pastor
friend, in telling the story about the guest minister, when he tells this
story, says that you could just see the look on people’s faces in the
sanctuary. It was as if they were
waiting for a bolt of lightning to come through the ceiling and strike him
right where he stood. When we hear
someone take God’s name in vain, or when we see someone claiming to worship God
but living a lifestyle contrary to the Christian nature, we often look for the
punishment. We look for the way in which
God is going to punish that person(s).
Unfortunately, we even start to want to witness it just so we can be
there to give the typical “told you so” response (a response that we will see
typically comes from our own sinful desires and not from God). However, that’s not the way it works.
I want you
think back with me to some 2000+ years ago to the city of Jerusalem, to the
story of Palm Sunday and the Triumphal Entry.
I want you to remember back when we walked through John’s gospel how the
very same people who lined the street praising Jesus as the king were the same
ones chanting a few days later to have him crucified. Well, as Jesus was entering the city, the
people were shouting, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” They took God’s name in vain. They were not cheering for God, but for
themselves in the name of God. When we
lie under oath or when we profess Christ as Savior with our mouths but not with
our hearts, we are guilty of the same crime.
Have you even
taken his name in vain? Have you ever
professed with your mouth and not your heart?
Have you ever said that you would follow, trust, and obey, but instead
ran, doubted, and defied? Have you taken
his name in vain? God will not hold him
guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Now, I realize that the reaction to this is going to be “Well, does that
mean that everyone who uses God name profanely, breaks a religious vow, or gets
divorced will not be considered guiltless before God?” Well, my answer is “Yes, but that’s only if
it were up to us.” As we’ve said before
(and are going to continually say), we are looking at the commandments through
the lens of the cross of Christ. Our
being declared guiltless before God Almighty has absolutely nothing to do with
us. It has to do with the blood of
Christ; the blood of Christ which covers all sins. There is nothing outside of the righteousness
of Christ and the forgiveness found in him.
Which brings me to a second question, have you trusted in Christ? Do you trust in him as your Lord and
Savior? Do you think that on the last
day when you stand before God, He'll receive you in because you've been a good
person, but you've never taken up for yourself the name which is above every
name? Do you know what the Bible says
about that name? There is no other name
in heaven, under heaven, whereby a man can be saved. Don't come to the one true God on the last day
unless you know the one who has the name above every name because in the end he
will say, “I never knew you.” And so as
to not leave any loopholes, do you really think that those who live lives
consciously in violation against God and then make some flippant profession at
the end will be declared guiltless?
Absolutely not. I’m not saying
that a person cannot be converted at the end of their life, but such conversion
must be of genuine faith and not some last ditch effort for salvation. The name of God, profession of Jesus Christ
as Lord, is something that must be made with all the reverence, honor, and
glory that it deserves. So you see, it’s
not all about us not using coarse language, but it is about us recognizing and
living out the fact that God’s name is above all others. It’s about us living with a fear of the
Lord. It’s about us being in awe that
the one who created us has chosen to reveal himself to us and granted us a
means by which we may come to know him.
It’s about putting no person, place, or thing anywhere near the
magnitude of God the Father Almighty.
That’s what we are told in this third commandment. Glory be to God; in the name of the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment