January 26, 2014
The Third Commandment: Taking the Name
The Maker, Sustainer, and Governor of all things, our Lord and Savour, has a great name honoured above all others. God's name is taken in vain whenever we use it without due consideration and reverence.
Scripture: Exodus 20:7; Philippians 2:5-11
Sermon Notes:
- God’s name is taken in vain whenever we use it without due consideration and reverence.
- People are offended by the Ten Commandments because they are viewed as negative and offensive.
- The pagan practice of legislating positive concepts such as the “health of the people” can lead only to tyranny.
- The Bible’s negative concept of law is essential to the heritage of freedom in western nations. It is practical, plain, and realistic, prohibiting a specific act, such as theft.
- Biblical law is given a modest and limited role, and entails a limited state. The law is to restrain certain evil actions rather than trying to control everybody (cf. 1 Tim. 1:8-11).
- When the law prohibits blasphemy, it allows free speech.
- Positive enactments of law such as “health of the people” mean that elite state planners must regulate everything.
- The Maker, Sustainer, and Governor of all things, our Lord and Savour, has a great name honoured above all others.
- Adam was to name, classify, and define all creatures. But God reveals His name as the self-defining I AM (Ex. 3).
- God is beyond definition in terms of our human limitations.
- God is independent existence, immortal, invisible, the all wise God, and the source of all definition.
- Jesus self-identifies as I AM in John 8:58. Jesus is the full manifestation of God’s name in His person (John 17:6).
- To usurp God’s prerogatives or to use His name in association with falsehood is the essence of blasphemy.
- Swearing and filthy language can also be blasphemous.
- The reverence and honour of God’s name was so important to the Jews that they hesitated to use it.
- Despite God’s greatness, in Christ, we have the awesome privilege of calling Him Abba (“Daddy”) Father.
- Every religion, every state, has a law against blasphemy.
- Under the modern state, the concept of blasphemy is transferred to the self-identifying man.
- In a time of cheap oaths and vows, how can you have a justice system, how can you trust witnesses?
- The name of Jesus is to be highly reverenced; we should not use His name idly, or as a polite expletive.
- We are blaspheming the name of God 1) when our lives are not holy; 2) when we disbelieve God’s word; 3) when we take oaths falsely on the Bible; 4) when we murmur against God’s law; 5) when we deliberately distort God’s Word (cf. Prov. 19:29; Gen. 18:25).
- To take God’s name, but not to believe Him is to make Him a liar.
- It is unloving to let people continue in habits of profanity and blasphemy.
Application Questions
- In what ways do we fail to honour and respect the name of God?
- In a blasphemous culture, how can we hallow God’s name?
- Why is the negative and limited concept of law essential to civic liberty? Cf. Paul in 1 Timothy 1:8-11.
- Why is man’s self-definition an attempt to play God?
- In our culture what gods are hallowed and protected?
- Recount how God’s name is exalted in Psalm 145.
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