tagged: Rob Ayers, Ten Commandments, Theology

The Third Commandment: "What’s In a Name?"

Posted by Rob Ayers in Baptist Life, Bible & Theology, Church & Missions, News & Culture

One of my favorite resources (as I have shared before here and here) on the Ten Commandments is the work by Alistaire Begg entitled Pathway to Freedom: How God’s Laws Guide Our Lives (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2003). I preached a series of sermons based upon the outlines provided by Pastor Begg (having gained his written blessing so I would not be in violation of the Eighth Commandment).  Several themes and also some common words that are attributable to Pastor Beggs  are written below.

Why this post now? I am very concerned. I am very, very, very concerned. In the last few days, I have seen some un-Scriptural justifications for actions that have really troubled me – and these justifications have centered themselves in contradiction to the moral law contained in God’s Revelation which is the background and basis of knowing what righteous living is! Of knowing what the boundaries for our good are, what we can and should do, and what we should avoid that pleases God and does not quench the Spirit!

Our current culture is a moral wasteland and relativistic cesspool with even self-proclaimed Christians being uncertain of what is true or not true. It is then that some Christians make a horrendous mistake – they base truth on pragmatism  instead of the clear teachings of the Word. If “it works” then it must be true, regardless of what God’s Word clearly states.  Ladies and Gentleman, let me introduce you to what God as written down for our good: His instruction for righteousness and holy living – the Scriptures. It is unequivocal, and is not subject to private interpretation or modification. It certainly “works” but it’s veracity is not subjected upon working – it is merely true because God said that it is.  It is codified into the “New Covenant” by the words of Jesus when He said, “not one yod or tittle will pass away.”  It continues today as God’s standard for righteous living.  It saves no one – Jesus does – but it’s purpose is two-fold: 1)To be the standard on how we are to live – this is the standard in which the Holy Spirit will guide us in everyday living and 2)It is the instructor that show us the folly of trying to be good “in our own eyes”  – the way “we perceive it” will always fall short of it’s simple perfection which is God’s answer to existentialism.  Part of these commands are not the “Ten Suggestions” – they are indeed the “Ten Commands.”  Here is one of them:

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” – Exodus 20:7

I remember going to the movies as a youngster. My mother would take us children to the matinee because she could get us in for a $1.00 apiece. We would bring in popcorn and canned pop and take in whatever cinematic enjoyment that was offered. My parents also enjoyed going to the drive-in, the world famous “Admiral Twin” in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My sister and I would wear our pajamas, taking with us our  pillows and blankets, and go off to the movies. It was here we fell in love with our favorites such as, “The Jungle Book,” “Herby the Love Bug,” “The Parent Trap” and many many others.

On one of these trips to the movies, my parents were confronted with a dilemma. A friend of theirs from church had recommended a movie, telling them, “It’s pretty good.” We then bundled up for another Friday evening of movie fun. We settled in with our soda and popcorn, watched the previews and cartoons, and waited for the main attraction.

Yet we did not stay long. While the movie was not rated to the point that kept children forbidden from the premises, those who rate movies will not forbid a child from entering “for language” unless the four letter sex verb is used. Language assaulting the holy character and name of God such as GD and JC are often deemed “okay” for young children to watch “with parental supervision.” We were assaulted by the proliferate use of profane verbiage assaulting the Lord from the first minute of the movie until we departed five minutes later. This was the length of time it took to get over the shock of being lead astray by a friend, putting the sound box back on the pole, and finding our way out among the parked cars. My parents demanded and then received their money back. All during this time they talked with us children about the inappropriateness of using the name of God in such an obscene manner. I remember my father assaulting his friend in the foyer at church about the movie. All my dad’s friend kept repeating of course was the old justification I have heard from many people throughout the years: “It was just entertainment.” That sounds like “it is just fiction” does it not?

Consider the response of my parents over forty years ago with a lot of parents who are believers today. We live in a culture that routinely endorses blasphemy as a way of life. Most people of all ages and in all places carelessly misuse the name of God in these dark days. Shucks, when was the last time you took yourself out of a movie which used God’s name in an obscene way?

A few years ago in December  I was driving the children s  group around in my van. This was part of the children s Christmas party. We would first go do some caroling with our shut-ins and others who needed a lift of encouragement, and then enjoy a pizza party at Mazzios. Several of our children brought some of their friends to go with them which our leaders strongly encouraged them to do. One child who was a guest who was no more than twelve years of age routinely and repeatedly said in my hearing the blasphemy, “Oh, God!” At first I tried to be subtle by asking, “Are you praying? Let me join you.” When my subtlety did not work in stopping the behavior, I demanded kindly yet firmly that the blasphemy end. The child wanted to debate me, saying that this phrase meant nothing for it was only a figure of speech routinely used by people today, and which was commonly used at school by both students and teachers alike. My response to the child about the statement, “this phrase means nothing”?  “Baloney!” The child then said that I had just slimmed and blasphemed “baloney.” I said that never in my experience could a piece of baloney hold me guilty or ever bring me before the judgment seat by misusing its name – yet God can and would bring me before Him and judge me if I misused HIS name. I did not hear the phrase the rest of the night.

And while I was happy that the children of our church did not mimic the blasphemy in my hearing, I was also disappointed with them. They did not once lovingly tell their friend that this language of using God’s name was inappropriate. My only conclusion can be is that they heard this particular phrase so much, they have been so desensitized by the stuff they read, the television and movies they watch, and the use of it by friends at school, it just went in one ear and out the other. It also struck me that both we in church and parents at home are not emphasizing as we should the holiness and reverence of God’s name. As has been demonstrated from this
example, blasphemy is no longer just in entertainment. It is in everyday life.

As it is written:

“Remember how the enemy has mocked you, O Lord,
How foolish people have reviled your name.”  – Psalm 74:18

The third commandment in the negative forbids every wrong use of God’s name; in the positive it demands that we use His name in reverence and awe. Why is this so important?  The answer – God’s name is more than just a title. His name declares His character. It proclaims who He is and what He does. The name of God comes to stand realistically for God Himself.  As the Second Commandment protects the description of God as His own self-revelation in forbidding mere men the right to mangle His description by their own imaginations, the Third Commandment protects His name in the same way from being called anything under the sun that profanes His character. As it is written by God through Solomon:

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”  – Proverbs 18:10

When we consider the Ten Commandments, let us keep in mind the following principles of interpretation:

1. The commandments are spiritual and therefore require us to obey them from our hearts. Outward conformity must be the product of inner affection.

2. There is a positive and negative aspect to each commandment. Where sin is forbidden, a duty is commanded; where a duty is commanded, a sin is implied.

3. Each commandment forbids not only the acts of sin but also the desire and inclination to sin. So where a sin is forbidden, what leads to sin is also forbidden.

In naming Himself, God lovingly accommodates Himself to us and our finite way of thinking. Is it not love and goodness that God decides to stoop towards us and permits us to use His name? The limitations of our existence requires God to reveal Himself if we are to have adequate knowledge of Him.

As it is written:

“I have not learned wisdom
Nor have I the knowledge of the Holy One.
Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of His hands?
Who has wrapped up the waters in His cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and the name of His Son?
Tell me if you know!” – Proverbs 30: 3-4

In the third commandment it is discovered that God jealously guards His name. He expects His friends, His children to do likewise; that is, guard and reverence His name.

We in America do not quite grasp this concept like those in Asia or Africa. When we attend a conference, we are given a name tag. We wear these to enable others to distinguish a Bill from a Tom, and a Mary from a Jane. However, missionaries among the Masai in Tanzania have found out a different reality. They have had to learn that the Masai consider as rude the idea of banding about personal names in public. In public, they prefer instead designations or titles such as “teacher” “preacher” “father” or “mother.” As a Masai told a missionary who had used his personal name in public, “Do not throw my name about. My name is important. My name is me. My name is for my friends.”

This also illustrates an important concept. When someone is close and/or dear to us, we do not like to think of anyone making fun of them by misusing their name. Surely then it is inconceivable what we would demand in defense of a family member or a friend we would deny to the Lord our God and the Savior of our very lives Jesus Christ His Son!

This is in accord with the first petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Hallowed be thy name.”  To hallow the majesty of His name means we are not to profane His name by treating it contemptuously or irreverently…we should be zealous and careful to honor His name with godly reverence. We should also be willing to defend it when others scurrilously attack it.

What really should be noted for us is this: obedience of the third commandment will serve to distinguish between those who love God from those who do not (the Second Commandment does too by the way). The following is how Solomon so wisely distinguished between two harlots who claimed one living son to be theirs:

Then the king said, “bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and
Give half to the one, and half to the other.”
Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!”
But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.”
So the king answered and said, “Give the first woman
the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother!”
- I Kings 3: 24-27

We too can distinguish between those who truly love and serve the Lord and those who do not. Do you respect and honor the name of the Lord? Or do you also use the “Oh, God” blasphemy in your everyday existence? Although many pretend to be Christians, they have never been known to be such; they do not worship God, pay Him due deference, or even give Him their service, time, or resources which is properly His. How then does the name of the Lord fare in their life? In the world? Would they divide the
house of God with their trivial disputes? Or do they for the sake of the name they profess seek peace and love with the brethren?

There is a great laxity towards the Lord’s name in these dark days. As someone has said in a editorial in a large city newspaper, “Now in the 21st century the letters g-o-d spell nothing.“  Instead of allowing the contemporary culture to squeeze us into its mold, we should join the psalmist and others in declaring by both our word and life the following:

“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”- Psalm 8:1

“…but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” – John 20:31

“And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

As our minds are renewed by the sanctifying power of God’s Word, we not only learn what the name of God means but also why it matters. And that friends is not a work of fiction – it is the truth.