you shall not misuse the name of the Lord

This week we continue to work our way up the Ten Commandments counting backwards to the top of the list. And so this week we up to the third commandment: you shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. So tonight we need to talk about how it is we speak about God. Apparently the issue of speaking God’s name correctly is rather important. Of all the various laws in the Old Testament that deal with different ways to honor and respect God—things like sacrifices and purification washings and priestly garments and temple alters—only a few instructions show up in the Ten Commandments.

But as we have been discovering in this series, the instructions given in the Ten Commandments have broad implications in the scope of their application. And so we have seen how Jesus took a commandment like the seventh—forbidding adultery—and Jesus broadens it to include all forms of lust and inappropriate desire. And we have seen how the Apostle Paul has taken the fifth commandment—about honoring father and mother—and Paul broadens it to include honor for all authority structures. Well, today is no different as we consider all the implications of the third commandment. So we will consider here all the various ways scripture teaches us about misusing the name of the LORD.

Let’s break down how it is we are going to work through this commandment as we see Jesus applying it in the gospel of Luke. In particular then we will focus on verses 8-10 of Luke 12.

Luke 11:37–12:12 NIV

37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal. 39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. 42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone. 43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces. 44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.” 45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.” 46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them. 47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all. 52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.” 53 When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say. 1 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. 4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

As we work our way through this passage and commandment today we will talk about what it means to misuse the name of God. We will talk about this commandment’s instruction to properly confess the name of God. And we will talk about the condition that is attached to the third commandment.

Importance of Names

First thing then before we get into talking about what it means to misuse the name of God, we need a refresher on names. This commandment has to do with the name of God. Normally we could spend an entire sermon unpacking and talking about the importance of God’s name. But today I am just going to summarize a few key items about the name of God.

names have meaning

One, names have meaning. In the Bible, people were not given names simply because they were trendy or sounded nice. Names were given because of the meaning behind those names. The name of God is no different. The name of God is significant because of what that name means.

names define character and reputation

Two, names define character and reputation. The Hebrew word for name also carries with it the meaning of reputation or character. The Hebrew word can rightly be translated to mean any of those things. In the Hebrew mind they all point to the same idea. So in the Old Testament when you talk about someone’s name you are also talking about that person’s character and reputation. Therefore, we could just as easily translate Exodus 20 to say “Do not misuse the character of the LORD…or Do not misuse the reputation of the LORD.”

YAHWEH = “I AM” - continual, ongoing, active presence

Three, God’s name—YAHWEH—refers to his continual, ongoing, active presence. God’s name itself boldly testifies to his continuing faithful and abiding presence. This is an extremely important understanding for the third commandment—that God’s name refers to his active presence with his people. We need to hold on to that because it will come up as vitally important a bit later as we work our way into applying how the third commandment works.

Misusing the Name of God

What does it mean then to misuse the name of the LORD? Maybe you have always grown up with an understanding that misusing God’s name amounted pretty much to using filthy language and swear words that involve the name of God. And so by that understanding, keeping the third commandment simply meant avoiding bad language with regards to God’s name. but I’ve already hinted with you that—like the other commandments—there is more going on here than simply watching your swear words. So let’s consider how a broader view of this commandment takes shape.

misusing God’s name implies that we misuse the meaning of God’s name

If God’s name has meaning—which it does—then misusing God’s name also implies that we misuse the meaning of God’s name. Or let me say it another way. When we say things about God that are not true we violate the third commandment. For example, the Westboro Baptist Church occasionally still makes news for protesting against homosexuality by holding up signs that say things like, “God hates gay people”—sometimes in much more colorful language than that. This is a breaking of the third commandment because it is saying something about God that is not true. God does not hate gay people. God does not hate any people. God loves people. God hates sin and evil, but God loves people.

God’s name refers to his character and his reputation

Remember also that God’s name also refers to his character and his reputation. When we say things about God that deny or go against his character and his reputation then we break the third commandment. It is God’s character to be faithful and abiding in love. When you and I say things that deny this character and reputation of God then we break the third commandment. When other people renounce God’s faithfulness then they misuse the name of the LORD.

speaking and acting in ways which violate God’s character is misusing the name of the Lord

But let me take this one step further, because we are talking about more here than just words. What if we never say words that violate God’s character but still live as though we violate God’s character? What do I mean by that? What if we never say out loud with our mouths that God is unfaithful, but we live in such a way that our actions say it for us. If you happen to be a person who saw your 401k retirement account go in the tank back during the great recession right as you were about set to retire, it might be easy to become paralyzed by fear because now you are left wondering how you will ever survive and be able to pay the bills. But be reminded that our God is faithful and will meet all our needs. To remain paralyzed by fear in this situation denies the faithfulness of God. To live as though you do not believe God can meet your needs denies the character of God’s faithfulness.

Excursus: Psalms of Lament

psalms show us that we can properly bring complaint before God in the form of lament while still affirming his character and reputation

Please allow me to make an important distinction here. Just because we are forbidden to deny God’s character and reputation still allows us a proper place for expressing lament to God. There is a difference here. The Psalms show us that we can properly bring complaint before God in the form of lament while still affirming his character and reputation.

psalms of lament always include a section in the psalm that expresses hope and trust in God

So when the Psalmist writes, “How long, O LORD, how long” it is not a denial of God’s presence. Rather it is an expression of the Psalmist’s complaint that God seems distant. It is the psalmist’s complaint that God’s intervention is delayed, but it is not an outright denial of God’s character, because you will notice in psalms of lament that the psalmist always includes a section in the psalm that expresses hope and trust in God.

So to question God in prayer and lament is often seen in scripture. But to completely turn our backs to God in denial of his faithfulness is prohibited by the commandments.

Denying the Name of God

God’s name means that he is with us and is active among us

The ultimate violation, then, of the third commandment is to live in such a way that denies the very name of God. Remember we talked about how important the meaning of that name is. God’s very name testifies to his continual, ongoing, and active presence. God’s name means that he is with us. Not only is God with us; God is active among us.

failing to acknowledge God’s active presence among us is misusing the name of God

But let’s be honest now. Can any one of us honestly say that we live every single moment of every single day of our entire lives remembering and affirming that God is continually and actively present with us? You see, honesty would compel each one of us to admit that we don’t always acknowledge the active presence of God in our lives. We forget to seek his counsel from time-to-time. We stumble into sin and wander away from God, and need to be called back again. God’s name means active presence—he is the I AM—but you and I forget that. We don’t always remember that he is there.

The Unpardonable Sin

Exodus 20:7 — “for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” Luke 12:10 — “anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.”

This leads us to one of the most troubling and confusing parts of today’s passage. The third commandment comes with a condition attached to it—it is one of the two commandments in Exodus 20 that has a condition along with it. We saw one of them a few weeks ago when we looked at the fifth commandment to honor father and mother, “so that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” Now we see the other commandment with a condition: “For the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” And together with verse 10 in today’s passage from Luke 12, “Anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” These give us what has historically been called the unpardonable sin—the sin that God will not forgive.

Many people are puzzled by this notion of an unforgivable sin—people may even lose sleep worrying over this. Much has been written and debated concerning the unpardonable sin. In light of what we have considered here today from this passage and from the teaching of the catechism we can get an accurate understanding of what Jesus meant by these words and what the third commandment implies about it. There are three basic viewpoints about the unpardonable sin. Let me explain them.

1. any single instance of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is grounds for eternity in hell

First, there have been some throughout history who claim that any single instance of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is grounds for eternity in hell. They would look at these words of Jesus as it applies to each individual sin that is committed. And they claim that the punishment is eternal.

2. any single instance of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is grounds for punishment from God now, but not eternity in hell

There is a second group that also sees the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as a single instance of sin that is committed. But they would claim that the punishment for this sin is rendered in this life, not for all eternity. And so God will deal out the consequences of this sin, but not subject someone to an eternity of hell because of it. After all, they rationalize, would God really condemn a person who lives a full life of faith and belief but makes this one mistake of blasphemy?

3. Calvin said that the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not a single occurrence or one-time event, but rather a life-time of rejecting the Holy Spirit

Then there is a third understanding of the unpardonable sin. This is the understanding that John Calvin put forward and that those of us in the reformed faith hold as most correct. Calvin said that the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was not a single occurrence or one-time event. Calvin said that this refers to a life-time of denying the work of the Spirit. Or in other words, those who—throughout their entire life—reject the Holy Spirit are guilty of the unpardonable sin. Those who continually claim that there is no God are guilty of rejecting the Holy Spirit.

Affirming God’s Name

HC 99 - “use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say.”

We cannot leave it here though. We have talked about different ways we fall into misusing the name of God by what we say and by what we do. But our catechism instructs us to go even further. Question 99 of the catechism also instructs us to “use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say.”

Now we are talking about more than avoiding saying the wrong things about God. Now—the catechism instructs us—we also are required to say, to confess, to pray, to profess everything that is true about God’s name—about his character and reputation. Often in this series on the Ten Commandments I have noted how these commandments which state a negative prohibition also imply a positive affirmation. The third commandment is no different. It is not only a commandment which directs us to avoid saying the wrong things about God; it is also a commandment which implores us to say the right things about God.

what is it in your life that boldly testifies to God’s character and reputation?

So consider this now. What is it in your life that boldly testifies to God’s character and reputation? Did you notice what it is in today’s passage that Jesus accuses the Pharisees of doing? It’s hypocrisy; they say one thing, but do another thing. Jesus calls out the religious leaders because the words and action of their lives do not line up with what it is they ought to know and believe about God, about God’s character, about God’s reputation. So then, how can we be people who—more and more—align the words and actions of our lives together with God’s character and reputation?

Jesus calls out the sin of hypocrisy among religious people

I think it starts there. Jesus is calling our attention to something pretty important there. Religious people have a hard time with hypocrisy. And maybe you read this passage from the gospels and think, yeah, but that was the Pharisees who didn’t really understand who Jesus was, but that’s not us. No. Religious people have a hard time with hypocrisy. If our first reaction to that statement is one of denial and avoidance, then it only further confirms the truth of Jesus’ words in this passage of scripture. Can we start there? Start with a prayer that says, “God, show me the places in my life in which I am a hypocrite.”

Barna survey showed that two-thirds of people who left the church and walked away from their faith identify the hypocrisy of other Christians as the reason why they left

The Barna Research group shows consistently in surveys done over the last decade that the number one reason atheists in America reject the Christian faith has nothing to do with God or the Bible, it has to do with church and other Christians. The barrier which keeps people in this country away from faith is not God, is not the Bible, is not the teaching or the doctrines; it’s us—we are the barriers that keep people away from God. The most recent survey Barna conducted on this topic showed that two-thirds of people who left the church and walked away from their faith identify the hypocrisy of other Christians as the reason why they left.

begin by looking at myself — invite the Holy Spirit into my own life to change my own heart

“God, show me the places in my life in which I am a hypocrite”

Maybe this seems overwhelming and depressing, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There is something you can do. There is an application from this passage that can make a difference when you leave this place. There is a way our understanding of the third commandment can be helpful in our everyday lives. It starts with a mirror. It begins by looking at myself. Maybe hypocrisy seems so easy to identify in other people, but wow are we blind to seeing it in ourselves. It is not your job to change the hearts and attitudes of other people. It is not your job to change the world. But it is your place as a follower of Jesus to allow and invite the Holy Spirit into your own life to change your own heart. It starts with a look in the mirror at your own soul; it starts with a prayer that says, “God, show me the places in my life in which I am a hypocrite.” Don’t point your finger around at other people; point at yourself. You are not responsible for changing the hearts of other people; you are responsible for your own heart.

Look again at how this passage from Luke ends in verses 11-12.

verse 12 — “for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say”

Luke 12:11–12 NIV

11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

do not misuse the name of the Lord; instead, let the words and actions of your life be a testimony to the character and reputation of the Lord

Do not misuse the name of the Lord. Instead, let the words and actions of your life be a testimony to the character and reputation of the Lord. And Jesus assures us here in today’s passage that God himself will assist you in doing that.

in your personal devotions this week identify one attribute or characteristic about God which you see in scripture — keep it in front of you throughout the week

Let me close with one practical suggestion for how you can do this in the week ahead. Take a moment in your personal devotions with God this week to identify one attribute or characteristic about God which you see in whatever scripture you are using as your devotion passage. Think about how you can keep that in front of you this week. Maybe copy that verse or passage onto an index card or sticky note along with the attribute of God you see in that passage. Find a place to keep that in front of you every day. If you are the kind of person who uses one of those day-planner calendar appointment books, tuck it in there on the page for this week. My wife has the habit of occasionally putting cards like that on the bathroom mirror. If you drive a commute to work every day, maybe think about sticking it on the dashboard of your car somewhere you will see it every day.

this is how the Holy Spirit teaches you in the moment what you should say

This is how the Holy Spirit teaches you in the moment what you should say. It happens by placing the treasure of scripture into your heart and allowing God to do in your heart what only God can do. And then you are ready. You are ready to go into a week in which your words and actions will testify to God’s true character and reputation.