3rd Commandment

Earlier this year I bought a tractor. I’m a pastor; I don’t know tractors. After surfing around the AgDealer website, I asked people who know more than I: Is this a good tractor?

Um, they’d say, steer clear: those tractors are maintenance hogs; always need work.

Or: OK tractor, sketchy dealer. I’d look at a machine very closely before buying from those people.

And: why don’t you look at this brand, they have a good name for reliability and their warranty is excellent.

It’s not just tractors and dealerships that get judged by brand name. If I told you I got another Honda Fit, you’d nod politely. OK, whatever. What if I said I got a Ferrari? I suspect the reaction would be different (We’re overpaying the pastor!). The different reaction is based on the car’s brand name, on the company’s reputation.

Here’s what I’m getting at: something similar happens when you introduce yourself as a Christian. People make assumptions about Christians and ideas on how church-people think and act. Every Christian they meet adds to their mental picture of Christians – positively and negatively. The way you interact with people affects their perceptions of Jesus and God the Father and the church.

That’s how blanket statements are built. Big difference b/t:

All Chr. are judgemental hypocrites.

Christians are generally generous, honest, and kind.

Your words and actions as a Christian affect the stereotypes people have. Reputations build up slowly. Respect is established over a long time. But it only takes one event to destroy trust and ruin a good name.

Now think about the third commandment. Moses brought God’s instructions (the Torah) down from Mt Sinai after the Lordrescued his people from slavery and brought them safely through the Red Sea. Now they’re standing at the foot of the mountain, the same place that God met Moses in the fiery bush, the place where Moses learned God’s name:

God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” Exodus 3:14 (NIV)

Now the Israelites are told:

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. Exodus 20:7 (NIV)

What do you think this commandment means?

At the most basic level, it calls you to use the Lord’s name respectfully, reverently. So, some Chr. watch their language carefully so they don’t misuse God’s holy name by swearing.

“Oh my God,” might be appropriate when you’re singing or praying, but think for a second: Do you really want to say “Oh my God” when you’re surprised?

I’ve talked to people who were not raised in Chr. homes. The only time they heard Jesus’ name from their dad was when he was angry or drunk or both. Their mom would swear a blue streak alongside all kinds of 4-letter words.

That’s not the kind of language a Chr. want to be known for, is it?

There’s room among Chr. for conversations about whether the polite substitutes are appropriate. To avoid saying “God” or “Jesus,” should you say “gosh,” “gee,” or “OMG” instead? Where do you draw the line on using or misusing God’s holy name?

One of the Confessions from the reformation helps. Q&A 99 in the HC looks at the third commandment. The first part of the answer deals with negatives: “what is forbidden?”

Q. What is the aim of the third commandment?

A. That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God

by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths,

nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders.

Cursing: calling down God’s judgement; saying: “damn you.” That’s a powerful curse in God’s name. Is that really what you want to say to your neighbour, someone God calls you to love?

Perjury: lying under oath – we’ll come back to this on 9th commandment, “you shall not give false testimony.” It comes up here b/c an oath is calling God as you witness that you’ll tell the truth. If God is your witness who sees all and knows all, how dare you lie under such an oath?

Unnecessary oaths: In gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches: “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Matthew 5:37 (NIV)

One way we use the 10 Commandments is: as a teacher of sin. It’s how God teaches us what sin is. It shows the contrast b/t righteousness and wrong-doing, b/t walking in the light or walking in the darkness.

How are you doing w/ this commandment and using God’s name? How are you w/ earning a good reputation for Jesus and his church?

Don’t despair. The verses we read from Peter’s 1st letter give hope. They remind us of the before and after pictures.

Peter is writing to Chr. in Asia Minor who used to be pagans, unchurched people, and then they put their faith in Jesus Christ as their rescuer from sin and death. Even now they aren’t trying to become good enough for salvation. No! In Jesus Christ, God has already called them out of darkness into God’s wonderful light!

How?

Jesus rescued them. They were stuck in a pattern of behaviour that led away from God. Their words and actions made them guilty of sin against their Creator. Among other things, they misused God’s holy name.

Although all people are made in God’s image and were declared, “very good,” our first parents chose a path of rebellion, disobedience, and sin that leads to destruction, death, and ultimately to damnation – an eternity apart from God’s goodness, his light, and his love. God preserves his integrity and upholds his reputation by letting people face the consequences he put in place for human disobedience.

But Jesus came – both God and human – to rescue humankind. Jesus’ life and his death uphold God’s reputation for truth and grace. The truth is: humans deserve to die for their sin. So Jesus became human to take your punishment. Self-sacrifice shows how deep God’s love and grace runs for you. God would rather suffer and die than lose his dearly loved people.

He took on himself our guilt for the ways we have shown disrespect to our Creator. He took our punishment for misusing God’s name by dying on the cross. When he rose from the grave 3 days later, he leads his followers in giving the praise and glory that is due his Father’s holy name. He leads believers out of darkness and into his glorious light. By faith in Jesus, you have eternal life with God and for God!

One of the earliest sermons the Apostle Peter preached included this explanation of salvation through Jesus:

Jesus is “‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11–12 (NIV)

Out of thankfulness to Jesus for our salvation, we’re now called to join with Jesus in doing good: to show love to our neighbour and give God proper honour and glory and love – to uphold God’s good reputation and demonstrate proper use of God’s good name. We’re called on mission with Jesus to show the grace and truth of God the Father.

In his 1st letter, Peter talks about an identity change among believers. A new identity and new life-goals:

You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. I Peter 2:9 (NIV)

We looked at the negative side of the law: “What is wrong-doing?” There’s also a positive side: What should we do?

In Jesus’ resurrection, we have become the people Peter describes: “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession.” Along with a new identity, Christians have been given a new mission in life: “that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Declaring praises is done in worship services, in prayer, and in family devotions – worship is all about expressing what God has done in Creation, Redemption, and setting all things straight.

Declaring God’s praises is done in Bible studies when we describe to others how awesome God is and try to find the right words to express how God created and rescued us and what an appropriate response is.

Declaring his praises is done when someone asks why you go to church or believe in God. You tell them the truth of what God has done for you. Something like:

My sin and wrongdoing leads to death and damnation

but b/c of his love and mercy, Jesus rescued me

and now my life is dedicated to declaring his praise!

We use God’s holy name properly when we confess God, pray to God, and glorify God in all our words and works.

In the Heidelberg Catechism, A 99 explores how we should use God’s holy name properly.

In summary, we should use the holy name of God

only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly

confess God, pray to God,

and glorify God in all our words and works. HC Q&A 99

Confess God – express your allegiance, your trust, your faith in God, not just on Sunday morning in church. Do you confess faith in Jesus on the shop floor? on the soccer pitch? in the mall?

When you pray to God, you’re calling on God’s name. It’s personal and intimate; you’re talking to your heavenly Father. Prayer should also be reverent: you’re talking to the Creator and Redeemer of the universe, sitting on the throne of heaven, surrounded by thousands of heavenly angels.

So do ALL your words and works bring glory to God? Peter’s letter sets a high standard for Chr., a lofty goal:

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

I Peter 2:12 (NIV)

Our goal is to give our neighbours good reasons to glorify God on the day of Christ’s return.

Here’s something to talk about after church:

Some Chr. are concerned about rainbow flags. In our culture, rainbow flags represent a way of thinking about human sexuality that argues against the traditional interpretations of the Bible. It’s lamentable that the rainbow – the symbol of God’s promise never to destroy the world with a flood – has been co-opted to represent human sexuality.

I wonder about how some Chr. express their objections to rainbow flags.

Do we want Jesus’ name to be associated w/ vandalizing rainbow crosswalks or cutting holes in privately owned flags hanging on private property?

What is a good way to imitate Jesus “speaking the truth in love”?

Are these good deeds that bring glory to God or declare his praises?