Do I Abuse God's Name?


Q. What is required in the third commandment? 

We are not to blaspheme or to abuse the Name of God by cursing,

Leviticus 24:10-16 

  • Now the son of an Israelite woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel; and this Israelite woman’s son and a man of Israel fought each other in the camp. 
  • And the Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the name of the Lord and cursed; and so they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.) 
  • Then they put him in custody, that the mind of the LORD might be shown to them. 
  • And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 
  • “Take outside the camp him who has cursed; then let all who heard him lay their hands on his head, and let all the congregation stone him. 
  • “Then you shall speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin. 
  • ‘And whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall certainly stone him, the stranger as well as him who is born in the land. When he blasphemes the name of the Lord, he shall be put to death. 
perjury, 

Leviticus 19:12 

  • And you shall not swear by My name falsely, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.

or unnecessary oaths,

Matthew 5:37 

  • But let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No.” For whatever is more than these is from the evil one. 
James 5:12 

  • But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes,” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment.

nor to share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders.

Leviticus 5:1 

  • If a person sins in hearing the utterance of an oath, and is a witness, whether he has seen or known of the matter; if he does not tell it, he bears guilt. 
Proverbs 29:24 

  • Whoever is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He swears to tell the truth, but reveals nothing.

Rather, we must use the holy Name of God only with fear and reverence, 

Psalm 99:1-5 

  • The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; let the earth be moved! 
  • The LORD is great in Zion, and He is high above all the peoples. 
  • Let them praise Your great and awesome name; He is holy.
  • The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 
  • Exalt the LORD our God, And worship at His footstool; He is holy. 
Isaiah 45:23 

  • I have sworn by Myself; the word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. 
Jeremiah 4:2 

  • And you shall swear, ‘The LORD lives,’ in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; the nations shall bless themselves in Him, and in Him they shall glory.”

so that we may rightly confess Him,

Matthew 10:32-33 

  • Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 
  • But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. 
Romans 10:9-10 

  • that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 
  • For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

call upon Him, 

Psalm 50:14-15 

  • Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High.
  • Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” 
1 Timothy 2:8 

  • I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting;

and praise Him in all our words and works.

Romans 2:24 

  • For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written. 
Colossians 3:17 

  • And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. 
1 Timothy 6:1 

  • Let as many bondservants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and His doctrine may not be blasphemed.
The Heidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 36

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