3rd Commandment: Reverence and Repentance

When I was a teenager, I remember getting my first computer. And I would talk online to all my friends, and I would go on Myspace and MSN messenger, and Skype. And it was awesome. Well if you’ve ever spent any time around teenagers, you can pretty much guess what the big conflict I had with my parents over this was… over privacy. I did not want my parents to be able to look at my accounts because it was a violation of my privacy. That’s because in our culture, one of the things that is the most sacred is privacy. Now as adults, we might laugh at those days a little. Of course, there are limitations to privacy, we all know. But the conflict that I had is a perfect example of something that is built into us. And it is what we might call a “sacred impulse.”

Law as Acquaintance

You see, one of the things that we have emphasized repeatedly throughout the 10 commandments is that each and every law in Scripture tells us something that is true about all people. It is what we call the first use of the law, that the law restrains evil. It does this because all people everywhere are created in God’s image, and therefore, even though they are corrupted by the Fall, there is something abobut God’s law that resonates with them and that somewhere deep down they try to keep, even though they cannot. And this law, that we not take the Lord’s name in vain is no different. You see this law tells us that in the heart of each and every person, there is what we could call a “sacred impulse.”

Jonathan Haidt, the sociologist and author says this about this impulse:

“The sanctity foundation makes it easy for us to regard some things as “untouchable,” both in a bad way (because something is so dirty or polluted we want to stay away) and in a good way (because something is so hallowed, so sacred, that we want to protect it from desecration).

If we had no sense of disgust, I believe we would also have no sense of the sacred...

And if you think, as I do, that one of the greatest unsolved mysteries is hjow people

Why do people so readily treat objects (flags, crosses), places (Mecca, a battlefield related to the birth of your nation), people (saints, heroes), and principles (liberty, fraternity, equality) as though they were of infinite value?

Whatever its origins, the psychology of sacredness helps bind individuals into moral communities.

When someone in a moral community desecrates one of the sacred pillars supporting the community, the reaction is sure to be swift, emotional, collective, and punitive.” - Jonathan Haidt

Essentially Jonathan Haidt says, every time you feel disgust at something, it because you have a sacred impulse in you. Now, you might say, “Well, that is just so primitive, those savages would hold some things as sacred." But the reality is that all people everywhere have this sacred impulse. In fact, Jonathan Haidt goes on to say, if you pay attention to a lot of the debates today, whether it is over the environment, gender, education, or even over civil rights, it’s not actually based on fact. It’s based on what people think is sacred.

So God created us this way. It’s not an accident that we are this way. And God wants us to direct our sacred impulse towards him. He wants us to put him above every single other thing, and only in this way will we give him the glory that is his due.

3rd Commandment

Do not lift up the name of the LORD your God

So, when God says, “the name of the LORD Your God” we have to remember what he is referencing. He is referincing , namely that the God who is, and that he has the God who as acted to save. God wants us to take into account both his existence otuside of time, and the fact that he has acted in time to save.

Exodus 3:14–15 ESV

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

Exodus 3:15 ESV

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

God’s Glory: Now, even though this word is not used in this passage, behind this is the idea of “glory.” Now, we’ve talked about this before, but the Hebrew concept of glory means God’s weightiness. SO when we are talking abbout God, he wants us to treat him with all the gravity and with all the seriousness which he deserves.

in vain: This word “vain” means “emptiness.” So what God wants in this commandment is that we not treat his name as if it is nothing. It means that we must not treat God as if he is “light.” IT means that we treat God with all seriousness, with all sobriety, with all gravity that he deserves. In other words, it means that we do not be a rogue planet or comet that does not revovle around GOd.

For he will not hold him guiltless: So here is God’s promsie: anyone and anything that acts out of line with this glory will go against God. He will punish every blasphemous word. He will give the consequences to those who do not give him the glory.

Those who call on God’s name will be saved (): Bbut wherever God promises judgment, there is also an implicit promsie of salvation. So if we do treat God’s name with all the gravity, with all the reverence, with all the respect it deserves, then we have the great privelege to call on God for salvation.

Cursing and Oaths

What does this prohibit?

Romans 10:13 ESV

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

What does this prescribe:

Recognizing God’s glory

Recognizing God’s holiness

Recognizing God’s righteousness

Recognizing God’s love

Our words shape how we view God

Our words reflect how we view God

John Piper say

“Today worship services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and fellowship gatherings in many churches do not have a spirit of earnestness and intensity and fervor and depth because people do not really believe that anything significant is at stake in the fight for joy-least of all their eternal life.”

Law as Enemy

How do we break this? 6 Ways

Outright Blasphemy

Leviticus 24:16 ESV

Whoever blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely be put to death. All the congregation shall stone him. The sojourner as well as the native, when he blasphemes the Name, shall be put to death.

Improperly Invoking God’s Name

James 5:12 ESV

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

Lying to God

Ananias and Saphira ()

Acts 5:1–5 ESV

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it.

Acts 5:1–5 ESV

Giving God Lip Service

Elton Trueblood

“The worst blasphemy is not profanity, but lip service.” - Elton Trueblood

Psalm 14:1 ESV

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

Isaiah 48:1 ESV

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.

Isaiah 48:8 ESV

You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel.

Isaiah 48:1 ESV

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and who came from the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and confess the God of Israel, but not in truth or right.

Isaiah 48:8 ESV

You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened. For I knew that you would surely deal treacherously, and that from before birth you were called a rebel.

Worshipping with an Impure Heart

Communion

1 Corinthians 11:28–29 ESV

Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

1 Corinthians 11:28–29 ESV

Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.

“Today worship services, Bible studies, prayer meetings, and fellowship gatherings in many churches do not have a spirit of earnestness and intensity and fervor and depth

because people do not really believe that anything significant is at stake in the fight for joy-least of all their eternal life.” - John Piper

Communion

Failing to give God the honor he deserves

Isaiah 50:10 ESV

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Isaiah 50:10 ESV

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Isaiah 50:10 ESV

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.

Treating God tritely

Only those who have never disobeyed this have the right to call on God’s name. Here’s what you need to know: you don’t have the right to call on God’s name. But he lets you anyways.

Christ never failed to uphold God’s name. Temptation of Christ.

Yet, God shows mercy even to us blasphemers () God magnifies his glory in showing us his grace and his mercy.

Here’s what you need to know: you don’t have the right to call on God’s name. But he lets you anyways.

1 Timothy 1:12–17 ESV

I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Law as Friend

Do everything to God’s Glory ()

Colossians 3:17 ESV

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

How can I align my priorities with God’s priorities?

Guard against license

How can I align my words with God’s character?

How can I align my plans with God’s plan?

Conclusion

Related Media

Related Sermons