Lesson 7: The Ten Commandments, Part 3
And here is Lesson 7:
“Does it grieve you my friends, that the name of God is being taken in vain and desecrated? Does it grieve you that we are living in a godless age? . . . But, we are living in such an age and the main reason we should be praying about revival is that we are anxious to see God’s name vindicated and His glory manifested. We should be anxious to see something happening that will arrest the nations, all the peoples, and cause them to stop and to think again.” - MARTYN LLOYD-JONES
Kirk's Comment
As we look at the Third Commandment, consider how you would feel if someone demonstrated enough disrespect for your mother to use her name as a curse word. No doubt you would be offended. How much more respect does Almighty God deserve from us, to whom He has given life.
Questions & Objections
“Isn’t it blasphemous to call the Bible ‘God’s Word’ when it makes Him look so bad?”
I am going to tell you some things about my father that will make him look bad. He regularly left my mother to fend for herself. I was once horrified to hear that he deliberately killed a helpless animal. Not only that, but he hit me (often).
Here’s the information that’s missing: The reason he left my mom during the day was to work to earn money to take care of her and their children. He killed the animal because it had been run over by a car and was suffering. He regularly chastened me because he loved me enough to teach me right from wrong (I was a brat).
Portions of the Bible that “make God look bad” merely reveal that we lack understanding. I never once questioned my dad’s integrity, because I trusted him (see Mark 10:15).
* * * * *
In this lesson we will look at the Third Commandment: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD your God will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
Transgression of the Third Commandment reinforces the biblical case that the mind of unregenerate man is hostile to God and His Law, that they “hate God without cause.” This thought is offensive to idolaters, who strongly contest that they don’t hate God. This is because they don’t hate their own concept of God; they are on congenial terms with the idol they have created.
Using God’s name in profanity is perhaps the simplest, most effective way for man to show his contempt toward his Creator. Godly Jews won’t even speak God’s name because it is so holy, yet unregenerate man uses it to express revulsion.
To slur someone’s name is to insult the very person. Even a foulmouthed, tattooed, hardhearted biker has a soft spot for his mother. He may have a tattoo of the devil on one arm and “Mom” on the other. If you want to get a free facial, insult his mother.
When Moses asked to see the glory of God, notice how God responded: “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you . . .” (Exodus 33:19).
God’s glory, His name, and His goodness are synonymous.Moses was told that if he saw God face to face in all of His glory, he would die (Exodus 33:20). How fearful it will be for blasphemous humanity to stand before the unspeakable glory of God, in all of His goodness, and give an account for every idle word. God’s goodness will ensure that His justice is carried out.
It is also interesting to note that when a blasphemer is questioned about why he would do such a thing, his reaction will often confirm the words of Scripture that he is taking God’s name “in vain.” He will say, “I wasn’t really using God’s name as a cuss word. It’s just a word.” In essence, God’s name isn’t anything special and isn’t worthy of any respect. His attempt at justification merely adds to his sin. It is hard to understand how the world can hold the names of God and Jesus Christ in such disdain that they can be used to express disgust. Hitler’s name wasn’t despised enough to be used as a cuss word.
If you hear God’s name taken in vain, don’t tell the person it’s offensive; use it as an opening for the gospel. While the Bible instructs us to “reprove and rebuke,” it says to do so with “all longsuffering [patience] and doctrine.” It is therefore important that we don’t alienate the person we are trying to reach with the gospel. Our objective isn’t to reprove someone because he has offended us with blasphemy, but to reach him for Christ. It is wise to try to engage the person in a conversation about natural things with the objective of witnessing to him. Because you know that he has openly transgressed the Third Commandment, when you ask if he has ever used God’s name in vain, you can gently remind him that you heard him do so.
Study Questions
1. What does blasphemy reveal?
2. Why will some people claim that they don’t truly hate God?
3. With what is God’s name synonymous? Why is this fearful?
4. How do blasphemers often compound their sin?
5. How should you react if you hear someone using God’s name in vain?
Preacher's Progress
Lucy Mouth: “I heard what you said to Sal. I haven’t made a #!*$ god to suit myself. And I don’t believe in heaven or hell.”
Christian: “May I ask you a few questions?”
Lucy Mouth: “Sure.”
Christian: “Have you ever used God’s name in vain?”
Lucy Mouth: “What do you mean?”
Christian: “Have you ever used God’s name as a cuss word? You know. . . when something goes wrong, you say, ‘Oh, G-d!’”
Lucy Mouth: “Yeah, I’ve done that, plenty of times. So what?”
Christian: “Do you know what you are doing when you do that?”
Lucy Mouth: “No. And I don’t *!#+$ care.”
Christian: “Let me tell you what you are doing. Instead of saying a filth word beginning with ‘s’ to express disgust, you are taking the holy name of the God who gave you life and using it as a substitute to express your disgust.”
Lucy Mouth: “I don’t believe in !@$!* God.”
Christian: “That doesn’t matter. You still have to face Him on Judgment Day whether you believe in Him or not.What you’ve done is called blasphemy, and the Bible says, ‘The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.’ God gave you a conscience. You know right from wrong . . . and I wouldn’t be in your shoes on Judgment Day for all the tea in China. But thanks for listening to me. Bye.”
Never be afraid to be (lovingly) confrontational. You will be amazed at what you can say to someone if your tone is in the right spirit of gentleness. And don’t be afraid to use fear as a motivator. Any fear a person has now because of your words of warning will be nothing compared to the fear he will have if he “falls into the hands of the living God.” The Lake of Fire should motivate the Christian to cast aside his own fear of rejection that can come in the guise of not wanting to offend the unbeliever.
Feathers For Arrows
The Parable of the Fishless Fishermen Fellowship: The fishermen were surrounded by streams and lakes full of hungry fish. They met regularly to discuss the call to fish, the abundance of fish, and the thrill of catching fish. They got excited about fishing! Someone suggested that they needed a philosophy of fishing, so they carefully defined and redefined fishing, and the purpose of fishing. They developed fishing strategies and tactics. Then they realized that they had been going at it backwards. They had approached fishing from the point of view of the fisherman, and not from the point of view of the fish. How do fish view the world? How does the fisherman appear to the fish? What do fish eat, and when? These are all good things to know. So they began research studies, and attended conferences on fishing. Some traveled to faraway places to study different kinds of fish with different habits. Some got doctorates in fishology. But no one had yet gone fishing.
So a committee was formed to send out fishermen. As prospective fishing places outnumbered fishermen, the committee needed to determine priorities. A priority list of fishing places was posted on bulletin boards in all of the fellowship halls. But still, no one was fishing. A survey was launched to find out why. Most did not answer the survey, but from those who did, it was discovered that some felt called to study fish, a few to furnish fishing equipment, and several to go around encouraging the fishermen. What with meetings, conferences, and seminars, they just simply didn’t have time to fish.
Now, Jake was a newcomer to the Fisherman’s Fellowship. After one stirring meeting of the Fellowship, he went fishing and caught a large fish. At the next meeting, he told his story and was honored for his catch. He was told that he had a special “gift of fishing.” He was then scheduled to speak at all the Fellowship chapters and tell how he did it.
With all the speaking invitations and his election to the board of directors of the Fisherman’s Fellowship, Jake no longer had time to go fishing. But soon he began to feel restless and empty. He longed to feel the tug on the line once again. So he canceled the speaking, he resigned from the board, and he said to a friend, “Let’s go fishing.” They did, just the two of them, and they caught fish.
The members of the Fisherman’s Fellowship were many, the fish were plentiful, but the fishers were few! -Anonymous
Words of Comfort
I have found an excellent way to inoffensively and effectively share my faith. All I do is carry in my pocket a few pennies that are pressed with the Ten Commandments. I take one out and give it to a stranger and say, “Here, I have a gift for you.” As I hand people the glistening penny, they ask, “What is it?” I reply, “It’s a penny with the Ten Commandments on it. How many have you kept?” They predictably say, “Pretty much all of them. I’ve broken one or two here and there, but I’ve never killed anybody.” Then I gently go through each Commandment. It never fails to work.
On one occasion, I had only thirty seconds to speak to someone who was in an elevator with me. I pulled a penny out of my pocket, handed it to him and said, “Here, I have a gift for you.”He predictably asked, “What is it?” I said, “It’s a penny with the Ten Commandments on it. How many have you kept?” I waited for the usual response. Instead, he looked down at the penny and said, “This is the first one I’ve been given.” He walked out before I could say another word.
Memory Verse
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."- 1:12
Last Words of:
The Duke of Buckingham, a professed atheist, confessed as he died:
“I sported with the holy name of heaven. Now I am haunted by remorse, and, I fear, forsaken by God.”
“Does it grieve you my friends, that the name of God is being taken in vain and desecrated? Does it grieve you that we are living in a godless age? . . . But, we are living in such an age and the main reason we should be praying about revival is that we are anxious to see God’s name vindicated and His glory manifested. We should be anxious to see something happening that will arrest the nations, all the peoples, and cause them to stop and to think again.” - MARTYN LLOYD-JONES
Kirk's Comment
As we look at the Third Commandment, consider how you would feel if someone demonstrated enough disrespect for your mother to use her name as a curse word. No doubt you would be offended. How much more respect does Almighty God deserve from us, to whom He has given life.
Questions & Objections
“Isn’t it blasphemous to call the Bible ‘God’s Word’ when it makes Him look so bad?”
I am going to tell you some things about my father that will make him look bad. He regularly left my mother to fend for herself. I was once horrified to hear that he deliberately killed a helpless animal. Not only that, but he hit me (often).
Here’s the information that’s missing: The reason he left my mom during the day was to work to earn money to take care of her and their children. He killed the animal because it had been run over by a car and was suffering. He regularly chastened me because he loved me enough to teach me right from wrong (I was a brat).
Portions of the Bible that “make God look bad” merely reveal that we lack understanding. I never once questioned my dad’s integrity, because I trusted him (see Mark 10:15).
* * * * *
In this lesson we will look at the Third Commandment: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD your God will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
Transgression of the Third Commandment reinforces the biblical case that the mind of unregenerate man is hostile to God and His Law, that they “hate God without cause.” This thought is offensive to idolaters, who strongly contest that they don’t hate God. This is because they don’t hate their own concept of God; they are on congenial terms with the idol they have created.
Using God’s name in profanity is perhaps the simplest, most effective way for man to show his contempt toward his Creator. Godly Jews won’t even speak God’s name because it is so holy, yet unregenerate man uses it to express revulsion.
To slur someone’s name is to insult the very person. Even a foulmouthed, tattooed, hardhearted biker has a soft spot for his mother. He may have a tattoo of the devil on one arm and “Mom” on the other. If you want to get a free facial, insult his mother.
When Moses asked to see the glory of God, notice how God responded: “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before you . . .” (Exodus 33:19).
God’s glory, His name, and His goodness are synonymous.Moses was told that if he saw God face to face in all of His glory, he would die (Exodus 33:20). How fearful it will be for blasphemous humanity to stand before the unspeakable glory of God, in all of His goodness, and give an account for every idle word. God’s goodness will ensure that His justice is carried out.
It is also interesting to note that when a blasphemer is questioned about why he would do such a thing, his reaction will often confirm the words of Scripture that he is taking God’s name “in vain.” He will say, “I wasn’t really using God’s name as a cuss word. It’s just a word.” In essence, God’s name isn’t anything special and isn’t worthy of any respect. His attempt at justification merely adds to his sin. It is hard to understand how the world can hold the names of God and Jesus Christ in such disdain that they can be used to express disgust. Hitler’s name wasn’t despised enough to be used as a cuss word.
If you hear God’s name taken in vain, don’t tell the person it’s offensive; use it as an opening for the gospel. While the Bible instructs us to “reprove and rebuke,” it says to do so with “all longsuffering [patience] and doctrine.” It is therefore important that we don’t alienate the person we are trying to reach with the gospel. Our objective isn’t to reprove someone because he has offended us with blasphemy, but to reach him for Christ. It is wise to try to engage the person in a conversation about natural things with the objective of witnessing to him. Because you know that he has openly transgressed the Third Commandment, when you ask if he has ever used God’s name in vain, you can gently remind him that you heard him do so.
Study Questions
1. What does blasphemy reveal?
2. Why will some people claim that they don’t truly hate God?
3. With what is God’s name synonymous? Why is this fearful?
4. How do blasphemers often compound their sin?
5. How should you react if you hear someone using God’s name in vain?
Preacher's Progress
Lucy Mouth: “I heard what you said to Sal. I haven’t made a #!*$ god to suit myself. And I don’t believe in heaven or hell.”
Christian: “May I ask you a few questions?”
Lucy Mouth: “Sure.”
Christian: “Have you ever used God’s name in vain?”
Lucy Mouth: “What do you mean?”
Christian: “Have you ever used God’s name as a cuss word? You know. . . when something goes wrong, you say, ‘Oh, G-d!’”
Lucy Mouth: “Yeah, I’ve done that, plenty of times. So what?”
Christian: “Do you know what you are doing when you do that?”
Lucy Mouth: “No. And I don’t *!#+$ care.”
Christian: “Let me tell you what you are doing. Instead of saying a filth word beginning with ‘s’ to express disgust, you are taking the holy name of the God who gave you life and using it as a substitute to express your disgust.”
Lucy Mouth: “I don’t believe in !@$!* God.”
Christian: “That doesn’t matter. You still have to face Him on Judgment Day whether you believe in Him or not.What you’ve done is called blasphemy, and the Bible says, ‘The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.’ God gave you a conscience. You know right from wrong . . . and I wouldn’t be in your shoes on Judgment Day for all the tea in China. But thanks for listening to me. Bye.”
Never be afraid to be (lovingly) confrontational. You will be amazed at what you can say to someone if your tone is in the right spirit of gentleness. And don’t be afraid to use fear as a motivator. Any fear a person has now because of your words of warning will be nothing compared to the fear he will have if he “falls into the hands of the living God.” The Lake of Fire should motivate the Christian to cast aside his own fear of rejection that can come in the guise of not wanting to offend the unbeliever.
Feathers For Arrows
The Parable of the Fishless Fishermen Fellowship: The fishermen were surrounded by streams and lakes full of hungry fish. They met regularly to discuss the call to fish, the abundance of fish, and the thrill of catching fish. They got excited about fishing! Someone suggested that they needed a philosophy of fishing, so they carefully defined and redefined fishing, and the purpose of fishing. They developed fishing strategies and tactics. Then they realized that they had been going at it backwards. They had approached fishing from the point of view of the fisherman, and not from the point of view of the fish. How do fish view the world? How does the fisherman appear to the fish? What do fish eat, and when? These are all good things to know. So they began research studies, and attended conferences on fishing. Some traveled to faraway places to study different kinds of fish with different habits. Some got doctorates in fishology. But no one had yet gone fishing.
So a committee was formed to send out fishermen. As prospective fishing places outnumbered fishermen, the committee needed to determine priorities. A priority list of fishing places was posted on bulletin boards in all of the fellowship halls. But still, no one was fishing. A survey was launched to find out why. Most did not answer the survey, but from those who did, it was discovered that some felt called to study fish, a few to furnish fishing equipment, and several to go around encouraging the fishermen. What with meetings, conferences, and seminars, they just simply didn’t have time to fish.
Now, Jake was a newcomer to the Fisherman’s Fellowship. After one stirring meeting of the Fellowship, he went fishing and caught a large fish. At the next meeting, he told his story and was honored for his catch. He was told that he had a special “gift of fishing.” He was then scheduled to speak at all the Fellowship chapters and tell how he did it.
With all the speaking invitations and his election to the board of directors of the Fisherman’s Fellowship, Jake no longer had time to go fishing. But soon he began to feel restless and empty. He longed to feel the tug on the line once again. So he canceled the speaking, he resigned from the board, and he said to a friend, “Let’s go fishing.” They did, just the two of them, and they caught fish.
The members of the Fisherman’s Fellowship were many, the fish were plentiful, but the fishers were few! -Anonymous
Words of Comfort
I have found an excellent way to inoffensively and effectively share my faith. All I do is carry in my pocket a few pennies that are pressed with the Ten Commandments. I take one out and give it to a stranger and say, “Here, I have a gift for you.” As I hand people the glistening penny, they ask, “What is it?” I reply, “It’s a penny with the Ten Commandments on it. How many have you kept?” They predictably say, “Pretty much all of them. I’ve broken one or two here and there, but I’ve never killed anybody.” Then I gently go through each Commandment. It never fails to work.
On one occasion, I had only thirty seconds to speak to someone who was in an elevator with me. I pulled a penny out of my pocket, handed it to him and said, “Here, I have a gift for you.”He predictably asked, “What is it?” I said, “It’s a penny with the Ten Commandments on it. How many have you kept?” I waited for the usual response. Instead, he looked down at the penny and said, “This is the first one I’ve been given.” He walked out before I could say another word.
Memory Verse
“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."- 1:12
Last Words of:
The Duke of Buckingham, a professed atheist, confessed as he died:
“I sported with the holy name of heaven. Now I am haunted by remorse, and, I fear, forsaken by God.”