How Do You Take God’s Name in Vain?
Exodus 20.7
(Exodus 20:7) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
What is this verse telling us this morning?
Not to curse using God’s name. Now I did not come to preach this morning about cussing.
I came to preach this morning about taking God’s name in vain.
This means saying His name in an off the cuff remark, like saying Jesus Christ when you see or hear some bad news.
It is like saying, Oh God! When you hear or see something bad. It is like saying Jesus! When you mash your finger or stub your toe.
You see, anytime we say the name of the Lord outside of worship, witnessing, Bible Study, and Prayer, we are most likely guilty of taking His name in vain.
God’s name is to be revered, and be respected more than any other name upon the face of the earth.
After all, at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that He is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
God has given Jesus the name that is above every name! The name of Jesus is the only name that a man can call on and be saved!
We all need to watch our mouths!
But this is not the message that I have to bring to you this morning either.
What I have to say this morning, may offend some people. What I say this morning will probably speak to every person here that is a true born again believer.
What I have to say this morning is there is another way of taking God’s name in vain, that more times than not, is completely overlooked in the lives of us that call ourselves a child of God.
How many of you would sit back and allow someone to deface, degrade, desecrate the name of your father or mother?
How many Christians do the same thing to the name of God, by the way that they live?
Preacher, I think that you are way out of line. There is nothing that I DO that takes God’s name in vain!
Well, I want to show you from scripture some things this morning that might make you take a step back, and evaluate “How you take God’s name in vain.”
Paul in Romans 2.24, says, For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
In AD 19, four Jews convinced a young Roman convert, to make a huge donation to the Jerusalem Temple.
They misappropriated the money for their own use and created a scandal that resulted in the expulsion of the Jews from Rome by Emperor Tiberius.
Paul was saying that God’s name was blasphemed among the pagans because of the behavior of Christian worshippers.
That only proves that the lost people took God’s name in vain.
i.e. Cut off in traffic and wreck. You wrecked the other guy didn’t. Who’s fault is it.
You see, the way you live and conduct your life can and does take God’s name in vain.
What are some things that you do that is in essence taking the name of the Lord thy God in vain?
• TV/Movies
• Off color jokes
• Gossip
• Lack of Church attendance
o No excuse for being lazy!
o No excuse for just not coming to God’s house.
o The only reason that I believe will justify not coming to church is when you are physically unable or providentially hindered.
Stop lying to yourself and others about why you don’t come to church—GOD knows the real reason! You lost your WANT TO and replaced it with I Just Can’t!
Unbecoming conduct as a Christian. How many of you realize that this is a big one.
This one is even mentioned in the constitution and by-laws of this church.
Did you know that according to the C & BL of this church,
church discipline is supposed to initiated because of tattling, back-biting, excessive anger, and use of alcoholic beverages?
Did you know that according to the By-Laws of this church that ALL members are EXPECTED, first of all to be faithful in ALL duties essential to the Christian Life; and also to ATTEND HABITUALLY the services of the church...
If you confess that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior, and you go against the Christian principles of the Constitution and By-Laws of this church (which are by the way, based on the Bible); then you are taking God’s name in vain by the way you conduct yourself as a Christian.
When we worship with our lips and not with our hearts, we take His name in vain.
How many times do you come to worship service and leave the same way that you came?
In doing this, you take His name lightly and use it in vain. God is a God of Promise.
When you are not changed by the hearing of His Word and being in His presence, you mock God and all His promises to you and the church.
You take His name in vain.
How many Christians live a hypocritical life? It has been said that pretended holiness, is nothing more than double wickedness.
Whenever we do not live up to the call of the Christian life, we take God’s name in vain.
We are mirrors that should reflect the perfection and holiness of God.
If the mirror claims to be Christ’s and reflects the tendencies of the devil, then we use the name of Christ in vain and PEOPLE SEE THAT!
How many prayers do you pray in doubt? God promises to make good on all the prayers prayed in His will.
Do you doubt the will of God? Do you doubt His promises? Do you doubt when you pray?
When we pray but do not believe Him, we take His name in vain.
Whenever we make a promise to do something and not keep it, we are lying as Christians, and making a mockery of God’s name. When we make a promise to God and do not keep it, we are taking His name in vain.
When we sin in public—whether it is losing our temper, telling or listening to a dirty joke, just plain doing something that is un-Christlike and a lost person says “what a hypocrite”, we have given them the opportunity to blaspheme God’s name.
(2 Samuel 12:14) Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme...
Did you hear what the Bible calls the lost? The enemies of the Lord.
Now, let me ask you something...The FBI agent that was found helping the Russians a few years ago, what was he guilty of?
TREASON. If you help the enemy you are a traitor. If you are a traitor to the USA do you deserve to be punished. ?
Then how much more do we deserve to be punished by God for being traitorous to Him as we take His name in vain?
Look at the punishment David received for giving GREAT OCCASION TO THE ENEMIES OF THE LORD—the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
I don’t say that lightly, and I don’t say that to say that every time you sin God will take your child.
I am trying to show you the seriousness of TAKING GOD’S NAME IN VAIN by your CONDUCT!
Do you think that some of the trials we go through might be because we take His name in vain?
When God punished the Israelites for their continued sin against Him, it caused the people in the countries that Nebuchadnezzar carried them through to exile to profane God’s name when
they said “These are the people of the Lord and are gone forth out of his land.” Ezekiel 36.16-20.
God’s just punishment of His people, can lead to blasphemy by the lost when they realize that God’s people have been punished for their un-Christlike behavior.
God punished them for their behavior.
Has God’s punishment come upon you for taking His name in vain?
Have you taken His name in vain and are awaiting retribution?
What have you done in your life that has taken God’s name in vain, and not only you but “this deed has given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme?”
The altar is open this morning. If you are guilty, and I suspect everyone of us in here are, I am calling all the guilty down to the altar this morning.
There shouldn’t be any Christian left in the pew this morning. We all, myself included need to kneel at this altar this morning and make amends to God for taking His name in vain.
No music, no hymnbooks, make your way to the altar now! I will be here if you need me, and I want to pray over us all!
If you can’t kneel, come to the front pew and sit and bow before the Lord.
If we need to, come and step up on this altar and kneel around the pulpit.
God is waiting for you and for Thompson Creek Baptist Church to deal with Him this morning.
Let’s all allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives this morning. Let us all do some real soul searching this morning and make things right with God.
IF you are lost and you are guilty of taking God’s name in vain, Jesus Christ offers free pardon for all your sins if you will just accept Him today, right now as Lord and Savior of your life.
God gave the Israelites a second chance in Ezekiel 36. He said that He would sanctify His name again among His people, so the lost would see and realize just who He is.
God will give us the same second chance to repent of taking His name in vain, and to open the eyes of those we have caused to do the same.
Would you come.
