TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7 ESV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• Wayne and I have a very specific rule in our house, and while we don’t have to enforce it often, we have on occasion: no blasphemy. As uncomfortable as it can be to correct a guest, we do not allow God’s name to be taken in vain in our home.
This isn’t what I intended to write about this morning, but for some reason – it’s what I feel needs to be said. Some who read this may think, “Duh. Christians don’t take God’s name in vain. It’s the third commandment.” Mostly, I believe that’s true, and if you’re like us – you cringe at the casual way our Savior’s name is used in cursing. None of us want to hear it. And though we don’t personally speak it and we don’t use it in our homes, we still invite it in through movies, books, and music.
Rabbit trail alert: why is it, and how is it that Jesus’ name became a cuss word? Do you ever wonder that? You never hear of someone dropping Muhammad or Buddha’s name in an irreverent way. It baffles me how people who claim not to believe in God will casually drop His name in everyday conversation, or use His name to swear or curse.
But getting back on track… How are we to treat God’s name, and specifically, are we called to defend His name? At the end of the day, one person’s sins, including blasphemy, are between them and God. Is it our job to be the morality police for everyone else? I have mixed emotions on it. After all, we live in the land of free speech. Technically, someone can say whatever they want. However, I also have freedom of religion. The waters get very muddy when the freedom of one person crosses over to conflict with the freedoms of another. But while our country and the US Constitution is based on Judeo-Christian values, our Constitution isn’t a part of the Bible. So the freedoms our Constitution offers aren’t apples to apples in Scripture. Again though, it’s another rabbit trail…
I’m just going to share some thoughts here and let you work with the Holy Spirit to come up with your own conclusion on this topic:
- If we watch movies, listen to music, or read books that include blasphemy, are we complicit to it?
- If we don’t correct people who speak God’s name in vain in our presence, are we silently giving approval?
- Is it our job to defend the name of Jesus?
We already addressed the fact that God told us not to speak His name in vain in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:7). And in Matthew 12:36, Jesus said, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” Y’all, I’ve said it before… I think this is one of the most terrifying statements in all of Scripture.
So my next question to consider… Can our actions blaspheme His name? We all know the old saying — “Actions speak louder than words.” Do our actions honor God, and if they don’t — are they a form of blasphemy?
If we live by Joshua’s words, “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” I have to wonder… (Joshua 24:15). It’s something to think about.
Today, as you pray, thank God that His name is holy. Thank Jesus that His name is so powerful that someday, every knee will bow and confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be diligent in both your language as well as your acceptance (or disapproval) of blasphemy in your presence. Ask Him to guide your actions so that they, too, can stand before God in a way that is as honoring as your words.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture references are from the ESV translation.
