Q. What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The sins forbidden in the third commandment are, the not using of God’s name as is required; and the abuse of it in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious or wicked mentioning or otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful; and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; murmuring and quarrelling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God’s decrees and providences; misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the Word, or any part of it; to profane jests, curious or unprofitable questions, vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines; abusing it, the creatures, or anything contained under the name of God, to charms, or sinful lusts and practices; the maligning, scorning, reviling, or any wise opposing of God’s truth, grace, and ways; making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends; being ashamed of it, or a shame to it, by unconformable, unwise, unfruitful, and offensive walking, or backsliding from it.
(Question CXIII of the Westminster Larger Catechism.)
Yeah, it’s a shame really. WCF missed the main point of the 3rd commandment.
It mainly about “bearing” the Lord’s name falsely, i.e. not being hypocrites and letting him down by how we behave. Speaking is only a small part of it…
Goldsworthy in his book on prayer says:-
‘Thus, when Aaron and his sons are given the words of a blessing to
pronounce over Israel. the effect will be, as God states:
So shin they pm my mme upon the people of Israel. and 1 win bless them.
But they have been warned in the 4rd of the Ten Commandments
not to bear this name vainly (Exod. 1027). The NRSV translates it as:
‘You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your
God.” The Hebrew verb mini’ is the usual word for tn bear or ta carry,
and is not at all the normal word to indicate speaking or uttering.
This commandment, literally translated, says, ‘You shall not bear
Yahweh`s name falsely” Thus, when his people show the character of
God by the way they live, his name is glorified. Those who belong to
this God are called by his name (Is, 4317), When they profane this
name by idolatry and are rejected so that they suffer exile, they are
‘like those who are not called by your name’ (ls. 6319). Thus the
name of the Lord is a name that can only have significance in Lhe
light of his gracious saving acts and his faithful promises to his
people. It is a name that speaks of his holy character and his love for
his people, as well as of his righteous judgment on all who profane
his name. lt speaks of his presence in the world to save and to judge.’
Hello Gerald,
Your blog has been a bit quiet recently.
Can I steal a quick hyperlink from you point at the new Lee Mill web site, please?
http://www.leemillchurch.org/
There are *no* other churches (or even church buildings) in Lee Mill.
Google has now spotted the site 🙂
😀