Word of Salvation – Vol. 35 No. 33 – September 1990
Our Speaking And God’s Name
Sermon by Rev. M. P. Geluk on Lord’s Day 36 & 37 (Exodus 20:7)
Reading: Ecclesiastes 5:1-7; James 3:1-12
How important is the name of God to you? Some of you will probably say that God’s name means a lot to you. Others might shrug their shoulders and thereby indicating that they haven’t really thought about it that much. Well then, how do you feel when the name of God or Christ is misused?
Let’s say you’re watching television and in the movie someone sees a big tidal wave rolling on towards the beach full of people and horrified by the impending disaster says: “O my god!” Then, the hero is about to fire his gun at the most critical point but it jams and he curses and says, “Christ!”
How do you feel about such use of God’s name? Does it make you cringe? Or do you just accept it as one of those things you can do little about? Maybe you are so used to it that you don’t even notice it anymore. Perhaps you yourself say those names and not even realise that they are God’s names.
Yes, how important is the name of God to you? Perhaps you will feel the force of the question more if you were asked: how important is your own name to you?
Suppose it was your name that is repeatedly put in a bad light. Suppose it somehow gets back to you that there are other people who continually associate your name with things which are entirely false. You would not be happy with that. Why, some people feel insulted already if their name is spelt wrongly or mispronounced.
The reason why no one likes his or her name used wrongly is because it touches your own personal being. You and your name cannot be separated. Your name belongs to you, it is you.
So also with God. His name and His person are inseparable. And God is not happy when a person says, “O My God” and “Christ” when that person is not even thinking about god as he or she speaks those words. God wants His creatures to use His name in a manner that honours Him. In fact, since God is the Creator of all things and since God governs all things and causes all things to happen according to His plan and purpose, He wants all people to know that and be aware of it all the time.
Whenever, therefore, anyone opens their mouths to say something, then God does not want to be ignored, misrepresented, insulted or blasphemed. And to blaspheme is to speak irreverently or impiously of God.
The Lord says: “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”
The third commandment is about: Our Speaking and God’s Name.
1. Our speaking – is it from hell or from heaven?
2. God’s Name – misuse or good use?
1. In the first place, then, our speaking, especially when it involves the direct use of God’s name, is it from hell or from heaven?
That is to say, when we use God’s name or refer to whatever belongs to God, or is made by Him, do we then reflect the conditions of hell or heaven?
All people but especially Christians should acknowledge that human speech is a wonderful gift from God. But as with most gifts from God there is the aspect of responsibility that goes with the gift.
As James says in his letter, the tongue, though only a small part of the body, can make great boasts. Just like that small bit in the horse’s mouth can control the whole animal, or that small rudder steer a big ship, so also can the tongue do great things.
With our tongues we can praise God but also curse men. Animals can be tamed by man but no man can tame the tongue. Like a small spark can cause a disastrous bushfire, so also can the human tongue do a lot of evil.
Woe to that person, therefore, who neglects to be responsible with what he says. And invariably our speech will give away what our relationship with God is like. Our mouths will reveal whether we see God as someone great and to be respected, or as something that is of no consequence. Whether we want to honour God in all of life or see ourselves as the kingpin. Whether we see ourselves, others, our work, our possessions in a relationship to God in which He is the giver of all good things, or see all of that as either something to boast about or curse because it’s not doing for us what we think it should. Yes, our speaking will show just what place God occupies in our mind and our lives.
Most people will agree that human speaking has not become better but worse. Once it was considered extremely impolite to swear in front of ladies. Now it’s not uncommon to hear women mouth curses and foul speech worse than men. With the relaxing of censorship laws it’s very difficult to pick a movie wherein the swearing is absent. Even the advertisements are starting to contain words that are an insult to God.
There is no doubting it, profanity has become acceptable. At most games of sport it is not uncommon to hear both the public and the players speak in an irreverent way of God’s name and His works. Influenced by liquor whilst watching the game, or becoming frustrated when things don’t go right, both the public and the players can mouth terrible obscenities and blasphemy.
But it’s not only in sports, similar things are said in the office and in the home. At breakfast the Bible was read and God’s name was thanked and praised in prayer, only to have the same mouth later in the day say vulgar things or use God’s name in vain.
Even some of those who regularly turn up at church to worship God are hardly conscious of their swearing, so used have they become to it. Except maybe when the minister is within earshot and then you hear an “oops”, but they forget that God hears every word wherever they are.
Yes, people curse easily. The name of God and of Jesus roll of peoples tongues with flippancy and utter indifference. There is a crisis in human speech and it is taking on alarming proportions.
What is happening today when people open their mouths to speak is that all too often their words are empty. There is no message of hope, of real living joy and happiness. Millions and millions of words are being written and spoken but much of it says nothing. It’s just idle, empty talk. A babble of voices, but without real aim, meaning or purpose. And what really makes it worse is that the words used are often horrible, for they profane God’s name and His works.
Much of human speaking today – are echoes from hell – are reaching us and many do not seem to realize it. They do not seem to know that God will not leave those who misuse His name guiltless. With their mouths they now curse God and their fellowmen but one day God will curse them, for ever.
What ought Christians to do who have learnt by God’s grace to use human speech to the glory of God and all His works? Well, they cannot remain silent any longer. They will want to do all they can to help prevent God’s name to be tainted with these echoes from hell.
But all Christians who have tried to stop others from swearing and cursing know just how difficult that can be. Trying to restrain people is often countered with even more forceful echoes from hell.
Yet, the Lord Jesus speaks of Christians being a salting salt. By your Christian behaviour and example you can act both as a deterrent of bad speaking or a preserver of good speech.
In your Christian witness you ought to remember that the ability to speak sets people apart from animals. Speech is a wonderful gift from God. Human speaking came from heaven. It is the tool for communication and understanding.
Words can influence and mould human society. The Bible has a very high view of the importance of our speaking.
God revealed Himself in words we can understand. He speaks of who He is and how He rules and governs all things in a language we can follow. The whole plan of salvation is described to us in human speech and we can now trust and believe in God. And with our speech and language we can praise and honour Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Speech has become the mirror of our souls and the expression of our deepest concerns. Thus when a person’s heart has been made new by heaven, he or she is enabled to speak well of God.
The psalmist says, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, My Rock and my Redeemer.” (19:14).
The apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Colossae, “Let your conversation be always full of grace…!” (4:6). But the Lord Jesus issued a warning, “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Mat.12:36).
What Jesus tells us here makes us think about all those careless and irresponsible words we have spoken. It therefore makes the prayer in Ps.141:3 very relevant, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Yes, let our speaking be from heaven and not from hell.
2. Then in the second place we consider the misuse or good use of God’s name. What exactly is God saying to us in the third commandment when He warns against the misuse of His Name?
Earlier on we spoke of swearing and cursing that goes on in society and sadly, even by some of those who confess to be Christians. But let us now think more of the misuse and good use of God’s name by Christians who worship. Not only in church but also at home or work.
For example, we misuse God’s name when our prayers are just routine mumbles. We take His name upon our lips in what is supposed to be an act of worship but we’re just going through the motions. Or it may be a prayer wherein the words are beautiful, carefully chosen, and spoken clearly and audible, yet the prayer is aimed to impress others more than it is to honour God.
We misuse God’s name when we yawn through our singing of God’s praise. Of course, that can happen to anyone when you haven’t had the sleep you needed. Still, it is not right not being wide awake and not fully concentrating whilst our mouths are singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty! All they works shall praise Thy name, in earth and sky and sea.”
God knows it and so do we when our hearts and minds are not fully in it. Yes, our “let’s-get-it-over-with” family devotions, the sniggering jokes about God and the Bible, and the casual “good-Lord-above” references are all a sad misuse of God’s name and therefore of His Person as well.
A sermon heard in church only to be torn apart at the coffee afterwards; the Bible used only to prove that your point of view is right, are all instances of disrespect and neglect. Yes, we can even misuse God’s name when everything else seems right but the seriousness of faith and childlike trust is missing.
Christians can even be known for regularly using the Lord’s name in their conversation, “The Lord really blessed me”, or “the Lord told me”, or “I am doing this for the Lord” – but if their lives are consistently disobedient and ungodly, then what kind of witness is that! Such people are just playing a game and everyone knew it. What is worse, God’s name misused and Christianity loses even more respect than it has already.
Impious talk and casual worship is warned against in Ecclesiastes 5:2, “Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart, God is in heaven to utter anything before God. and you are on earth, so let your word be few.”
Does that mean then the children of God may never use the name of the Lord or hardly ever? Some Christians, acutely aware of the holiness of God and the unworthiness of man, may well feel that it’s best to use the name of the Lord as little as possible. In worship in church or at home is fine but not in ordinary, everyday conversation God is too holy for that.
But surely that is not the right way. If God’s name is misused then we should not go to the opposite extreme of non-use. Misuse and abuse is wrong but so is non-use. In the Bible we find God’s people use His name freely but always with awe and respect. The answer to the misuse of God’s name is the good and proper use of His name. How else can Christians let the world know that they have a loving Father in heaven who has saved them from their sins in Jesus Christ, unless they witness about Him in a loving and worshipped way?
Does not Scripture say, “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” (Romans 10:9,10).
In His Word, God has made Himself known and that Word is given to the Church. The church is made up of Christian believers and if you are one then God has entrusted His name and His works to you. He has put His name in our mouths and on our tongues. God is honoured when you speak of Him to your children, friends and neighbours when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deut.6:7).
We may even swear by God’s name if we do it reverently. Our courts of law require it. The judge or the jury want to be sure that the whole truth is told. But no human person can prevent someone from lying. What they can do is to compel people to swear an oath before the highest authority, who is God of course. The person making the oath is saying that God, more than anyone else, knows his heart and is a witness to the truthfulness of what he is about to say. Christians do not need the oath for their speaking must always be truthful. But if the circumstances demand it, then they of all people should have no hesitation to swear before God that their words will be true. But woe to that person who lies whilst under oath. Not only will such a one be punished by men for the perjury committed but God also will call him or her to account. God will not be mocked.
But what about the sins of blasphemy and other misuse of God’s name? Is there no pardon from God? Of course there is. But only when the sinner repents from his wicked tongue and calls upon the name of the Lord for salvation.
Would you still go on misusing God’s name when God stands before you, as He does again this day, in His holiness and awesome majesty? Would you still want to use His name and speak about His works so carelessly when that same Lord suffered a cruel and painful death in order to save you from God’s judgement upon the sins of blasphemy? Surely, it’s time for all of us to repent and confess our wrong use of His name.
And then to hear again that God through His sanctifying grace can make the foulest mouth clean. To know once more that the Saviour Jesus Christ can change the heart and cause the believer to sing His praises in truth and with joy.
Yes indeed, heaven rejoices when God’s people sing and mean the words they speak.
“How sweet the name of Jesus sounds
in a believer’s ear!
It soothes his sorrows, heals his wounds,
and drives away his fears.
It makes the wounded spirit whole,
and calms the troubled breast;
It’s manna to the hungry soul,
and to the weary rest.
Jesus, My Shepherd, Guardian, Friend!
My Prophet, Priest, and King!
My Lord, My Life, My Way, My End!
Accept the praise I bring.”
AMEN