The Sabbath Day (part ten)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

Before continuing, isn’t it ironic that the longest of the ten commandments is the one that is most dismissed and explained away by many believers? Hmmm…

The text of the commandment not only tells us that we are to “do no work,” it also tells us to whom the commandment applies: Us, our children those who serve us, our livestock, and strangers. Let’s consider them one at a time. (This will take more than one post.)

It applies to us, meaning all of us. That is pretty obvious. As mentioned last time, there are some jobs that need to be manned 7 days per week, but these are the exception, not the rule.

It applies to our children. How often have the children of believers—even of believers who understand the Sabbath issue—worked on Sundays? The reason? Restaurant and retail jobs (the ones young people most often have) are open on Sundays. What we found with our children was that when they applied for the job, they made it clear from the beginning that they could not work on Sundays for religious purposes. Were there jobs they did not get because of that? Yes. But they did get jobs. In fact one of the girls didn’t get a job because of that, but then two weeks later the store manager called and gave her a job after all—with Sundays off! (1)

The point is, on what are we ordering our lives? The Word of God, or the dictates of secular employment? As mentioned in an earlier post, honoring the Sabbath is largely a matter of faith. Will we do as God says and trust Him?

More on “to whom does the commandment apply,” next time…

Note:
(1) Making the need for Sundays off clear from the beginning is the key. Also, when choosing a career or even which jobs to apply for, thought should be given to whether or not that career or job requires Sunday work. Then choose accordingly.

The Sabbath Day (part nine)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

Having addressed the working aspect of the fourth commandment, let’s launch into the not working part. As mentioned, not working does not mean being idle. Nor does it preclude works of worship, service, charity, or emergency (donkeys do fall into ditches from time to time! Luke 14:5). It refers, rather, to our regular labors and commerce. (Refer to the previous post for an explanation of those terms if needed.) So how should we implement this?

First, because God does not give us a laundry list of dos and don’ts, we ought not create such a list either—not for ourselves and especially not for others. We are each responsible to make appropriate application based on a God-informed conscience. God-informed means honestly asking the Lord for direction. We should also remain open to the likelihood that over time our consciences will mature in sensitivity.

There is little doubt that working at our regular jobs on the Lord’s Day must generally cease. I say generally because there are jobs that must continue for the health and safety of society. These jobs likely include: police, fire, medical services, and even maintaining utilities. This is an illustrative, not an exhaustive list.

I would hasten to counsel Christians who understand the concept of the Sabbath, who also work in these kinds of jobs, to request and do all they can to get Sundays off as a matter of religious conviction. I would also counsel Christians to do everything they can to be sure to go to church on Sunday even if they must also work, and to plan another day as a Sabbath day. I would also offer these additional cautions:

• Be honest with yourself about what kinds of work truly fall into the category of “necessary.”

• Realize that if you are a student, your work is school, so plan ahead so that your necessary home work that is due on Monday is not put off until Sunday. Work that could be done during the six days but was neglected until the last minute on Sunday is not really necessary work. It is more likely a matter of poor planning.

More to think about next time…

The Sabbath Day (part eight)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

Part EIGHT!? Let us be reminded that the fourth commandment is the longest of the Ten, and contains more detail than any of the other nine. It only stands to reason that one needs to spend more time considering all that God said that day when His words shook Mount Sinai and terrified God’s people!

Last time we considered the working part of the commandment. Now let’s consider the not working part. It is imperative that we understand the word work in two ways, and not in a third or fourth.

Let us understand the word work as referring to “usual labor” and as commerce, or “for profit” labor. These first two ways mean we are to do our usual labor for six days (five if we are so blessed), and to rest from our usual labors on the Sabbath. Similarly, we are to do what we do to make a living (commerce) for six days, and to rest from commerce on the Sabbath. This is a reminder of the faith issue—we are to work for only six days and trust God on the Sabbath.

The third and forth ways we should not understand work, is that the commandment is not a call to idleness. Rest, yes. Mere idleness, no. Idleness is easily a selfish pursuit. Worship and serving others are not commerce, but they do require effort. In other words, the Lord’s Day is not simply a “day off.” Rather it is a day to rest from our usual labor and from commerce in order to exert ourselves in worship and in serving.

A well intentioned person once questioned having ministry team meetings on Sunday. “Isn’t that work?” she asked. I explained that it is ministry and about worship, which is not the same as going to work. She understood and therefore it was a good question!

One other application of this principle has to do with people who are “employed” in vocational ministry. Like the priests in the Old Testament, pastors (and others) are paid for what they do in ministry even on the Lord’s Day. That is why pastors need to take another day during the week to rest from their labors since they are “working” (albeit in worship and service) on the Lord’s Day.

Next time: Answering a few questions regarding not working on the Lord’s Day.

The Sabbath Day (part seven)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

The fourth commandment gets more specific that any of the others, giving some detail about compliance. It not only addresses the issue of not working on the Sabbath, it also addresses the matter of working. The commandment clearly states that we are to work six days before not working on the Sabbath (the seventh day—although the word Sabbath does not refer to the number seven).

Before dealing with the not working part of the commandment, let’s consider the working part.

• Work is God’s plan for humans from the beginning (Genesis 2:15). Work is not a part of the curse on our sin. The curse on sin is that work (sweat and thorns) is more difficult than before Adam sinned (Genesis 3:17-19).

• God’s will is that we work six days, then worship and rest on the Sabbath. The Sabbath is God’s gift.

• Not working every day requires faith, trusting God to supply our needs when we devote a day to worship Him rather than working every day.

• Due to modern conveniences, most are able to only work five days and have two “days off.” This allows us a day to rest, doing as we please, and the Sabbath to give special attention to worship. (So much for missing church because it is one’s only day to sleep in!)

• Working is a reminder that we are created in the image of God who created everything in six days and “rested” on the seventh, establishing the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3).

Next time: More about not working on the Sabbath.

The Sabbath Day (part six)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

We started considering ways we can “keep the Sabbath day Holy.” We’ll conclude that list of suggestions this time. But before doing so, let us be reminded why this is important. We are considering the Ten Commandments. We are considering the fourth commandment about how God is to be worshiped on the Lord’s Day. May I suggest, this matter is important.

That said, let’s consider three more ways we can “keep the Sabbath day holy.”

First, exercise Christian hospitality. We can “keep the Sabbath day holy” by inviting people over for a meal on the Lord’s Day once a month. Consider inviting two kinds of people.

• Inviting people from church over is a great way to worship the Lord through hospitality. May I suggest praying about inviting people, who you may not know, so well instead of your friends? Ask the Lord to bring to mind those who are new to the church and/or are not so well known. I trust that the reason is obvious.

• Another kind of person to have over are people who do not already know the Lord. I am not suggesting inviting people over to trap them into sitting through a presentation of the gospel. Just invite people over to show the love of Christ. If the opportunity to share the gospel arises, great. But initially, we want to show the love of God, so people do not feel like they were set up for a religious multi-level marketing pitch!

Second, engaging in acts of kindness or mercy is a great way to worship the Lord. Visit a shut-in or someone in a hospital. These kinds of visits need not be lengthy or have any agenda other than simply showing kindness. That you went to see them is more important than anything else. If you want to kick it up a notch, bring a meal or a plate of “homemade something.”

Third, sharing Christ is an act of worship. I will not give specific details other than to encourage you to ask the Lord how you can share Christ and the gospel on the Lord’s Day, and with whom. Whether speaking with someone or writing to someone, if you earnestly want to share Christ, and seek Him about how, He’ll show you a way.

Lest we forget the general context of this blog post, we are thinking of ways to worship the Lord on the Lord’s Day. The suggestions shared in this and the previous post are intended to help us “keep the Sabbath Day holy.”

Next time: A little about working and not working on the Lord’s Day.

The Sabbath Day (part five)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

Because the Sabbath day is a day and not merely the brief time spent in church on Sunday morning, we might wonder if we are to spend the entire day in worship, scripture reading, and prayer. While some might, few will. And it is not necessary that we do.

While the Sabbath day is for worship, it is also a day for rest from our regular labors. Therefore, rest and recreation are perfectly appropriate, as long as we can do what we do as unto the Lord! But shouldn’t that be true of every day? Yes, but it is especially true of the Lord’s day.

In the next posts we will address the matter of working six days and not working on the Sabbath, but for now, suffice it to say that we each should seek the Lord to “keep the Sabbath day holy” as per the commandment. And a great way to do that is to devote as much time on the Lord’s day to holy activities at, or associated with, church.

For instance, at times there are adult Sunday School classes. Why not commit to that opportunity? After all it is the Lord’s day. And if I may insert this, please do not make the mistake of thinking Sunday School is a substitute for corporate worship. It is not. Think of three elements of the corporate worship service that are not in Sunday School: worship in song, prayer, and the Lord’s Supper!

Also on the Lord’s day there are opportunities for more prayer. We have a 30 minute pre-worship prayer meeting from 9:45—10:15 am. We also have a monthly lunch prayer meeting on the fourth Sunday of each month. Why would we neglect these opportunities for prayer on the Lord’s day? After all it is the Lord’s day.

And what about Home Fellowships? They meet on the second Sunday of each month. They are a time for ministering to one another in the body. After all, it is the Lord’s day.

I’ll make a few more suggestions on how to keep the Lord’s day holy next time.

The Sabbath Day (part four)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Considering the fourth commandment a phrase at a time, we will begin this post with the words “Sabbath day.” Many believers in our day think they are honoring the Sabbath day by attending church for an hour and a half, and then doing whatever else they may want to do with the rest of the day. We need to be reminded that the Sabbath day is one day in seven, not an hour and a half out of 168 hours that make up a seven-day week. The entire day belongs to the Lord.

That thought brings us to the phrase “keep it [the Sabbath day] holy.” What does it mean to keep the Sabbath day holy? There is ho hard and fast rule, or set of rules, that everyone must subscribe to. The text simply says keep the day holy. I will therefore offer some ideas and encourage each of us to honestly and prayerfully ask the Lord how HE would have us keep the Sabbath day holy.

First, remember, we are talking about the entire day, not just the time we are in church.

Second, keeping the day holy will not mean exactly the same thing to every believer, so let us each obey the Lord as He convicts us, and refrain from imposing our convictions regarding details on others.

Third, keeping the day holy, certainly does include participating in corporate worship in church with God’s people. Of course, when we are too ill to attend corporate worship, or providentially hindered in some other way, we will not be able to attend public worship. However, this must be the exception, and we must do all we can to see that it does not become the norm.

What about the rest of the Sabbath day? How are we to keep it holy? More on that next time…

The Sabbath Day (part three)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

Considering the text of the fourth commandment, one cannot but notice that it is the longest of the commandments. Instead of simply saying “Keep the Sabbath Day holy,” and moving along to the fifth commandment, God was pleased to provide more detailed instruction. Let’s consider the detailed instruction God has provided.

“Remember the Sabbath day.” The word remember is a reminder, as stated last time, that: (a) The commandment regarding the Sabbath was not new. God established and exemplified the commandment in Genesis 2:1-3. The commandment was also given in some detail regarding the gathering of manna in Exodus 16. It is also a reminder that: (b) We must not forget or dismiss the fourth commandment in generations to come, including in our generation though we are under the New Covenant.

“Remember the Sabbath day.” Two things here. First, what does the word Sabbath mean? Contrary to what some may suppose, it does not refer to the number seven. The Sabbath day was too be observed every seventh day, to be sure, but that detail is emphasized in the rest of the commandment, not in the word Sabbath.

The word Sabbath means rest, and in context, rest from regular daily work to worship God. We are to worship every day and we are to do everything we do as worship (1 Corinthians 10:31, Romans 12:1-2).

Second, the word day is important. The fifth commandment has nothing to do with the other “sabbaths” Israel was commanded to observe in the ceremonial law. Those included monthly sabbaths (aka, new moons), and sabbath years, as well as the fifty-year Jubilee. The weekly Sabbath day was unique. It was not part of the ceremonial Law exclusively for Israel which was fulfilled by Christ. It is, therefore, to be remembered by Christians. Paul’s words to the Colossians 2:16-17 about not observing the festivals or new moons or sabbaths were not about the Sabbath day.

Next time: What does it mean to keep the Sabbath day holy?

The Sabbath Day (part two)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

As previously promised, in this post, we will provide a biblical argument that the fourth commandment was not exclusively for Israel but that it is also for Christians.

First, God’s plan for the Sabbath day was established long before the Ten Commandments were given—and even before Israel existed. The Sabbath Day was established on the seventh day of creation (Genesis 2:1-3). Attesting to this, the text in which the Ten Commandments were given refers to God’s establishment of the Sabbath Day, and the fact that God (in Genesis 2) symbolically observed the Sabbath Day. The fourth commandment is the only one of the Ten Commandments in which God refers to Himself (at the time of creation) as an example to be followed.

Second, in Exodus 16, also before the Ten Commandments were issued (in Exodus 20), God gave Israel instructions regarding the gathering of manna, the “bread from Heaven” (v.4). In verses 5 and 22-30, God warned Israel to gather the manna for six days, but not on the seventh because the seventh day was a “holy Sabbath to the Lord” (v.23). As mentioned, this was before Exodus 20, the giving of the Ten Commandments.

Third, the first word of the fourth commandment (v.8) is “Remember.” This indicates that this is not the first time the Sabbath was known, having been established by God at creation, and mentioned again when giving instructions about the gathering of manna. The people of God were to “remember” what God had already established. We too are now to “remember the Sabbath Day” not to forget it, whether by neglect, or by wrongly dismissing it is irrelevant.

God’s Sabbath was established at creation, known by the people of God before the Ten Commandments were given, and therefore it is not to be dismissed by God’s people in the New Covenant any more than we dare dismiss the other nine of the Ten Commandments.

Next time: We will begin unpacking the fourth commandment one phrase at a time.

The Sabbath Day (part one)

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8-11

The fourth commandment regarding the Sabbath is likely the most controversial of all of the Ten Commandments. It should not be. The most debated controversy is over whether or not Christians need to keep this commandment. It is one the Ten Commandments, friends! Why on earth should it be obsolete?

Let me explain why some Christians believe in the obsolescence of the fourth commandment. It stems from believing that the Sabbath day was exclusively for Old Testament (OT) Israel, and since we are “not under the Law,” the fourth commandment is no longer applicable. (Which of the other commandments are we free to ignore?)

Are there aspects of God’s OT law that are not specifically for New Testament (NT) Christians? Yes. The ceremonial law has been fulfilled by Christ and rendered no longer a part of NT worship. The prime examples of this have to do with the OT temple, the OT priesthood, and the OT sacrifices. Because of Christ, these are obsolete for NT believers—so much so that it would be sinful to continue to practice them.

There are other NT believers who believe (and with whom I agree) that the Sabbath day is not exclusively for OT Israel or a part of the ceremonial law that was halted by Christ’s sacrifice. To be fair, there are other “sabbaths” that were part of the OT ceremonial law. Examples include monthly and annual sabbaths. The weekly “Sabbath Day,” however, is part of God’s moral law summarized in the Ten Commandments and are therefore required of all believers.

Next time: Biblical reasons the Sabbath is not merely part of the OT Jewish ceremonial law

“the LORD will not hold him guiltless”

"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

As a brief follow-up to the first three posts about taking the Lord’s name in vain, let’s consider the last phrase in (v.7), “the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” This additional phrase is particularly pertinent to this command because it is one we are so used to hearing (and even breaking ourselves?), we may be tempted to dismiss it as, “no big deal”.

But it is a big deal! It is a big enough deal that God adds words akin to saying, “And don’t think this doesn’t matter. It most certainly does matter!”

Courts let criminals slide, sometimes by finding the guilty “not guilty,” or by minimizing, or even suspending the sentence. That cannot happen in the absolutely just court of God.

The court of public opinion scoffs at this offense. Television omits or “bleeps” numerous forms of profanity, but taking the Lord’s name in vain is routine even in shows deemed appropriate for younger viewers. Walking down the street we commonly hear people of all ages using the Lord’s name in vain and it is considered, “no big deal!” The fact that so few think taking the Lord’s name in vain matters is also taking the Lord’s name in vain by considering it “common.” Yet the Lord’s judgment stands.

Lets us, therefore, be more concerned with God’s ruling than the rulings of either our courts or popular opinion. And though none of us can personally change our blasphemous culture, let us be doubly sure that we do not personally break this commandment because it matters to God.

The Lord's Name (part three)

"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

We have considered two ways we in which we take the name of the Lord in vain. The first is by literally using His name in anger, when swearing, or merely flippantly. The second is by worshiping God thoughtlessly, flippantly, or unbiblically.

A third way we often take the Lord’s name in vain is by living lifestyles that are unbecoming of a follower of Jesus. First, do we not “take the Lord’s name” when we identify ourselves as Christians? And second, do we not “take the Lord’s name in vain” by living as though we are not His followers?

Paul wrote to Titus (1:16) of people “who profess to know God but in their works [lifestyle] they deny Him.” Clearly then, calling ourselves Christians while living in sin is taking the Lord’s name in vain and a breaking of the third commandment. What kind of sin? Any sin, whether immorality, or dishonesty, or drunkenness, or gluttony, or in any other sinful manner.

And even beyond living a lifestyle of sin, every time we sin in any way, in that moment, we have taken the Lord’s name in vain. Do I say this so that we would all despair, and give up? Not at all. I say this so that we would be reminded how much we need a Savior—and the constant forgiveness He alone supplies.

We must not think that taking the Lord’s name in vain is no big deal. It is a big deal. So let us rely on our great Savior by confessing our sins (great or small), and doing all we can in the power of the Holy Spirit to turn from our sins to live in holiness. May our lives increasingly honor His name!

The Lord's Name (part two)

"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

Having addressed the most obvious way many commonly break the third commandment, let’s consider how many break the commandment when they “worship” the Lord inappropriately. Appropriate worship of the living God must be thoughtful, not thoughtless. It must be reverent, not flippant. And it must be biblical—according to God’s Word, not our creative or artistic ideas.

Almighty God demands and deserves to be worshiped thoughtfully (in spirit and in truth). When we sing the songs not thinking of their meaning, or about God Himself, is that “worship” not thoughtless, and does God not deserve thoughtfulness?

Almighty God demands and deserves to be worshiped reverently (in spirit and in truth). When the “worship” service is about the music, the leader, the “band,” the special effects, or the carnival atmosphere that some strive for, is that “worship” not flippant (and even idolatrous), and does God not deserve reverence?

Almighty God demands and deserves to be worshiped biblically (in spirit and in truth).  God is the only One in a position to say how He is to be worshiped.  In His Word, He has given numerous principles regarding how He is to be worshiped.  He has also recorded examples of people deviating from His prescriptions regarding worship—and the devastating results. (He killed Nadab and Abihu for offering “strange fire” in worship in Leviticus 10.)  Whenever the “worship” service is about our creative and artistic innovations instead of being strictly biblical (1), does God not deserve to be worshiped according to His Word instead of according to our whims?

These are examples of how “worship” frequently becomes taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Notes:
(1) Biblical worship says: “Whatever is not commanded is forbidden.”  When worshipers adopt the “Whatever is not forbidden is allowed” mindset, it is only a matter of time until “worship” ceases to be biblical.  

 Next Time: How our lifestyles can break the third commandment.

The Lord's Name (part one)

"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

Remembering that the third commandment is in the first table of the Law, it is about our relationship with God, and about worship. Why is this in the Ten Commandments? Because God is so absolutely holy, even His name is to be considered holy. To use any name of God “in vain” counts the name of God as common (rather than holy), thus degrading not only God’s name, but God Himself. This is why breaking the third commandment is often referred to as a form of “blasphemy.”

The word “god” is not God’s name any more than the word “human” is my name. The Old Testament (OT) name of God is YHWH. It is found 6,158 times in the OT. Having no vowels, it is unpronounceable, so some translate this name “Yahweh” or “Jehovah,” and most translate it as “LORD” (all capital letters).

That said, it is wise for us to apply the third commandment to any reference to God that is less than reverent.

I remember as a child, I thought this commandment was about not using the words, “God,” “Jesus,” and/or “Christ” in anger or when swearing. That is, of course, true. Using the Lord’s names in anger or when swearing is an obvious and serious breaking of this commandment. But there is more.

One of the most common ways people (including many Christian) break this commandment is by using any name of God flippantly or carelessly. I do not want to establish a list of forbidden words, but I will give an example of a flippant use of God’s name. The one I hear the most is the exclamation, “Oh my God!” How often is this uttered as a reverent reference to God? This kind of use of God’s name reduces the sacred name of God to little more than “wow!”

One last thought on this most obvious aspect of the third commandment: What about substitute words for God used in anger, flippantly, or as exclamations? My dear mother was strict about this commandment. A common exclamation in the 1960s (not any more) was “guy!” My mother fined me 15 cents every time she heard me say “guy!” because she said it was a substitute for saying “God!” About $2.25 later, I stopped using the exclamation “guy!”

I tell that story not too outlaw the word “guy!” but to challenge us all to think about the use of “gosh” or “jeeze,” or the many other ways we might thoughtlessly be breaking, or nearly breaking, the third commandment. Remember, our goal is not to see how far we can go, but how pure can we be.

The love/obedience connection

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

Just when you thought we would be moving forward, I want to point out one last thing in this parenthetical statement that is part of the second commandment (v.5-6). And this time I really mean it!!

Did you notice the words, “to those who love Me and keep My commandments”? This phrase reminds us of the inseparable link between love and obedience. We know that Jesus’ answer to the question about which is the greatest commandment was “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.”

Loving God is, therefore, a commandment—the greatest commandment! Loving God is, therefore, obedience to the greatest commandment. But there is another connection between love and obedience as well. Jesus commented on this love/obedience connection twice in John 14.

"If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (v.15)”
”Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.” (v.23-24)

Clearly, love and obedience is the appropriate response to the love of God in Christ Jesus, and the validation of our love for Him. Sadly, none of us obeys Christ all the time, which is proof that our love for Christ wavers. As R.C. Sproul used to say, “Every time we sin, in that moment, we love our sin more than we love God’s Son.”

The good news for the redeemed is that when we unlovingly disobey the Lord, we are convicted by the Holy Spirit. His conviction brings us back to love and obey God by confessing and repenting of our sin. That we do this is evidence that though we do not love or obey the Lord perfectly, we do love and obey the Lord pervasively—meaning that our failures, notwithstanding the general inclination of the children of God is to love and obey God.

1,000 generations

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

One last comment on this parenthetical portion of the second commandment (v.5-6). There is a curse pronounced on disobedience and a blessing on obedience. Please note that the curse for disobedience and the blessing for obedience involves the children of the disobedient and obedient. How are we to understand this?

First, there is a biblical principle that children are not to be punished for the sins of their parents.

Ezekiel 18:20 The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.

Though children are not to be held responsible of their parents sins, parent’s sins do affect their children negatively. Likewise, the righteousness of parents does affect their children positively. Never underestimate the influence of parents on their children and grandchildren, for better or for worse!

Second, note also that the sinful influence of parents last 3 to 4 generations.(1) However, the positive influence of parents follows to a thousand generations. How are we to understand this? I believe this is a symbolic rather than a literal difference. In Hebrew thought and literature, and in a pre-calculator world, the number 1,000 was commonly a figure of speech to convey something that is virtually innumerable, and not to be taken literally.

The difference between 3 to 4, and 1,000 generations may be a symbolic indicator that God’s mercy is vast compared to His judgment. This doesn’t apply to the eternal bliss of Heaven compared to the eternal torment of Hell. Both of those are eternal! But in this life we are comforted that God’s blessings last longer than His judgments.

Note:
(1) I read a secular psychological study some years ago that concluded that the negative influence of parents takes 3 to 4 generations to cease altogether. Hmmm… were the psychologists just catching up to what God had said in His Word long ago?

Three columns

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

The parenthetical statement continues with a curse and a blessing…

Here is a basic concept that directs human behavior. Picture three columns. In the middle column is a list of responsibilities—behaviors that are commanded/expected. Responsibilities are to be realistic, and must be made clear so that individuals know and understand what is commanded/expected of them.

In the right column is a list of privileges—rewards for fulfilling the responsibilities listed in the center column. Please note: these are privileges, not rights. They must be earned by fulfilling the responsibilities listed in the center column.

In the left column is a list of consequences—repercussions for not fulfilling the responsibilities listed in the center column. Please note: consequences are not merely the loss of privileges, they are penalties for irresponsibility. Note that consequences must (a) fit the infraction—never more than an eye for an eye, for instance. Consequences must also be (b) consequential. If they are not, there will be little or no fear of consequences that provide incentive for acting responsibly.

Application #1. This is what God says regarding our responsibility to obey His law. Those who disobey will suffer the consequences of His wrath. Those who obey will enjoy the privileges of His blessing. And be sure to note: Obedience does not earn salvation. Salvation is by God’s grace alone, received by faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone!

Application #2. This is the basis of child rearing and discipline. Failure by parents to lovingly uphold the concepts of this three-column system will harm, rather than help their children. (See Proverbs 13:24.)

Application #3. This is also the basis of biblical civil jurisprudence. Any society that does not follow this model set forth by God will suffer moral chaos and eventual destruction, and ultimately God’s judgment. (See Romans 13:1-5). Sadly, our nation is in the midst of rejecting this model and is beginning to experience the consequences.

The jealousy of God

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. Exodus 20:4-6

And now for a parenthetical statement…

Did you notice that after the sentence about idolatry, in the midst of verse 5, a new sentence begins? Why does God assert that He is a jealous God, and add a multi-generational curse and blessing? Let’s consider this sentence a phrase at a time.

First, “For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God…” Note that this is associated with the second commandment regarding idolatry. God prohibits idolatry because idolatry is the establishment of a pseudo-rival to Him. I say “pseudo-rival” because nothing that can actually rival almighty God. So why does God identify Himself as “jealous”? It is certainly not, as jealousy usually is in us, born out of insecurity. God is not, nor can He be, insecure. Why? Because He is God! Because He has created everything (other than Himself) that exists. (1)

So how are we to understand God’s jealousy? A definition I like is: “The jealousy of God is His holy commitment to His honor, glory, and love.” Though not perfect synonyms, we can understand God being jealous as God being zealous. And why is God zealous for His honor, His glory, and His love? Because like everything else about God, His honor, glory, and love are infinitely superlative. Therefore He deserves all honor, glory, and love from everything and everyone—including from Himself.

It is a sin for us not to give God the honor, glory, and love He alone deserves. It is likewise a sin to claim any of the honor, glory, and love He deserves for ourselves. Now get this: It would be a sin for God not to be jealous/zealous for all honor, glory, and love, simply because He is absolutely deserving of it.

Let us understand God’s jealousy, and let us never usurp what belongs to Him for ourselves or for anything else—including worthless idols.

Notes:
(1) God did not create Himself since He would have had to create Himself before He existed. God is, therefore, uncreated and self-existent. Everything else that exists is created by Him and for His honor, glory, and love.

No Idols (part seven)

"You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:3-6

For this seventh installment on idolatry, let’s consider the danger of imagining God.

All physical images begin in one’s imagination. That is where idolatry begins. So let us never “picture God,” or even the Lord Jesus, in our minds. These mental “images” can, and often do, become idols.

Imaginary (and therefore idolatrous) gods, even if we do not imagine physical appearance, are virtually always contrary to who God truly is as revealed in the Bible. God warns us against thinking about Him according to our imaginations. Psalm 50:21, God says, “You thought that I was altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before your eyes.”

The problem with imagining God is that we end up creating God in our image. When people imagine God, they can’t imagine Him doing things they wouldn’t do—like judging sin. Our thoughts of God must be according to the Bible, or our thoughts are idols of ourselves. I am sure you can see the danger in this.

Idolatry is a huge issue, mentioned 115 times in the Old Testament, and 30 times in the New Testament, for a whopping 145 times in the entire Bible. (And that does not include the numerous times the word “image” is used!) How many times is idolatry mentioned in a positive light? You guessed it: not once.

Though so much more could be said, I will close this seven-part discussion of idolatry with the New Testament equivalent of the second commandment (Exodus 20:4-6):

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 1 John 5:21

No Idols (part six)

"You shall have no other gods before Me. "You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.” Exodus 20:3-6

Continuing our considerations of the second commandment regarding idols, honestly, how many anticipated there being this many blog posts on the subject? Could it be that the issue of idolatry is bigger than you may have previously imagined?

This time let us ask and answer the question: What about images of God and/or of Jesus if they are not associated with worship? Once again, I admit to holding a minority opinion that we should not have any images depicting God or any member of the Trinity, whether they are intended for worship or not. Why? Because, whether we realize it or not, images of Jesus, will tempt (cause?) us to react in either or both of two detrimental ways.

The first detrimental reaction to images of Jesus is to associate the image (whether a sculpture, a picture, or an actor portraying Jesus) with Jesus. And no matter what else we might think of the image, it is infinitely beneath, and unworthy of the actual Jesus. I know the argument against the prohibition of pictures of Jesus. “Jesus was a man as well as God, so pictures of the humanity of Jesus are OK so long as the pictures are not of His deity or for worship.” I used to make the argument myself.

But then, by the grace of God, the Lord reminded me that though the humanity and deity of Christ are distinct, they must not be separated. Though the human body of Jesus is fully human, it is no less divine. In that human body “dwelt all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). Remember also that Jesus said, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father” (John 14:9). What had those with Him seen? His body.

This leads me to believe that any image of Jesus, whether in a children’s book, a motion picture, a nativity scene, or a grand tapestry in the Vatican, is an image not merely of a human, but of the one and only God-Man. And every image of Him is infinitely beneath the only Man who was (is, and always will be) Almighty God. Sooner or later, some (even if not all) will associate that image with Jesus—which we must not do.

That leads us to the second detrimental reaction to images of Jesus. Some (even if not all) will worship the image or at least incorporate that image in worship.

Next time: The idolatry of imagining God.