Jan 21, 2024 | GPS by Pastor Bob Spicer
October 2022 GPS
In the September GPS I began a brief series of meditations dealing with lessons we, as believers in Jesus, learned as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic. The thread that binds the parts of the series together is the use of the phrase “one another” in the New Testament. The idea came to mind as I thought about how numbers of people remarked about how good it was to actually be back together again after being separated because of the quarantines. There are ways in which we can only minister effectively when we are with our brothers and sisters in person. Last month we looked at the admonitions to love one another which in a sense covers all the rest of our responsibilities. This month we will begin to look at some ways in which we are called to express that love, specifically in the attitudes we display.
We briefly saw one of them last month when we looked at Romans 12:10 and the commandment to love one another. The second half of that verse was: “Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10b, ESV) Another translation renders that phrase: “showing eagerness in honoring one another.” (Romans 12:10b, NET) One dictionary defines the verb as “take the lead in.” In any case, the idea is that honoring our brothers and sisters is a responsibility that we are to spend genuine effort to fulfill. We are not to think of it as a responsibility of minimal importance that we will fulfill if we have spare time and energy. As to what “honor” means, it might help to think of some synonyms for honor such as “respect, esteem.” The heart attitude that produces this honor is found in Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (ESV) Some translations read “better than” or “more important than” instead of “more significant than.” If we truly count others as more significant, important or better than ourselves, we will naturally treat them with respect, esteem or honor. That simply is the way we treat people we view as more important than we are. Part of our problem in this regard is that we are constantly encouraged to think of ourselves as more important than others and we find it easy and personally gratifying to do so.
Closely related to the responsibility to honor one another is the call to live in harmony with one another. Two passages exhort us to do that very thing. The first is found just a few verses below the previously noted verse in Romans 12: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in by your own sight.” (Romans 12:16, ESV) Other translations for “live in harmony” are “be of the same mind” and have a “spirit of unity.” The rest of the verse is an exposition of how that can be accomplished, and it is very similar to what we read in Philippians 2:3. It is by being humble. “Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in by your own sight.” Mutually harmonious living is only possible if we truly honor others more than ourselves. That attitude can only be ours as a result of the work of God in our lives which leads us to the second verse that speaks of living in harmony with one another. It is found later in the book of Romans where Paul prayed: “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5–6, ESV) This kind of genuinely living in harmony with others only comes from God. It is insightful that Paul refers to two attributes of God that equip Him to grant this kind of harmony. He is the God of endurance and encouragement. He endures, perseveres, and bears up under a burden. He is also the God who encourages. He does not endure grudgingly. He endures while also encouraging us. As such, He is perfectly qualified to enable us to live in harmony with one another because the ability to live this way simply flows out of His character. He endures, and perseveres with us, and that very endurance is granted in a way that encourages us rather than causes us to give up. The verse goes on to point out that the example we are to follow in living in harmony with one another is Christ Jesus. Returning to Philippians 2, Paul explains how Christ was our example in His humility: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV)
The kinds of attitudes and actions seen in the verses above may be expressed to some degree via the internet but they can certainly be more effectively expressed by being physically in the presence of other people.
Jan 21, 2024 | GPS by Pastor Bob Spicer
September 2022 GPS
I doubt that I will ever forget the long months during which our church dealt with the threat of Covid19. For a short time we did not meet in person at all; we only met via technology (which continues to the present day as an option). Then, as time passed we met outside in the parking lot for many weeks. Finally, we met inside wearing masks and being distanced from one another. Now we meet, some with masks, without the large distance between each other. Some, for various reasons, still join us via the internet, but many have said in my hearing, “It’s not the same as being there.” There are a number of reasons why that is so. For example, technology provides a “one way” ministry, but we need more than that. God designed the church to provide “two way” ministries between lots of people. We see this illustrated in various “one another” passages in the New Testament. This month and in the next few months we will look at some passages that identify specific ways in which we are to minister to “one another.” The first way we will consider, in a sense, covers all the rest. It is our responsibility to love one another. Three passages specifically teach this responsibility. The first one talks about the quality of love that we are to express toward one another. The second and third passages talk about what we might call the quantity of love we are to show toward one another. We will look at each passage in order to discover what they teach us about how we are to love one another.
The first passage is Romans 12:9-10. “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” In verse 5 of this chapter, Paul had reminded his readers that, as believers, “we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” There is a sense in which all of us are related to one another like different parts of a body are organically connected to one another. With that organic unity in mind, Paul issued his exhortations to love one another. He introduces those exhortations with the admonition, “Let love be genuine.” “In the NT, it [the word behind “genuine”] came to mean one without hypocrisy or pretense, unfeigned, genuine, real, true, sincere.”1 We are not simply to fake it or act like we love one another. Our love is to be real. In the exhortation itself he tells us we ought to love one another with “brotherly affection.” This verse uses all three of the four Greek words for “love” which are found in the New Testament (eros, denoting sexual love, is not found in the New Testament). In some cases in the New Testament the three words are used in a nearly synonymous sense. In this verse they are used in a way in which, although their meanings overlap each other, they demonstrate the different facets of the love we are to show toward one another. When the three words do have somewhat different meanings, storge denotes love for family members. It is the love that wells up in your heart when you hold your newborn child for the first time. The next word, phile, refers to the love of friendship, the connection you have with a “kindred spirit.” The third word, agape, denotes a love that is not motivated by external factors. It is simply a decision to do what is best for the object of your love. It is hard to imagine how we could adequately express these kinds of love if the only contact we have with one another is “virtual.”
The second passage is 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13: “[M]ay the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” In this verse Paul expresses the wish that their love for one another (and for all others) would grow, not diminish or even remain unchanged. Furthermore, he desires that it would increase to the degree that it could be described as “abounding.” That is, “to be in excess, exceed in number or measure. In the NT, to be or have more than enough.”2 What would it look like if our love for each other grew to the point that those we love would have more than enough of it?
The third passage is 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10: “Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more,” (1 Thessalonians 4:9–10, ESV) For the second time in this brief epistle Paul brings up the topic that our love for one another ought to be growing. Here he says that the Thessalonians do not need further teaching about loving one another because God Himself has taught them to do this and they have been doing it. But, Paul urges them to “do this more and more.” The implication seems to be that we can never completely fulfill all of our responsibility to love one another.
If we meet only via the internet when we have other options, do you believe that we can obey these injunctions to love one another as friends and relatives or simply as people who need love in the way we are intended to? Will our love for one another continue to grow the way these passages call us to love if our connection with each other is solely with a computer or a wide screen TV? I realize that even if we are meeting face to face we still may not love one another as we ought to, but is the solution resorting to technology? Isn’t the right solution meeting together and asking the Holy Spirit to produce more and more love for one another in our hearts? -Pastor Robert Spicer
1 Zodhiates, S. (2000). In The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). AMG Publishers.
2 Ibid.
Jan 21, 2024 | GPS by Pastor Bob Spicer
August 2022 GPS
A few weeks ago our Wednesday night Bible study was in Psalm 37 and one verse of that Psalm reads: “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4, ESV) That verse so captivated my mind that I decided to give it more thought. It occurred to me that the promise in the second half of the verse was amazing. It promises that the LORD will give the desires of the heart to the person who delights in Him. So, I began to think about the concept of delighting in the LORD. What does it mean to “delight yourself in” the LORD as opposed to loving Him or worshipping Him? To get the meaning of “delight oneself in,” I looked at some of the uses of the Hebrew word here translated to “delight.” It is found a second time in the same Psalm: “In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.” (Psalm 37:10–11, ESV) Throughout this Psalm the writer is comparing the present and future of the godly versus the ungodly. In verse 11, he tells us about some blessings that await the meek (the godly). They will inherit the land and “delight themselves in abundant peace” (Hebrew shalom). I take that to mean that they will be able to find great pleasure and joy in the shalom that will be theirs. Shalom does not mean only the absence of conflict but also the presence of all kinds of good things. So, the Psalmist is promising God’s people that the time will come when they will be able to enjoy, find pleasure in, delight in the blessings God will provide. Furthermore, he describes the future shalom as being “abundant.” There will be lots of it.
The word is also found in the wonderful invitation the LORD extended to His people to repent and return to Him in Isaiah. There we read, ““Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.” (Isaiah 55:1–3, ESV) In this beautiful portrayal of the blessings of forgiveness and cleansing and restoration, the LORD invites His people to return to Him and find pleasure and joy in a loving relationship with Him. In all of these and similar passages the idea seems to be that the person in view is said to find personal enjoyment or pleasure in someone or something. To delight myself in the LORD then means that I find personal enjoyment or pleasure in Him.
In order for one to delight in another person, two conditions must be met. First, that other person must have qualities that merit being admired. Who would want to delight in a despicable, brutal fiend? However, the LORD is “altogether lovely,” so He is completely worthy of being the object of delight. That condition has always existed because of who God is. Second, the observer would need to have the ability to appreciate the positive qualities of the one he is considering. How could a deaf person appreciate the musical ability of even the finest violinist in the world? God can enable His people to appreciate His loveliness. David wrote, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4, ESV) David was able to appreciate, at least to some degree, the beauty of the LORD. We can too. It is no wonder that the Psalmist wrote, “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11, ESV)
That being the case, how can we go about delighting in Him? A verse that came to mind as I considered that question was, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8, ESV) For many years I had never tasted pizza. I didn’t like the looks of it or the smell of it. Then, one day, on a date with the girl who became my wife, I was socially forced to try it. (Everyone else in that group ate it and enjoyed it.) I tried not to taste it by drinking a lot of soda with each bite. Today I love pizza! I might even say, “I delight myself in pizza.” I find personal enjoyment or pleasure in various things. One thing is the beauty of the natural world that God has created, especially the mountains. Another is in watching people I love do well. Another is by discovering truth in God’s Word. Another is by observing God’s kindnesses to me and those I love. Perhaps a wise thing to request in prayer would be to ask God to move in our hearts in such a way that we taste and see that the LORD is good and so delight ourselves in Him.
What is the meaning of the promise that concludes this verse which says, “He will give you the desires of your heart”? Is that a promise of an easy life, great wealth, a successful career, or a problem free marriage? Seen in its context of the first half of the verse, that cannot possibly be true. What it does promise is that if we delight ourselves in the LORD, if we discover that we can find in Him alone the satisfaction of our deepest longings for joy, pleasure, meaning and purpose, He will satisfy those desires of our hearts by showing us more and more of His character.
Jan 21, 2024 | GPS by Pastor Bob Spicer
May 2022 GPS
Several times Jesus gave his disciples an amazing promise regarding praying in His name. “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13–14, ESV) “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” (John 15:16, ESV) “In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf;” (John 16:23–26, ESV) Recently I read a portion of John 14 to someone, including verses 13-14 as above and that person responded, “But that is not true!” The reason she said that was that she had made requests in prayers which she concluded with the phrase, “in Jesus’ name, Amen.” I explained to her that concluding a prayer with the words, “in Jesus’ name” is not the meaning of Jesus’ promises in these verses. Of course one meaning is that when we pray in Jesus’ name we are acknowledging the fact that basis for being able to ask anything of God is the fact that Jesus made that approach possible by His death, burial and resurrection. Still, the phrase means more than that. Then what does praying in Jesus’ name mean? In order to answer that question we need to look at what is meant in the Bible when written or spoken communications are said to be “in the name” of someone.
In some cases a communication would come “in the name of” a human being. Early in David’s career, when he and his men needed supplies, he sent some of them to Nabal to ask for his help, giving them the very words they were to use. “When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David, and then they waited.” (1 Samuel 25:9, ESV) That is, the request was coming with the authorization of David himself. It was David’s will that the request was being made. Of course it was possible for someone to claim falsely that a communication had the authorization of someone when that was not the case. When Jezebel wanted to get Naboth murdered, without Ahab’s awareness, “She wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and she sent the letters to the elders and the leaders who lived with Naboth in his city.” (1 Kings 21:8, ESV) These letters accomplished her purpose because they were purportedly coming with Ahab’s authorization. Whether Ahab would have agreed or not, we have no way of knowing, but to write a letter over Ahab’s name ostensibly made the claim that he wanted Naboth murdered.
The same kind of meaning is conveyed when people are said to speak “in the name of the LORD.” One example can be seen from the ministry of Jeremiah.“And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” (Jeremiah 26:8–9, ESV) Jeremiah had truthfully claimed that what he prophesied came with the authorization, fulfilling the will, of the LORD. Here again, it was possible for someone to claim that a communication had the authorization of the “sender” (the LORD) when that was not true. “When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:22, ESV) It was possible falsely to claim to speak in the name of the LORD when the LORD did not authorize the message.
Returning to the topic of this article, if we apply the same meaning of “in Jesus’ name” to praying, what conclusion do we reach? Prayers in His name will be those that accord with His will. If I had to be away for an extended period of time and knew that certain bills would need to be paid, I could sign several blank checks and give them to a friend. That friend could them get the bills out of my mailbox and fill in the payee and the amount and send them to the appropriate person. They would be paying the bills “in my name,” according to my will. Praying for something “in Jesus’ name” means asking for something that is consistent with His character and will. It is no surprise to read in 1 John: “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14, ESV)
Jan 21, 2024 | GPS by Pastor Bob Spicer
April 2022 GPS
This month, as we continue our study of the use of the name(s) of the Lord in the Bible, we will begin to look at some actions which the Bible says may be done “in the name of” Jesus or the Lord. My goal is to address the question, “What does it mean to perform these actions in the name of Jesus/or other members of the Godhead?” This time we will look at the meaning conveyed by being baptizing in the name of the Lord or in the name of all three members of the Trinity.
In the Great Commission which Jesus gave before He ascended into heaven, He said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19–20, ESV) In order to understand the meaning of “in the name of” in this command, we need to make sure we are clear about the symbolism of baptism in general. Undoubtedly Christian baptism conveyed several ideas including that of union with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection, purification, and repentance. However, I do not believe those were the only concepts which baptism symbolized. I believe that another (equally significant) concept involved in the symbolism of baptism was the identification of the one being baptized as a follower, either of the one who performed the baptism, or of the one in whose name the individual was being baptized. I arrived at this conclusion on the basis of several passages. The first is found in the Gospel of John following the record of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. “Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. [The fact that the text says it was in the context of discussing the topic of purification that the subject of baptism came up leads me to the conclusion that purification was part of the symbolism involved in it.] And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.”” (John 3:25–26, ESV) John’s disciples were concerned that the number of people who were becoming followers of Jesus (indicated by the number of people being baptized) was superseding the number of those who were following John. John had to reassure them that this turn of events was exactly what was supposed to take place (verses 27-30).
A few verses further in the text we read: “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), he left Judea and departed again for Galilee.” (John 4:1–3, ESV) Apparently the Pharisees attached the same significance to baptism that John’s disciples had. It indicated that those who were being baptized identified themselves as followers of either Jesus or John. Note that the text says, “making and baptizing …disciples,” followers.
I believe this understanding of the significance of baptism is confirmed by what Paul wrote to the Corinthians. In a context in which Paul is scolding the Corinthians because of their divisions over which human leaders they were following, Paul asks a question. “Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name.” (1 Corinthians 1:13–15, ESV) One of the ways used to indicate the identity of the leader that one had begun to follow had to do with baptism. A person would claim to have been baptized by the leader or at least to have been baptized in the name of the leader that he or she had begun to follow.
Before concluding this study, I should address the fact that in four passages in Acts (2:38, 8:16, 10:48 and 19:5) we read that people were to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (or Jesus Christ or Jesus Christ). Why were all three members of the Godhead not included in these admonitions? I think the answer is that whenever the object of saving faith is named, that one is Jesus. Examples include John 1:12, 3:16-18, Acts 4:11-12, 16:31. The problem with the auditors in all of these cases was not unbelief in God but in Jesus. When people became genuine followers, disciples of Jesus, they would, in doing so, become believers in, and followers of, the Father and the Holy Spirit. The key issue in each case was a person’s response to the claims of Jesus. I have endeavored to show that a major concept involved in the symbolism of “baptism in the name of” someone was the identification of the one being baptized as a disciple/follower either of the one who performed the baptism or of the one in whose name the individual was being baptized. That is true also of the Great Commission. Jesus instructed His followers to go into all the world and make disciples/followers. He then explained that there were two steps involved in the process of doing that. The first step was “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” (all three persons of the Godhead). That act bore testimony that the one being thus baptized had decided to become a disciple of the triune God. The second step was “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” The rest of that person’s life was to be taken up with learning to observe/obey all of Jesus’ commands.
Jan 21, 2024 | GPS by Pastor Bob Spicer
March 2022 GPS
The third commandment in God’s Ten Commandments reads, ““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) What is being forbidden in this commandment? In order to answer this question, we need to know the meaning of, “the name of the LORD” in this context, as well as the meaning of, “take in vain”. It would also be a good idea to know the reason why the penalty was attached to this command.
We will begin by examining the meaning of “the name of the LORD.” Jewish people have understood the word “name” to refer solely to the Hebrew term translated LORD (or Jehovah or Yahweh), which is sometimes referred to as the “Tetragrammaton” (four letter word). I believe that view is based upon two passages. First, as a part of God’s commission to Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt, “God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” (Exodus 3:15, ESV). The second passage identifies the One who has spoken through Hosea: “Even the Lord, the God of hosts, The Lord is His name.” (Hosea 12:5, NASB95). I believe that more than just the name “LORD” is involved in this prohibition. In previous articles I have endeavored to demonstrate that God’s name is more than just what He is called. It is a revelation of His nature/character. In his commentary on Exodus, D.K. Stuart writes: “Yahweh’s name signified his essence.”In the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, W.C. Kaiser says: “The name of God also signifies the whole self-disclosure of God in his holiness and truth (Ps 22:22 [H 23]). This Name can be ‘walked in,’ i.e. people are to live according to its teaching (Mic 4:5).” I believe His “name” in the context of the Ten Commandments denotes not only the way we use words like “God” or “Jesus Christ” but also the manner in which we think and speak of God, Himself.
What is the meaning of “in vain” in the context of the third commandment? The Hebrew word translated “vain”, is also translated with concepts like “false, empty, deceitful.” Because of their understanding of the meaning of the name of the LORD, devout Jews do not pronounce the Tetragrammaton or write it unnecessarily but substitute other terms in its place lest they violate the commandment. Their respect for God’s name is certainly commendable but I do not believe their practice is what God had in mind. In the Old Testament Wordbook, V. P. Hamilton says the Hebrew word behind “vain” “designates anything that is unsubstantial, unreal, worthless, either materially or morally…. The evidence points to the fact that taking the Lord’s name (i.e. his reputation) ‘in vain’ will surely cover profanity, as that term is understood today, or swearing falsely in the Lord’s name. But it will also include using the Lord’s name lightly, unthinkingly, or by rote. Perhaps this is captured by the LXX’s [Greek] translation … as ‘thoughtlessly.’” In The Bible Knowledge Commentary, in the section on Deuteronomy, J. S. Deere writes: “To misuse God’s name means literally, ‘to lift it up to or attach it to emptiness.’ This command forbids using God’s name in profanity but it includes more. The third commandment is a directive against using God’s name in a manipulative way (e.g., His name is not to be used in magic or to curse someone). Today a Christian who uses God’s name flippantly or falsely attributes a wrong act to God has broken this commandment.” The Protestant Reformers applied it especially to breaking oaths taken in His name. In his comments on the thrust of this prohibition, John Calvin wrote, “for in order that God may procure for His name its due reverence, He forbids its being taken in vain, especially in oaths.” When people say, “Jesus Christ” as an expression of surprise or anger without any real reference to Him, that is certainly taking His name in vain, unthinkingly. The same can be said about the thoughtless exclamation, “Oh my God” when it is used flippantly. In light of the meaning of “name” as noted above, any thoughts or expressions that treat God’s nature/character irreverently would seem to me to violate the intent of the third commandment.
What is the meaning behind the stated warning that concludes the commandment: “the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain”? Is that not true of all of the commandments? Of course it is! I think there are at least two reasons for the inclusion of this warning. First, it is so easy for us to allow words to come out of our mouths thoughtlessly. In our day, multitudes of people use the name of Jesus or say “God” without thinking about what they are saying. Second, even worse, is that such thoughtlessness when applied to the name of our Lord reveals what we actually think of Him, and that matters a great deal! We may think that such carelessness does not matter and thus deserves no punishment. God disagrees. Jesus Christ is the second Person of the Godhead who became flesh and bore the wrath of God in the place of sinners in order to redeem them. God is the mighty Creator in whose hand is the very breath we breathe and the next beat of our hearts. How we use those names is an indicator of the importance we place upon those persons. Jesus said, “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34, ESV) What does the way we refer to God say about the place He holds in our hearts?
