Ten Commandments (7) - Blasphemy
The third commandment forbids blasphemy. You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God (Ex 20:7).
Under the old covenant, this commandment was enforced by the civil authorities. Leviticus 24:10-16 describes how a man was stoned for blasphemy. I have shown in other articles that the book of Leviticus only applies to Israel and not in the new covenant situation. God’s command in Leviticus 24:15 was specifically addressed to Israel, so it does not apply in today. God has sent the Holy Spirit to protect and honour his name.
Christians are often tempted to use the power of the state to protect the name of God. They have sometimes to get blasphemy laws adopted and enforced. This is a dangerous mistake. God is perfectly capable of protecting his name. By the work of the Spirit, every knee will eventually bow and confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:10,11).
Christians should honour the name of God. They will do this because they love him. They must not attempt to force people who do not love him to honour him.
2 comments:
Isn't it quite ironic that all the attempts in the US to "keep" the name of God in our "pledge of allegience" and to "keep" the slogan "in God we trust" on our currency, when if fact we don't trust in God, is a worse form of taking the name of God in vain that the vanity these acts of the state were designed to prevent.
To many Americans the state is God. I even see a number of Christians standing beside Bono, et al, stating that they will find a way to end poverty. Yet, Jesus said the poor will be with us always.
To those who worship the state, poverty will be cured once the correct state solution is implemented. As if these people can do what Jesus implied will not be done - at least until time ends as foretold in Revelation.
The mainstream churches lost their way 150 years ago when they united with the state in order to perfect society for the millenium.
Once the church unites with the state, worship naturally shifts from God to statolatry. It happened 150 years ago, and it will happen again with the neo-Progressives.
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