The Third Commandment
Thou shalt not take the Name of the LORD thy God in vain;
for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh His Name in vain.
Exodus 20:7
The Westminster Larger Catechism (1648)
Question 112: What is required in the third commandment?
Answer: The third commandment requires,
- That the name of God,
- His titles,
- attributes,
- ordinances,
- the Word,
- sacraments,
- prayer,
- oaths,
- vows,
- lots,
- His works,
- and whatsoever else there is whereby He makes Himself known,
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be used
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- in thought,
- meditation,
- word,
- and writing;
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- by an holy profession,
- and answerable conversation,
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- to the glory of God,
- and the good of
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Question 113: What are the sins forbidden in the third
commandment?
Answer: The sins forbidden in the third commandment are,
- the not using of God's name as is required;
- and the abuse of it
- in an ignorant,
- vain,
- irreverent,
- profane,
- superstitious,
- or wicked mentioning,
- or otherwise using
- by blasphemy,
- perjury;
- all sinful cursings,
- oaths,
- vows,
- and lots;
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- His titles,
- attributes,
- ordinances,
- or works,
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- violating of if lawful;
- and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful;
- of God's decrees and providences;
- murmuring and quarreling at,
- curious prying into,
- of the Word, or any part of it:
- misapplying
- misinterpreting,
- misapplying,
- or any way perverting the Word,
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- to profane jests,
- curious
- or unprofitable questions,
- vain janglings,
- or the maintaining of false doctrines;
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- abusing
- it,
- the creatures,
- or anything contained under the name of God,
- to charms,
- or sinful lusts
- and practices;
- the maligning,
- scorning,
- reviling,
- or anywise opposing
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- God's truth,
- grace, and
- ways;
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- making profession of religion
- in hypocrisy,
- or for sinister ends;
- being ashamed of it,
- or a shame to it,
- by unconformable,
- unwise,
- unfruitful,
- and offensive walking,
- or backsliding from it.
Question 114: What reasons are annexed to the third
commandment?
Answer: The reasons annexed to the third commandment, in these words,
The Lord thy God, and, For the Lord will not hold him
guiltless that takes his name in vain,
are,
- because He is the Lord and our God, therefore His Name is not to be profaned, or any way
abused by us;
- especially because He will be so far from acquitting and sparing the transgressors of
this commandment, as that
- He will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgment, albeit many such escape the
censures and punishments of men.
- The Westminster Larger Catechism (1648) explains our duties under the First Commandment.
You will notice that the brilliant Puritan Theologians who compiled the Catechism
discerned duties in passages of Scripture which do not begin with the words "Thou
shalt" or "Thou shalt not."
- Every word of God is a command for us.
-
- But even the "thou shalts" and the "thou shalt nots" demand more
from us than we might first think:
- How to Study the Ten Commandments
How to use the Catechism for a Moral
Inventory
First, you must agree that the Catechism has correctly explained the implications of
the Commandment. Assuming it has, you must
agree with God that you are obligated to carry out those principles in your life.
Second you must ask yourself if you have
violated each aspect of the command.
Third, you must take steps to develop the
Character of Christ, and eliminate "character defects" from your life.
Rushdoony's Institutes of Biblical Law
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(links coming in y2k!) |
- The Negativism of the Law
- Swearing and Revolution
- The Oath and Society
- Swearing and Worship
- The Oath and Authority
- The Name of God
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
The Christmas Conspiracy
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Virtue
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Paradigm
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Theocracy
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