I have loved this study with the boys, but I'm not sure how to live this out practically in a post-Christendom world (the parts about being a silent bystander and question #100 in particular). Should I confront everyone who takes God's name in vain - turn the channel every time I hear it? Not sure - thoughts?
Question #99: What is God's will for us in the third commandment?
Answer: That we neither blaspheme nor misuse the name of God by cursing, perjury, or unnecessary oaths, nor share in such horrible sins by being silent bystanders.
In a word, it requires that we use the holy name of God only with reverence and awe, so that we may properly confess him, pray to him, and praise him in everything we do and say (Lev. 24:10-17; Lev. 19:12; Matt. 5:37; James 5:12; Lev. 5:1; Prov. 29:24; Ps. 99:1-5; Jer. 4:2; Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10; Ps. 50:14-15; 1 Tim. 2:8; Col. 3:17).
Question #100: Is blasphemy of God's name by swearing and cursing really such serious sin that God is angry also with those who do not do all they can to help prevent it and forbid it?
Answer: Yes, indeed. No sin is greater, no sin makes God more angry than blaspheming his name. That is why he commanded the death penalty for it (Lev. 5:1; Lev. 24:10-17).
2 comments:
1 Cor. 5:9-13 might help in determining the proper response to these questions. It says, "I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner ~ not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person.
This is a very important warning to believers that I think the church has fallen very short in.
Amy,
Great connection. I think you're dead on target with this.
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