The Name We Wear!

In the Decalogue (Ten Commandments) given to Moses on the tablets of stone, the third command dealing with a proper relationship with God warned against taking “the NAME OF THE LORD your God in vain.” ( Exodus 20:7) To take GOD’S NAME in vain was to use it irreverently or flippantly. God was to be honored. HIS NAME was to associated with holiness and righteousness. Because of the seriousness of this command the Jews were fearful to even say the NAME of the LORD.

In Leviticus we read…
“(1) And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, (2) ‘Speak to Aaron and his sons so that they abstain from the holy things of the people of Israel, which they dedicate to me, so that they DO NOT PROFANE MY HOLY NAME: I am the LORD.’” ( Leviticus 22:1-2 ESV)

The things of God were to be handled in the way prescribed by God. The priests were to receive their portion of the various offerings, but the things dedicated to God were to be kept from. To handle the holy things dedicated to God in ways other than what God had commanded was to PROFANE HIS HOLY NAME. Writing to the church at Rome, Paul referred to those who boasted about their relationship to the law yet dishonored God by breaking His law as being guilty of causing the NAME OF GOD TO BE BLASPHEMED among the Gentiles. ( Romans 2:23-24)

We see, then, that not only could one be guilty of sinning by misusing the NAME OF GOD, but HIS HOLY NAME could be profaned by actions as well. Do we reverence the HOLY NAME OF GOD and of our Lord Jesus Christ so that when we speak our genuine adoration, respect, and trust are evident? As we go about the actions of daily life, what do the things we do and the choices we make say about the NAME?

What does it mean for us to wear the name CHRISTIAN? Should it not mean for us to be bringing the attention not so much to self, but to CHRIST whose HOLY NAME is associated with us? What do our actions and reactions in life say about the NAME we wear?

Peter exhorted…
“Yet if anyone suffers as a CHRISTIAN, let him not be ashamed, but let him GLORIFY GOD IN THAT NAME.” ( 1 Peter 4:16 ESV)

We shouldn’t be afraid to speak GOD’S NAME or the NAME OF JESUS. However, we should do so reverently since as CHRISTIANS He is the Lord of our life! We should also recognize how our actions must be in accordance with the Lord’s Will so that it is He Who is glorified in our life. May we live in such a way that both word and deed will cause others to think well and speak well of the CHRIST we love and serve.

Have a great day LIVING TO GLORIFY THE HOLY NAME OF THE LORD!
Carl

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