Deuteronomy 5:11 You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain. I. Has our CONVERSATION been always such, as that there was never anything dishonourable to His glory, and always everything suited to do Him honour? 1. Has there been nothing dishonourable to God upon our lips? Have we profaned God's name, taking it in our mouths lightly, irreverently, and without design of doing Him honour? Have you never treated irreligiously God's Word, and the truths it contains? And this, whether by disputing against what it saith, or by indecently using the expressions of it? Have you never spoken lightly of God's ordinances, His day, sacraments, His worship, and especially the preaching of the Word, wherein we are most apt to offend because it comes to us through the hands of men? Have you never spoken rashly of God's people; too hastily judging and censuring them; too readily receiving and propagating evil reports concerning them; running them down for their infirmities, and giving a malicious turn to their graces; and so miscalling the profession of Christ? Have you never spoken disrespectfully of God's providence and grace? (Deuteronomy 8:17; Deuteronomy 9:4.) Have you never spoken dishonourably of God's promises? 2. Has our conversation been always not only not dishonourable, but such as in everything was suited to glorify God? Have we always in circumstances required spoken for God? (Psalm 119:46.) Also, when we have been speaking of God, have we always done it with all that reverence which became us towards Him, so as to exalt Him, and express a lively sense upon our hearts of His being that glorious God we say He is? II. In CONDUCT have you not been guilty of taking God's name in vain? 1. Negatively: has there been nothing in your conduct dishonourable to that Jehovah whose servant you profess yourself to be? (1) Consider your general calling as Christians, have you done nothing dishonourable to the name of Jesus therein? Looking back on your past years can you say, "I am pure from the blood of all men? Have you in no instances, at no time, set before the world an example dishonourable to your Lord? What, did you never show forth any pride, anger, envy, resentment? (2) Besides our general, we have all of us a special calling, and it is peculiarly needful we should all inquire if we have not, by our conduct therein, dishonoured God's holy name. Did you never betray your truth through idleness, vanity, company keeping, desire of man's favour? Did you never pervert it to the ends of pride and vain-glory? Has the world never seen anything in your conduct respecting your calling which has been dishonourable to the Christian name? 2. The positive side. Have we so conducted ourselves always in our general and special calling as might most tend to glorify God's name? The Scripture is express (Matthew 5:16). (1) In our general calling, have we been always shining lights? Was the will of God our rule always, and our only rule? Have we been always examples of faith and heavenly-mindedness, hope and charity, meekness and humility, patience and contentedness, diligence and zeal? (2) Also, in our special callings, have we done all we might for God's glory? Have we been faithful, diligent, cheerful, unwearied, upright day after day ill our Father's work? Have we always said in our hearts, thus and thus shall God be glorified, and has this stirred us up to labour and not to faint? (S. Walker, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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