8th March 2025

8th March 2025


Pray (ACts)


Read (Exodus 20v7)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


The Larger Catechism asks "What is forbidden in the third commandment?" with the 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 his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful; and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; murmuring and quarrelling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God’s decrees and providences; misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the Word, or any part of it, to profane jests, curious or unprofitable questions, vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines; abusing it, the creatures, or any thing contained under the name of God, to charms, or sinful lusts and practices; the maligning, scorning, reviling, or any wise opposing of God’s truth, grace, and ways; 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."


If we take this seriously then we realise that the third commandment is about much more than  blaspheming in the car when we realise that the police have caught us speeding. That scenario is certainly an abuse of the third commandment but did you ever realise that breaking the promises you made to the Lord is also forbidden? The church member who promises to work for unity breaks the third commandment when he gossips consistently in the carpark. The parent who takes baptismal vows with no intention of keeping them is a law breaker and a blasphemer. The person who believes that Christ was not sinless maintains a false doctrine and therefore takes the Lord's name in vain. Indeed even to be ashamed of our faith breaks the third commandment and causes us to fall far short once again of what the Lord requires.


The American Presbyterian Ligon Duncan puts it this way "If we dishonour the name of the Lord in how we live, whether it be through our lips, whether it be through unfaithfulness in our vocation, whether it be through unloving behaviour which bears poor witness to the world, then we are breaking the third commandment."


Brothers and sisters, in this series we have made it clear that it is not within our ability to keep God's law. We therefore thank God for Jesus and His active and passive obedience - there's no hope without it. Even so, I often pray a prayer of Robert Murray M'Cheyne who called out "Lord, make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be." I think this is a useful petition to make when we realise our great inability. I often break my promises, my words fail the Lord and I treat His name with contempt in a multitude of ways. May He forgive me and may He take this unprofitable servant and make me holy. May my many faults be covered by His abundant grace and may the Lord use my imperfect witness to lead many to Jesus. Soli Deo Gloria. Amen.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


WSC


Q26 How doth Christ execute the office of a king? Christ executeth the office of a king, in subduing us to himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and conquering all his and our enemies.