Friday, August 24, 2012

Use God's name in the service of truth...

Besides this you must also  know how to use God's name rightly.  For when He says, "You shall not take the name of the Lord, your God, in vain," He wants us to understand at the same time that His name is to be used properly.  For His name has been revealed and given to us so that it may be of constant use and profit. So it is natural to conclude that since this commandment forbids using the holy name for falsehood or wickedness, we are, on the other hand, commanded to use His name for truth and for all good, like when someone takes an oath truthfully when it is needed and demanded.  This commandment also applies to right teaching and to calling on His name in trouble or praising and thanking Him in prosperity, and so on.  All of this is summed up and commanded in Psalm 50:15, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." For all this is bringing God's name into the service of truth and using it in a blessed way.  In this way His name is hallowed, as we pray in the Lord's Prayer.
~BOC, LC, I, 63-64

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