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Ten: Week Three

The Third Commandment - Humility

God gave us the 10 Commandments to teach us about relationships, relationships with Him and with other people. We’ll study this third commandment by examining: 

1. Why God would be so concerned that we don’t misuse His name.
2. Three ways that we sometimes misuse God’s name.
3. How we can use God’s name in a positive way and how it comes back to grace.

• Why would God be so concerned that we don’t misuse His name?

Exodus 20:7 says, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

God’s name is His character. It’s who He is. The name of God is synonymous with the person and character of God. 

In the Lord’s prayer, “hallowed be Thy name” means “to be set apart, holy.”

“Yahweh” is used almost 7,000 times in the Old Testament and means, “He who caused existence; He who has always existed.”

Israel went into exile in 586 B.C. after they misused and profaned God’s name. 

(Ezekiel 36:20-23)

“Misuse” means “lift up or carry.” God is saying in the third commandment that “You shall not carry my name in a vain, empty, worthless or prideful way,” which teaches the principle of humility.” 

We need to make sure we carry the name of “Christian” with humility by honoring what that name means.

The name of God is interchangeable for the person of God throughout the Bible. 

(Proverbs 18:10, Psalm 20:7, Romans 10:13)

• We misuse God’s name in three common ways.

1.  We misuse God’s name when we pray with the wrong motive. (James 4:3)
2. We misuse God’s name when we speak for God.(Leviticus 19:12, Jeremiah 23:25, Ezekiel 22:28)
3. We misuse God’s name when the use of His name doesn’t honor Him.

• We can use God’s name in a positive way, and it all comes back to grace.

We can praise God’s name and give Him gratitude. (Psalm 44:8, Psalm 100:4, Psalm 113:3)

In the second part of the third commandment, God says that He will not leave anyone “guiltless” or “unpunished” who misuses His name. 

We’ve all misused God’s name before, but it’s important to remember how holy and reverent God’s name is. 

Jesus took on our sin and took our punishment for us. (2 Corinthians 5:21) 

The Ten Commandments are all about grace because God is such a God of grace.