Apr 25
6
Baptist Catechism 60 & 61
Q. 60. What is forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment forbideth all profaning and abusing of anything whereby God makes Himself known. (Malachi 1:6,7; Lev. 20:3;19:12; Matt. 5:34-37; Isa. 52:5)
Q. 61. What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?
A. The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgment. (Deut. 28:58,59; Malachi 2:2)
Scripture Reading: Malachi 2:1–9
“And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.” (Malachi 2:1–9, ESV)
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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.
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Introduction
The third commandment is “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7, ESV). We have asked what it requires, and now we are asking what it forbids.
One general thing we have learned about the third commandment is that it is very broad in its application. Many assume that it only forbids using God’s name as a swear word. And it does forbid that, of course. If you have the habit of using the name “God”, or “Jesus Christ”, in a careless way to express surprise or dissatisfaction, you must turn from that sin and ask the Lord’s forgiveness. In doing so we take a most holy thing and treat it as if it is common. We trivialize God and the name of God. Never should we use God’s name in a careless or profane way. But we have learned that the third commandment requires and forbids more than this. When God’s law says, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain”, it does not only have to do with the way that we use God’s name in speech, but also our handlining of all “God’s names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works.” Everything whereby God makes himself known is to be handled with reverence and care.
And that leads us to the second general thing that we have learned. The third commandment is really about attitude. We are to approach God with reverence. We are to consider him carefully. We are to love him, worship him, and serve him from the heart and with sincerity. This we are to do from day to day as we live in the world that he has made. And this we are to do, Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day, as we assemble in his temple to worship and to hear his word proclaimed. We are to have reverence for God and the things of God always.
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Baptist Catechism 60
We have learned what the third commandment requires. But what does it forbid? The answer our catechism provides is very good. “The third commandment forbideth all profaning and abusing of anything whereby God makes Himself known.”
Let us think about this for a moment.
What does it mean to profane something? It means to treat something in an irreverent or disrespectful way. And what does it mean to abuse something? To abuse something is to misuse it, or to use it in a bad way and to a bad effect.
If someone were to act at a wedding ceremony in the way they might act at a sporting event, they would profane the wedding ceremony. Why? Because a sporting event is common, whereas a wedding ceremony is a solemn occasion. Each is to be approached differently, given their content and purpose. And if someone were to use a cell phone as a hammer, we might say, You are abusing that phone! Why? Because the phone is not designed to be used as a hammer. If you were to use a phone as a hammer, you would damage and destroy it. Men and women break the third commandment when they misuse and abuse God’s revelation of himself to us.
As you may know, our catechism—the Baptist Catechism—is an alteration of another catechism called the Westminster Shorter Catechism. The Westminster Shorter is the catechism used by Presbyterians who are also paedobaptists. Ours is very similar to theirs. The main difference is that ours teaches baptism is to be given only to those who turn from their sins and make a credible profession of faith. As you might guess, if there is a Westminster Shorter Catechism, there must also be a longer version. The Westminster Shorter Catechism was intended to be used to teach children and other unaquainted with the faith. The Westminster Larger is longer and more detailed because its aim is to further educate and edify those already acquainted with the fundamentals of the faith. We do not have a larger version of our catechism, and so I do look to the Westminster Larger Catechism from time to time. I especially appreciate the longer and more detailed treatments on the commandments.
Listen to Westminster Larger, Q. 113: What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?
A. 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 quarreling 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.
I will not attempt to explain this catechism question and answer to you now. I’ve read it to you, one, to expose you to the Westminster Larger Catechism and encourage you to use it, and two, to show you what ought to be done with each of the Ten Commandments. We ought to think carefully about the moral principles contained within each of the Ten Commandments so that we might tease them out and apply them with precision and care.
In brief, “The third commandment forbideth all profaning and abusing of anything whereby God makes Himself known.” And how does God make himself known to us? He makes himself known to us through general and special revelation. Stated differently, he makes himself known to us through his creation and through his word.
God reveals himself generally to us in the world he has made. Those in Christ must learn to see the world in this way. The world does reveal truth concerning God. This is why the Psalmist says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard” (Psalm 19:1–3, ESV). And Paul also speaks to this, saying, “For what can be known about God is plain to them [the unrighteous], because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19–20, ESV). God reveals himself generally in the world he has made.
We should be very careful, therefore, to never profane or abuse God’s creation. The created world is to be appreciated and enjoyed. The created world is to be used according to its design. The created world is to be respected. And when we engage with created things, it should always move us to give glory to God the Creator of all things seen and unseen. There is sense in which a man violates the third commandment when he abuses or oppresses another human being. That human is made in God’s image. That human reveals something about God. To abuse a human being is to abuse the name of God, therefore. That is an obvious application. But it may also be said that men break the third commandment when they live in God’s world and do not recognize the glory of God in it. They enjoy the things of this world, not to the glory of God, but for their own pleasure only.
God reveals himself generally in the created world, but he reveals himself much more clearly in his word. This we call special revelation. And we must be sure to handle his word and receive his word with great care. This means that we should take the reading, teaching, and application of scripture very seriously. And this also means that we should partake of the sacraments seriously too, for they are a visible words for the people of God. In the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper God has filled common things like bread, wine, and water with special meaning according to his positive command. We must not abuse or profane God’s Holy Word.
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Malachi 2:1-9
The Malachi 2:1-9 passage I read a moment ago is powerful. In it, the priests of Israel were rebuked and threatened with a curse for corrupting the covenant, perverting the worship of God, and turning aside from sound instruction. All ministers of the gospel should take this as a sober warning to be faithful and uncompromising in the proclamation of God’s truth and in keeping pure the worship of God. And all members of Christ’s church should take this as a sober warning as well. We must not profane or abuse “anything whereby God makes Himself known”.
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Baptist Catechism 61
In fact, Malachi 2 is listed as a proof text for Baptist Catechism 61, which asks, “What is the reason annexed to the third commandment?” The answer is, “The reason annexed to the third commandment is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgment.” In other words, this is what the words, “for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain”, mean. We may fool man, but we cannot fool God. He sees even the attitude of our hearts. He knows when we take his name in vain — when we partake of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner, or listen to his word proclaimed carelessly and without faith in our hearts. He knows, and he will judge. Malachi 2 certainly communicates this principle well. The Lord sees. He saw his priests, and he sees his preachers. He knows when they minister the word carelessly and with partiality. And he will surely judge, for he will not allow his name to be profaned.
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Conclusion
Q. 60. What is forbidden in the third commandment?
A. The third commandment forbideth all profaning and abusing of anything whereby God makes Himself known. (Malachi 1:6,7; Lev. 20:3;19:12; Matt. 5:34-37; Isa. 52:5)
