Baptist Catechism 10

Q. 10. What are the decrees of God?

A. The decrees of God are His eternal purpose, according to the counsel of His will, whereby for His own glory, He has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass. (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 11:36; Dan. 4:35)

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:3–14

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3–14, ESV)

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Introduction

If you remember, our catechism has two big parts to it. After some introductory questions, question 6 asks, “ What things are chiefly contained in the Holy Scriptures?” Answer: “The Holy Scriptures chiefly contain what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.” And the rest of the catechism is divided into those two parts. Questions 7 through 43 summarize what the scriptures teach concerning God. And questions 44 through 114 summarize what the scriptures say concerning our duty before God. So we have been learning about God, haven’t we? In particular, questions 7 through 9 of our catechism teach us about God’s nature. They answer the question, what is God? 

Q. 7. What is God?

A. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.

Q. 8. Are there more gods than one?

A. There is but one only, the living and true God. 

Q. 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory. 

Now we are going to move on from talking about the nature of God to talking about God’s actions or works. In particular, we are going to consider God’s work of creation, his work of providence, and finally, his work of redemption. But before we get to God’s works, we must talk about one more thing, and that is God’s decree. Before God created, God made a decree.  

So what is a decree? Well, a decree is an order, an edict, or a proclamation. If I say to my children, thou shalt clean your room, that is a decree. I decided in my mind and heart that the room needed to be cleaned, that my child should do it, and that they should do it at such and such a time, and then I declared it. The declaration is the decree. The cleaning of the room is the action that flows from the decree. 

Fathers and mothers may issue decrees, and so too can Kings. As you see, decrees are made by people who have some kind of authority. Those who have authority over some realm may issue decrees regarding what is to happen in that realm. Parents can decree that chores be done, and kings can command that armies move about, that things be built, and that monies be collected. These are decrees, and if all is well in the realms over which these decree makers have authority, actions will follow. 

When we speak of the decrees of God, we are saying that God has done something similar. Before he created, before he providentially upholds his creation, and before he redeemed sinners through Jesus Christ, he made a decree. 

I say that God has done something similar because God does not decree in the same way that men and women made decrees. When men and women make decrees, they have to think about it. They have to consider the risks and rewards. If they are wise, they will consult counselors. And then they must issue the decree to their inferiors hoping that they will in fact obey. None of that happens in God. God is not in process. He does not have to ponder his possibilities. He does not have to consult anyone to determine what he should do. And when God decrees something, it happens. So then, when we talk about the decree of God we are talking about something that God has truly done. But we must remember that God has not decreed in the same way that men and women decree, for we have already learned that God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. 

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His Eternal Purpose

So what are the decrees of God? Our catechism begins by saying that “the decrees of God are His eternal purpose…”  

The decrees of God are the purposes or plans of God. 

The word “eternal” is significant. It teaches us that God made his decree in eternity, or “before the foundation of the world”, to use the language of scripture. 

The Ephesians 1 passage that we read just a moment ago speaks of God’s decree as it pertains to the salvation of God’s elect. Listen again to verses 3 and 4. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” (Ephesians 1:3–4, ESV). When did God choose the elect? When did God decree that his elect would be in Christ? “Before the foundation of the world”, that is to say, before creation and in eternity.

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According To The Counsel Of His Will

What are the decrees of God? They are his plans and purposes. When did he issue his decree? Not in time… not over and over again as human history unfolds… but in eternity, before the foundation of the world. And what moved God to decree what he decreed? Our catechism is right to say that God made his decree “according to the counsel of His will.” In other words, no one external to God offered counsel to God to move him to decree what he decreed. 

This is so significant. Many foolishly believe that God made his decree based upon the insights that he gained from his creatures. Some will say that God elected to save some based upon what he saw them do. But the scriptures nowhere teach that. In fact, the scriptures do tell what “moved” God to decree what he decreed. He decreed what he decreed according to the counsel of his own will, that is to say, from within himself, and without being moved by anything external to himself. 

The Ephesians 1 passage that we read earlier also speaks to this. Listen to verse 5: “…he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will…” To decree is to predestine. And here Paul says that God predestined his elect “for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ…” According to what? What “moved” God to predestine those he predestined? “According to the purpose of his will…”, the text says. In other words, no one offered counsel to God. Nothing external to God moved him to choose as he chose. He predestinated from within himself, according to his free and gracious will.

Paul also speaks to this in Romans 11:33ff where he exclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor? [the implied answer is, no one!] Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” The words, for “from him and through him and to him are all things”, pretty much say it all.

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For His Own Glory

So, we know that the decree of God is his eternal purpose. We also know that God decreed what he decreed from within himself, according to the counsel of his own will. The next question we might ask is, what is God’s goal. What is his objective?  The men and women – parents and kings – make decrees, they have goals or objectives. What is God’s goal or objective? Answer: God has decreed what he has decreed “for His own glory.” 

Both the Ephesian 1 and the Romans 11 passage that I have read teach this. Ephesians 1:5-6 says, “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” The words “to the” indicate the end-goal or objective. God has predestinated some to salvation in Christ to the praise of his glorious grace. And at the end of that beautiful doxology of Romans 11:33-36, Paul says, “To him be glory forever. Amen.” What has God decreed what he has decreed? So much remains a mystery to us, but this we know: it will be for God’s glory. Romans 9 teaches this too, but we do not have time to go there. 

If it sounds strange to you that God most concerned to glorify himself, then consider this. It is wrong for you and me to live for our own glory. Why? Because we are creatures. But it is right for God to seek his own glory. Indeed, it would be wrong for him not to! Why? Because he is God. If God were to seek the glory of any other, then God himself would violate the first commandment. But please hear this: when God seeks his own glory, he does at the same time seek our good. For what is our greatest good except to be found in him, to worship and adore him. 

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He Has Foreordained Whatsoever Comes To Pass

Lastly, what has God decreed? Answer: “He has foreordained whatsoever comes to pass.”

When we speak of God’s decree we are talking about God’s eternal purposes, and more specifically we are talking about foreordination. What does that word mean? To foreordain is to order or determine something ahead of time. And the scriptures teach that God’s foreordination reaches, not just to the salvation of his elect, but to all things.  

That Ephesians 1 passage speaks to this too. Listen to verse 11: “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will…” The Arminians love to say “all means all”. Often times they are wrong, but here there are right! Paul is clearly teaching that God “works all things according to the counsel of his will…” Not just the salvation of his elect, but all things. 

Isaiah 46:9-10 also teaches this. There God says, “remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose’”.

And consider the words of Jesus himself: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29–31, ESV). God’s decree, and his providential care over the world he has made, extend even to lifes of sparrows and to the hairs on our head.

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Conclusion

I’m out of time. There is a danger in presenting such a difficult subject in such a limited timeframe. There are many questions that I have left unaddressed and unanswered. Lord willing, we will have an opportunity to address them later. For now, may I encourage you to read chapter 3 of our confession? There you will find a more full treatment of this subject. 

I will conclude by saying that the doctrine of God’s decree should be a comfort to us. It should be comforting to know that the events of our lives are not random and out of control (as they often seem). They are not meaningless or without purpose. No, God is in them somehow. He has determined to work all things – the good and the bad – for his glory and for the good of his people. How can this be? Well, there is much that is mysterious to us. But we know it is true. God is holy and just. He does no evil, nor does he tempt men to do evil. Men, by their free will, do choose to rebel against their Maker, and God in his wisdom does permit it. But hear this: this permission that I speak of is not bear or purposeless permission. No, all things that come to pass in time are the outworking of God who is “infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth” (BC, 7).

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 20:7

“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)

New Testament Reading: James 5:7–12

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” (James 5:7–12, 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.

Introduction

As we have studied the Ten Commandments, one of my prayers for us has been that we would grow in our love for God’s law. If we are to love God’s law we must know what it is. And if we are to love God’s law we must understand what it requires and forbids. But it is one thing to know and understand God’s law – it is another thing to love it. God’s people ought to love God’s law. 

We should agree with the Psalmist who spoke to God,  saying, “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors” (Psalm 119:24, ESV). In another place he says, “Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!”. And again he says,  “for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love” (Psalm 119:47, ESV). God’s people ought to love God’s law. We should agree with King David’s who spoke of God’s commandments, saying, “More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:10–11, ESV). God’s people should love God’s law because it is God’s law. His law is good. His law is pure. His law is right. In keeping it there is great reward. 

In my experience (which I admit is very limited) I have found that when Christians do speak about God’s law it is often to warn against the misuse of it. I wonder if you have had experience the same? In other words, when we do speak of God’s law, I have found that we often stress what God’s law is not good for. And it is very important that we do this. The scriptures do this. Paul especially does this in his writings. He warns against the misuse of the law. Do not think that we can earn salvation through law-keeping, he teaches. God’s law is not good for that now that we have fallen into sin. The law cannot save. The law cannot justify. No, it condemns us. When we read the law we realize (or at least we should) that we have broken it time and time again. So, the scriptures do warn us against the misuse of the law. And it is right that we stress this, for many do stumble over this stumbling stone (Romans 9:32). They seek to be justified by the works of the law instead of by faith in Christ, and this is a fatal error. 

But let us not forget that the scriptures do often speak of the law of God as good. I’ve already cited Psalm 19 and Psalm 119 which speak beautifully concerning the goodness of God’s law. Now let me cite Paul, the man who is famous for his warnings against legalism. He himself says, “Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully…” (1 Timothy 1:8, ESV). Paul refers to the law as “good”, but he qualifies his statement by saying, “if one uses it lawfully…” In other words, the law itself is good. The problem is not with God’s law, but with the misuse of God’s law. God’s law is good, but we must be careful to use it “lawfully”, which means, correctly, or according to its design. 

God’s law is indeed good. It is good because it shows us our sins. When we meditate on God’s law it is like looking into a mirror. How do you know what your face looks like? You must look into a mirror! And how can a man examine the condition of their soul? We must look into the mirror of God’s law! We must read it, comprehend it, and meditate upon it, asking ourselves, do I live up to this standard? This is what we call, self-reflection. But you cannot self-reflect without a standard. And the only true and pure standard worthy to be used in the self-reflection is God’s moral law. When we look into it, it functions as a mirror. It enables us to see our sins, our flaws, and our blemishes. And when God’s law shows us our sin, it also reminds us of our need for the Savior, Christ the Lord. God’s law is good, for it drives us to Christ. 

And God’s moral law is also good because it shows the one who has faith in Christ the way to life abundant. In this world, there is a way that leads to death, and there is a way that leads to life. There is a path of wisdom and a path of folly. God’s moral law is like a lamp for our feet. It illuminates the way of righteousness, goodness, and blessing. In God’s law, we find the will of God revealed. God’s law directs us to walk in the right way so that we might live life to the fullest in Christ Jesus. 

Do you wish to be blessed? Do you wish to be truly happy and at peace? Then turn to Christ. Trust in him for the forgiveness of sins. And then, by the gracious aid of the Holy Spirit, walk in the right way. And by that, I mean, love God’s law in the heart, and keep his commandments in thought, word, and deed. Do you remember the very first words of the Psalter? “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away” (Psalm 1:1–4, ESV).

God’s law is good, brothers and sisters. It shows us our sin and therefore dives us to repentance and to faith in Christ. Also, it is a lamp to our feet illuminating for us the way to righteousness and blessing. As we contemplate God’s moral law as summarized in the Ten Commandments, let us not forget that it is good.

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The Law

We have come now to the third of the Ten Commandments, which is, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”

What is the first commandment? “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3, ESV)

What is the second? “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them…” (Exodus 20:4–5, ESV)

And now the third: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain…” (Exodus 20:7, ESV).

As I have said in previous sermons, the first four commandments all have to do with our relationship to God and with worship. The first commandment addresses the object of our worship. Who is to be worshipped? Answer: YHWH alone is to be worshipped. The second commandment addresses the form of worship. How is YHWH to be worshipped? As God prescribes, and not with idols or images. And now the third commandment deals with the attitude of worship. What should our attitude towards God be? Answer: one of reverence. We are to have reverence for God’s name. The fourth commandment will address the time of worship. One day in seven is to be set apart unto him as holy. 

Do you wish to be truly blessed in this life, friends? Well, as you can see we must start by addressing our relationship with God. Here is where the blessed life begins: by having God as our God, and by living for the glory of his name. 

Again, the third commandment is, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”

Notice how broad this commandment is. The Hebrew word translated as “take” is very generic. It appears over 600 times in the Old Testament. It means to carry, to rise, to lift up, or to bring. It can also mean to lift up high or to exult. Typically, the word is used to describe the lifting up of a physical object. Men are said to lift up their eyes to heaven, or to take their weapons to war, or to carry as many of their possessions as they can. Here the word is used in reference, not to a physical object, but to God’s name. “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain”, the commandment says. 

God is represented by his name. In fact, this is true of all things. Things have names, and names represent things. If I say “tree”, you picture a tree. If I say “dog”, you picture a dog. And to make it more personal, if I say “Lindsay” or “David”, you think of a Lindsay and a David. Names are powerful and they are very important. People are represented by their names. This is why the scriptures say that “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches…” (Proverbs 22:1, ESV). To have a “good name” is to have a good reputation. You are represented by your name, and your name represents you. This is why slander is such a terrible sin. When people slander others they do damage to the person by dishonoring their name. Similarly, if we take up God’s name and use it in a vain way, we do damage to God’s reputation. God is demeaned and disrespected when we take up and use his name in a vain way. 

The Hebrew word translated as “vain” means worthless, empty, inconsequential, unrestrained, or false. So then, the third commandment forbids us from taking up God’s name to use it in a way that is empty, careless, or false.   

To take up and use the name of God in a vain way is most inappropriate, for God is the opposite of vanity. Vain things lack substance, but God is most substantial. Vain things are untrue, and yet God is truth. Vain things are empty, but God is the fullness of life. Vain things are worthless, but God is of infinite worth. Etc. I think you get the point. It is not fitting to take up the name of God and to use it in a worthless, empty, inconsequential, careless, or false way, for God is not worthless, empty, inconsequential, or false. He is glorious. He is perfectly holy, and infinite in all of his perfections. His name is to be honored, therefore. To use God’s name in a vain way reveals that you have no reverence for God in the heart. God is to be revered. And this means that his name is to be revered, for he is represented by his most holy name. 

By the way, you will notice that the commandment does not say, you shall not take the name of the LORD your God. Rather, it says, “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” Some have taken this commandment too far and have superstitiously avoided using the name of God at all. Many have refused to pronounce the name YHWH, for example. But that is not what is forbidden here. The command does not forbid the use of God’s name. No, it is the vain, empty, careless, and false use of God’s name that is forbidden.    

So serious is the sin of using the name of the LORD in a vain way that God attached a warning to this commandment. “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). Men and women may use the name of God in a vain way without obvious ramifications, but here the LORD says that he will not hold them guiltless. In other words, he will hold them accountable for their sin. 

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The Heart Of The Matter

So we know what the third commandment is: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.” Now, let us go to the heart of the matter by asking what this commandment forbids and requires. 

What is forbidden in the third commandment? Question 60 of our the Baptist Catechism provides a helpful answer. “The third commandment forbideth all profaning and abusing of anything whereby God makes Himself known.”

As you can see, our catechism applies the third commandment in a broad way, and I think this is right. Not only does the third commandment forbid us from using the name YHWH in a vain way. No, the heart of the matter is that we are forbidden from “profaning and abusing of anything whereby God makes Himself known.” This is about reverence, brothers and sisters.

Question 59 of our catechism addresses this with more precision when it asks, “What is required in the third commandment?” Answer: “The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works.”

Again I say, this is about reverence. God alone is to be worshipped. He is to be worshipped in the way that he says (never with idols or images). And he is to be revered. He is to be respected and even feared. And how are we to respect God? Well, we do not see him face to face, do we? No, we know God through his revelation. 

God has revealed himself to us in the world that he has made, and through his word. God’s word is to respected, therefore. And also his creation. 

He has revealed himself to us through his names. YHWH is the proper name of God. It communicates, among other things, that he is the self-existent One. Be he also revealed himself to us with other names and titles. He is God Most High. He is Lord. He is the Almighty One. He is the Lord of Hosts. He is Father. We are to honor God by honoring his names and his titles. 

And God has also revealed himself to us by telling us about his attributes. He is infinite, eternal, and unchanging. He is sovereign. He is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He is holy and just. He is merciful and kind. We are to honor God by knowing, believing, and honoring his attributes. 

God has also communicated himself to us through his ordinances. Ordinances are those things that God has ordered or commanded. Ordinances tell us something about God and his relationship to us. In the beginning, the ordinance of marriage was given to all mankind. The marriage bond between a man and woman for life tells us something about God and his relationship to us. Marriage is to be honored, therefore. God gave Abraham and his descendants the ordinance of circumcision. Circumcision communicated something about God and his special relationship to the Hebrews under the Old Covenant. Circumcision was to be honored, therefore, and not taken lightly. And under the New Covenant, Christ has given the church the two ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. God communicates himself to us through these ordinances. They are to be honored, therefore, and not taken lightly.

Listen, just as it was with the first and second commandments, so it is with the third. We tend to reduce the commandments down to a minimum. We often fail to get to the heart of the matter. We often neglect to ask the questions, what does this commandment really require and forbid? 

What sin do men and women typically think of when they think of violations of the third commandment? I would imagine that most people think of the sin of using the name of God, or of Jesus Christ, as a curse word. And indeed, this is a violation of the third commandment. It is sinful to take up the holy name of God, or the precious name of Jesus, and to use them in such a vain way. We are to have reverence for God and for God in Christ, brothers and sisters. Never should we use the name of God to express anger, frustration, or disapproval as if it were a curse word. 

Others may think of the sin of swearing falsely by the name of God. This too is a violation of the third commandment. If we take an oath or swear by the name of God, then what we say had better be true. To swear by the name of God, and then to speak falsehood, dishonors God. It reveals that we do not fear him or revere him in the heart. 

By the way, many think that the scriptures forbid us from swearing, or taking an oath, by the name of God. They think of that passage that we read early in James 5:12: “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” Or perhaps they think of the words of Christ regarding oath swearing in Matthew 5:33ff. A surface reading of both those texts seems to say that Christians are never to take oaths. But I don’t think that is the meaning. Instead, both Christ and James are commanding truthfulness as a way of life. Speak the truth, brothers and sisters. Let your yes be “yes” and your no be “no” in your daily conversations where there is no oath swearing. And if there is to be an oath taken (perhaps in a court of law) then do not play games with by swearing by something lesser than the name of God, namely, the earth, the temple, or your mother’s grave, etc. No, when oaths are taken, you are to swear by the name of God, and you are to tell the truth.  

This is what Deuteronomy 10:20 says. “You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear” (Deuteronomy 10:20, ESV). Leviticus 19:12 is also significant. It says, “You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:12, ESV). You can see clearly that the law of Leviticus 19:12 is rooted in the third commandment. It does not forbid swearing (or taking an oath) by God’s name. No, it forbids swearing falsely by God’s name. To swear falsely by God’s name would be to profane the name of God.

Chapter 23 of our confessions is about oaths and vows. Paragraph 1 says, “ A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein the person swearing in truth, righteousness, and judgement, solemnly calleth God to witness what he swears, and to judge him according to the truth or falseness thereof.” Paragraph 2 then says, “The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear; and therein it is to be used, with all holy fear and reverence; therefore to swear vainly or rashly by that glorious and dreadful name, or to swear at all by any other thing, is sinful, and to be abhorred; yet as in matter of weight and moment, for confirmation of truth, and ending all strife, an oath is warranted by the Word of God; so a lawful oath being imposed by lawful authority in such matters, ought to be taken.”

So, it is certainly true that it is a violation of the third commandment to take up the name of God and to use it in a vain way as a curse word. It is also a sin to swear falsely by the name of God. Both are irreverent and unholy uses of God’s holy name. And God will not hold them guiltless who use his name in such a careless. 

But if we are to get to the heart of the matter – if we are to truly understand what this law commands and forbids – we must think more broadly. This commandment is about having reverence for God, and for all of the ways in which God makes himself known to us. He has revealed himself to us through his names, titles, and attributes. And he has also revealed himself to us through his ordinances, words, and works.

Brothers and sisters, in baptism and the Lord’s Supper, God sets his name upon us. These ordinances set us apart as YHWH’s people. Are you following me? Yes, we may “take up” the name of God on our lips. And when we do we must be careful not to profane it by lying or by using it in an unholy manner. But we also “take up” God’s name in his ordinances. 

When we baptize, we are to baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In water baptism, God’s name is set upon the one baptized by profession of faith. Baptism signifies membership in the Covenant of Grace. Baptism should not be approached or administered in a vain, careless, empty, or untrue way.  “The LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”  

In the Lord’s Supper, God sets his name upon his people. Those who partake say they have Jesus as Lord. Those who partake are said to be God’s children. Those who partake are set apart from the world as citizens of God’s kingdom. Baptism marks the entrance into the Covenant. In the Lord’s Supper, the Covenant is renewed. When we take up the bread and the wine, we are claiming to have God as our God through faith in Christ, and God sets his name upon us. We are his, and he is ours. The Lord’s Supper must not be approached or administered in a vain, empty, or careless, or untrue way. “The LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”   

And what should we say about God’s word and his works? Briefly, I will remind you that God reveals himself to us in his word. We, as God’s people, must have reverence for God’s word. When God’s word is read and preached, God’s people ought to pay careful attention. They should work hard to understand it. They must believe it in the heart and seek to obey it, with God’s help. It is a dangerous thing to receive God’s word in a careless or vain way. “The LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”   

And consider this: God has also revealed himself to us in his works. When we speak of God’s works we may talk about his works of creation, providence, and redemption. We know that God is revealed in the world he has made. He is also revealed through his providential upholding and governing of the world he has made. And he is revealed in the work of redemption too. We live in God’s world, brothers and sisters. And as cliche as it sounds, history is indeed his story. In other words, we cannot escape God’s revelation. He is everywhere revealed through his works. We are to have reverence for God, therefore, not only in church where the word is preached and the ordinances are administered, but even as we contemplate God’s creation, and as we consider his providence. I think we should be more careful than we are when talking about the Lord’s providence. We tend to gripe and complain about the way that things are going in the world, and we forget that God has willed and permitted it. His glory and grace will be manifest through the world and through the whole course of human history.    

God is to be revered, brothers and sisters. And though we do not see him face to face, as it were, he makes himself known through revelation. He has revealed his names, titles, and attributes. He reveals himself through his ordinances, word, and works. All of these forms of revelation are to be handled with great care, for God makes himself known to us through them. 

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.”

And now that we have considered the heart of the matter, and what the third commandment requires and forbids, I ask you, have you kept this law perfectly? We confess that we have violated this law in thought word.  

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The Gospel

The law condemns us, but the gospel offers the forgiveness of sins and life abundant and eternal in Christ Jesus. 

What is the gospel, then? Well, it is the good news that God has provided a Savior for us. His name is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ was sinless. He perfectly obeyed God’s law. Yes, even the third commandment. He possed a perfect and perpetual reverence for God’s name. He came to do the Father’s will. More than this, he came to reveal God’s name to those whom God has given to him. This is what he says in John 17:6. Praying to the Father, he says, “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word” (John 17:6, ESV). In other words, Christ did not merely keep God’s law in an external way. No, he kept it with reverence for the Father in his heart. And as the God-man – as the eternal Word of God or Son of God come in the flesh – he himself revealed God to us. He kept the third commandment, along with all the others, perfectly and perpetually. Christ did not deserve to die but died in the place of those given to him by the Father. He laid down his life as an atoning sacrifice for the sheep.    

This means that Christ has the forgiveness of sins to give, along with his righteousness. The forgiveness of sins, and the righteousness of Christ, are received by faith. As John 3:16 so famously says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV). This is the gospel. It is the good news that the forgiveness of sins and the hope of eternal life are available through faith in Jesus the Messiah.

But one thing I have attempted to stress in these sermons on the Ten Commandments is that the gospel does not only have to do with the forgiveness of sins and the hope of heaven in the future. No, those in Christ have been regenerated the power of the Holy Spirit. The law of God, which was marred and distorted and suppressed within us because of sin, is written anew and afresh upon the hearts of all who believe. God does not only teach those in Christ his law. He does not merely write it on stone for us to function and an external standard. No, he writes it on our hearts. 

This was promised through the prophet Jerimiah long before Christ was born. In Jerimiah 31:31  we read “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:31–34, ESV).

If you are in Christ by faith, God’s moral law – the same law which was contained within the Ten Commandments written on stone at Sinai – has been written on your heart. You keep this, not to earn salvation, but because you have been saved. You keep this law, not because you have to, but because you want to. You keep this law this law not to earn God’s love, but because God has loved you, and you now love him. 

This is what the Apostle John describes in 1 John 5:3-5. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:3–5, ESV).

So then, the gospel is not only about the past forgiveness of sins, nor the future hope of life eternal. It is about living an abundant life now. Here is good news: though you were once slaves to sin, now you are free in Christ. Though you were once dead to God and to the things of God, now you are alive. Though you were once blind, not you see. Prior to knowing Christ, God’s moral law stood against you. Its moral demands were written on stone. They condemned you. But now that you are in Christ, that same moral law is written on your heart so that you desire now to do all that God has commanded. 

Corruptions remain, don’t they? Sometimes we do what we don’t want to do, and don’t do what we wish we would. But here is the point: those truly in Christ do have God’s law within them so that they desire now to do that which is pleasing to the Father. We trust that the Lord will sanctify us further by his word and Spirit and keep us faithful in Christ to the end. Lord, help us. 

Baptist Catechism 8 & 9

Q. 8. Are there more gods than one?

A. There is but one only, the living and true God. (Deut. 6:4; Jeremiah 10:10)

Q. 9. How many persons are there in the Godhead?

A. There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory. (1 Cor. 8:6; John 10:30; John 14:9; Acts 5:3,4; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14)

Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 6:1–9

“Now this is the commandment—the statutes and the rules—that the LORD your God commanded me to teach you, that you may do them in the land to which you are going over, to possess it, that you may fear the LORD your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be long. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:1–9, ESV)

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Introduction

If you were to consider questions 7, 8, and 9 of our catechism you would see that all three have to do with the question, what is God? 

What is he? Catechism 7 answers, God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. But now we ask, are there more gods than one? And finally, how many persons are there in the Godhead? All three of these questions, and the answers that are given, help us to think correctly about who or what God is.

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Are There More Gods Than One?

So, are there more Gods than one? 

Please allow me to make a philosophical observation before getting to the straightforward answer to the question. If what was said about God in Baptist Catechism 7 was true, then there cannot be more than one God. If God is indeed infinite, eternal, and unchangeable (which we confess that he is), then it is impossible for more than one of God to exist. I’ll leave that for you to ponder more thoroughly at a later time.

Now for the straightforward answer. Are there more Gods than one? We say, there is but one only, the living and true God.

That there is only one God is perhaps the most fundamental tenant of the Christian faith. 

Deuteronomy 6:4 says, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4, ESV). This means that God is singular. There is only one God, and he is simple within himself.

In Isaiah 44:8 God says, “Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any” (Isaiah 44:8, ESV).

Are there more Gods than one? There is but one only. 

And notice that our catechism calls the one God, “the living and true God.” 

This is to distinguish the one true God from all false gods. 

The scriptures do speak of other gods. But they are called that, not because they are in fact Gods, but because men and women worship them as such. In reality, they are created things that men and women treat as if they are the Creator of all things.  They are called gods, but really they are not. 

God alone is God. And he, unlike idols which are carved from stone or wood, is living. The one true God is alive. The idols that men and women worship are lifeless. They have ears but cannot hear, eyes but cannot see, mouths but cannot breathe or speak. They are dumb, deaf, and lifeless, and those who worship them become like them, But God is living. 

He is alive because he has life in himself. As Christ said, “the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.” (John 5:26, ESV). And it is God who gives life to all things. Paul charged Timothy “in the presence of God, who gives life to all things…” (1 Timothy 6:13, ESV)

Are there more Gods than one? Well, if by that you mean, do men and women worship other gods besides YHWH?, then yes, certainly. But if these gods are idols, they are not alive, and if they are creatures who are alive, they are not true gods – no, they are creatures who have been given life by the God who has life in himself. 

Brothers and sisters, we must worship God alone, and flee from idolatry.

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How Many Persons Are There In The Godhead?

Now we ask, How many persons are there in the Godhead? Answer: There are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in essence, equal in power and glory.

Notice the order. First, we establish the oneness of God, and then we talk about his threeness. Whatever we say about God’s threeness must not violate his oneness. Both truths must coincide. 

Yes, God is one. This is true. But as we pay careful attention to the scriptures we also see that there is a kind of plurality in the Godhead. We find hints of it as early as Genesis 1 where we read, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26, ESV). These hints at the plurality in the Godhead are mysterious early in the scriptures, but as we move to the New Testament, the dim mystery gives way to clarity and to light. 

When all is considered, we see that there are three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father is in some way distinct from the Son and the Spirit. The Son is in some way distinct from the Father and the Spirit. And the Spirit is in some way distinct from Father and the Son. What distinguishes them? Nothing at all except the personal properties of paternity, filiation, and spiration. That is a fancy way of saying that for all eternity Father eternally begets the Son, the Son is eternally begotten of the Father. And the Spirit is eternally breathed forth by the Father and the Son. A key word is “eternally”. There was never a time when the Son and Spirit where not. The Son is eternally begotten, not made. And the Spirit is eternally spirated, not made. Remember what we have said about the one living and true God. He is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.

The end of the matter is this. There is one God, and in the one God there are three persons or subsistences, each with the fullness of the divine nature.  

The Father is fully God. Revelation 1:5-6 says, “and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:5–6, ESV)

The Son is fully God. John 1:1 and 14 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1,14, ESV)

And the Spirit is fully God. In Acts 5:3-4 we read, “But Peter said, ‘Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land?… You have not lied to man but to God.’” (Acts 5:3–4, ESV)

What unites them? The divine nature. 

What distinguishes them? Only the personal properties of Fatherhood, Sonship, and Spiration. The Father eternally begets the Son. And the Father and Son eternally breath forth the Spirit. And yet there are not three Gods, but one only. 

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (Deuteronomy 6:4, ESV)

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Conclusion

As mindblowing as this doctrine is, did you know that our confession says that this “doctrine of the Trinity is the foundation of all our communion with God, and comfortable dependence on him (Second London Confession, 2.3). We could spend a while talking about why this is. In brief, we have been reconciled to the Father, by the Son, through the Spirit. Our salvation is Trinitarian, brothers and sisters. The one God has determined to save us. And the one God has accomplished our salvation and does apply it to his elect in due time. Again, we have been reconciled to the Father, by the Son, through the Spirit. It is the Triune God who created us and has saved us, to the praise of his glorious grace. 

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 20:4-6

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:4–6, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Acts 2:37-42 

“Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:37–42, 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.

Introduction

We have come now to the second of the Ten Commandments, which forbids idolatry. 

And by way of introduction, I think it would be good for me to remind you that the first four of the Ten Commandments teach us about how we are to relate to God, whereas the last six of the Ten Commandments teach us about how we are to relate to our fellow man. This can be easily observed in the Ten Commandments themselves, but it is also seen in the answer that Christ gave to the question, “which is the great commandment in the Law?” You will notice that Christ was asked to identify the single greatest commandment. But Christ picked two. He said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:36–40, ESV). 

As I have said in previous sermons, the command from Deuteronomy 6:5, “love the Lord your God” with all you are, sums up the first four of the Ten Commandments. And the command from Leviticus 19:18,  “love your neighbor as yourself”, sums up the last six. 

I would like to spend just a moment with you thinking a little more carefully about the relationship between the Ten Commandments and the two which summarize them. 

What do the two commandments which Christ picked help us to understand about God’s law? Well, they get to the heart of the matter, don’t they? They help us to understand that, if we are going to keep God’s law truly, we must do so from the heart. God’s law is not to be obeyed merely in an external or superficial way. God is not interested in seeing his people go through the motions if you will. No, if we are going to keep God’s law truly and sincerely, we must do what God has said, and abstain from what he has forbidden, from a heart of love. To love God with all that we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, is to obey God’s law. 

So then, why didn’t God just say that? Why didn’t he just command us to love? If the command to love God with all we are, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, gets to the heart of the issue and sums it all up, why the Ten Commandments? The answer is this. The Ten Commandments teach us how we are to love. Yes, love is the essence of the moral law. To love God and neighbor is the summary of the law. The two which summarize the Ten are vitally important, for they get to the heart of the matter. But the Ten are vitally important too, for they bring clarity to the question, how are we to love God and neighbor?

It seems to me that we live in a day and age where men and women are more comfortable with the two commandments that Christ highlighted than with the Ten. And I suppose that some might say, well that’s a good thing, isn’t it? For the two commandments get to the heart of the issue! Love is what matters! Well, I don’t think that what’s going on. Instead, I’m afraid that men and women are more comfortable with the two than Ten because they do not want to be bothered or constrained by the specifics of God’s moral law. They would rather be free to decide for themselves what it means to love God and neighbor. Are you tracking with me?

Our culture loves to talk about love. Love is what makes the difference, they say. It’s all about love. Love is love. But what does that mean in concrete terms? What does this love look like as it pertains to our relationship with God and man? Pay careful attention to this, brothers and sisters, God has not left that question unanswered. “Love” is not merely a subjective emotion with questions of application left open to interpretation. No, God is love. He has commanded us to love. And he has given us the moral law so that we might know what it means to love, truly and in practice. 

The two commandments which summarize the Ten are vitally important because they get to the heart of the matter. To obey God’s law truly, we must love him with all that we are, and our neighbor as ourselves. But the Ten are vitally important too, for they provide us with something concrete as it pertains to the question, what does it mean to love God and neighbor? In other words, the Ten Commandments provide us with unchanging moral clarity. 

This relationship between the two and the Ten can be seen in the words of Jesus to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15, ESV). And a bit later he says the opposite: “Whoever does not love me does not keep my words.” And lest anyone think that Christ’s moral law is different from the moral law which God revealed at Sinai, he adds, “And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me” (John 14:24, ESV).

So then, to love God with all that we are means obeying the moral law which is summarized in the Ten Commandments. And to obey the moral law (through faith in Christ and from the heart) is to love God with all that we are.  

Dear brothers and sisters, you must do away with this idea that love is merely an emotion. Furthermore, you must do away with the idea that what love is in action is for us to decide. No, morality is not determined by man. It comes from God. He has given us his moral law, and we must submit ourselves to it if we wish to do what is right and to love truly.

As I have said, the first four of the Ten Commandments have to do with man’s relationship to God. And the first commandment is the first for a reason. If we wish to have a right relationship with God then we must know that YHWH alone is God. We must have him as our God, and give to him the worship that is due to his name. This is what the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me”, requires. It forbids us from worshiping any created thing as if it were divine. It requires us to worship and serve God alone as God. 

So you can see that the first commandment tells us who the object of our worship must be: YHWH alone. And notice that the next three commandments have to do with the way of worship. YHWH alone is to be worshipped. The first commandment makes that clear. But how is he to worshipped? That is the question that the second commandment address when it says, in brief, not with idols. The third commandment addresses the attitude of worship, demanding reverence for God’s name. And the fourth commandment says something about the time of worship. One day in seven is to be set apart as holy, for rest and for worship. Again, the first commandment tells us who is to be worshipped. Commandments two, three, and four tell us how God is to be worshipped. 

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The Law

Let us now consider the second commandment itself. What is the law? “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them… (Exodus 20:4–5, ESV). In brief, the second commandment forbids idolatry. So then, God alone is to be worshipped, and he is not to be worshipped through images. 

Take special notice of this. Though the first and second commandments are certainly related – they both have to do with the worship of God – they are not the same. No, they are two distinct commandments. The first commandment forbids the worship of any other so-called god. This would obviously include worshipping other gods in the form of idols. And if that was the only thing that God wished to address, then the second commandment would not be needed. Do you see what I mean? The command, “you shall have no other gods before me” certainly includes other “gods” in the form of idols. But the second commandment says more. Not only does it forbid making images of false gods, it also forbids making images of the one true God.

All of the nations that surrounded Israel in the ancient world worshipped their gods through idols. They carved or cast images of earthly material in the form of earthly things and they bowed before them, prayed to them, and offered up sacrifices to them, imagining that they could earn favor from the god that those idols represented. It is not hard to imagine that Israel was tempted to do the same thing. In other words, even if they were to keep the first commandment and have YHWH as their only God, they would still be tempted to make an image of him, for this is how all of the surrounding nations worshipped. This was the way that the Egyptians worshipped, and we know that Israel spent a long time there in that culture. This is why the LORD, after saying, “you shall have no other gods before me”, also said, “you shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them…” If the LORD did not say this then Israel might think that could worship YHWH through an idol that represented him. 

Just a moment ago I said, it’s not hard to imagine that Israel was tempted to make idols given the influence of the nations around them. In fact, we do not have to imagine. We know they were tempted to do this. We will come to the story in Exodus 32, and so I will not spend much time on it. But do you remember what Moses returned to when he came down from Saini with the Ten Commandments written on stone? The people had convinced Aaron to make an image of a calf out of the gold they had taken from Egypt and they worshipped before it! Moses dropped the tablets and broke them, which was certainly symbolic. The covenant had barely been made and the people had already broken it by violating both the first and second commandments. I say that they violated both because the golden calf did not represent YHWH only, but other gods too, as we will see. But God was merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 

The first commandment forbids the worship of false gods. It requires the worship of YHWH alone. And the second commandment forbids the making of graven images or the likeness of anything in all of creation for use in worship, whether it be the worship of false gods or the worship of the one true God. In brief, all forms of idolatry are here forbidden. 

In just a moment we will go deeper as we attempt to get to the heart of the second commandment. But before we do, let us briefly consider the word of warning that is given starting in the middle of verse 5 with the word “for”. “You shall not bow down to [idols] or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:5–6, ESV).

Some have been bothered by this idea that the LORD is a “jealous God”. But this is only because they have failed to distinguish between jealousy that is sinful and jealousy that is righteous. I’m sure you know that there is a kind of anger that is sinful, and there is a kind of anger that is righteous. Sinful anger is anger that is misdirected. Sinful anger is anger that is out of bounds. Anger that turns to bitterness is sinful. And so too is anger that turns to rage. But it is right for us to be angry at the right things (that which is truly sinful or unjust), and to be moved to do what is right in our anger in a wise and self-controlled way. And the same is true for jealousy. If your jealousy is motivated by envy, greed, and discontentment, it is sinful. And your jealousy is also sinful when it overflows its proper bounds leading you to be consumed by it and to think and do that which is evil. But there is also a righteous kind of jealousy. It is right for God, and for man, to be jealous (or zealous) for what is rightly theirs. 

In human experience nowhere is this more obvious than in the marriage relationship. It is perfectly right for a husband and wife to be “jealous” for each other. A husband ought to be jealous for his wife’s loyalty and love. And a wife is right to be jealous to have her husband’s loyalty and love. The thought of disloyalty and unfaithfulness will naturally produce a kind of righteous anger within them.

Jealousy that is evil longs to have things that rightly belong to others, but not to you. Jealousy that is out of control and all-consuming is also evil. Here I am simply observing that there is a kind of jealousy that is right. It is right for us to desire to have that which is rightly ours. It is right that we are angered when something that is rightly ours is taken from us and given to another. And this is that kind of jealousy that God has. Jealousy in God is not a flaw, but a perfection. When the scriptures say that God is jealous they do not mean that he is jealous in a sinful way. Nor do the scriptures mean that God is jealous in the way that humans are jealous. Humans experience fluctuation in emotions, but God does not change. Jealousy in God is an unchanging and untainted perfection. Here in Exodus 20 the human emotion of jealousy is attributed to God to tell us something that is true about him, namely, that God is worthy of all praise, he is holy, and just. And God’s perfect justice and anger will fall upon all who take what is rightly his and give it to another.  

We must not forget that here in Exodus 20 and following God is entering into a covenant with Israel. In other passages of scripture, this covenantal relationship between God and Israel is compared to a marriage. God is displeased with all who take the worship that is due to his name and give it to another. But we may say that God was especially displeased with his bride, Israel, when she worshipped idols. This is why Israel is often compared to a harlot or an unfaithful wife in the scriptures. Idolatry is sometimes likened to adultery. When Israel worshipped idols she did not merely violate the moral law of God, she was also unfaithful to the “marriage” covenant that God had entered into with her in the days of Moses. Read Hosea if you wish to see a vivid image of this reality.     

Is God a jealous God? Yes! But not in the way that men and women are jealous, for God does not change. He does not experience the ebb and flow of emotions as we do. And his “jealousy” is perfect and pure. 

Next, we have the remark about God visiting the “iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate [him], but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love [him] and keep [his] commandments” (Exodus 20:5–6, ESV).

Before I tell you what this means, let me tell you what this does not mean. This does not mean that children may be spiritually cursed because of the sins of their father or mother or previous generations. Have you ever encountered teaching like this? I have repeatedly over the years. It is the doctrine of generational curses, and I must say that it is garbage. Nowhere do the scriptures teach – not here or in any other place – that one generation is spiritually cursed by God because of the sins of the previous generation. It angers me to think that this nonsense is taught even to Christians. Some will say that even those in Christ may experience spiritual bondage after they repent and believe, or be under a curse somehow, because of the sins of their father or mother. In Christ, we are new creatures. In Christ, we are forgiven. In Christ, we have been delivered from the domain of darkness. In Christ, we have been graciously adopted as God’s beloved children. What a dark and damaging false teaching this is to say that some of God’s children are under God’s curse, or that they remain in bondage to the Evil One, even after being united to Christ by faith. 

What then does this passage mean? Well, I have emphasized over and over again that the covenant that God entered into with Israel in the days of Moses was earthly. Their redemption was earthly. The blessings for covenant faithfulness were earthly. And the curses for covenant unfaithfulness were earthly too. Israel would be blessed in the land that God would give to them if they obeyed, and they would be cursed in the land if they disobeyed the terms of the covenant. Everything about the Old Mosaic covenant itself was earthly. Granted, the promises entrusted to them were spiritual and eternal, but the Mosaic covenant itself was earthly. It would be hard for me to overstate how vitally important this point is. And it is important here as we seek to interpret Exodus 20:5-6. 

In what sense would God visit the “iniquity of the [idolotry of the] fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate [him]…” My goodness, if you wish to know, simply read the rest of the Old Testament and you will see! The fathers would sin, and the children would often suffer the consequences. Not only that, but the fathers would sin, and the children would learn to sin too! (I certainly don’t deny that this happens. The sins of fathers and mothers are often learned and adopted by the children. But that is different than so-called generational curses). This is true of all kinds of sin, but this warning is especially attached to the sin of idolatry. False worship, once it is introduced, is very difficult to root out. And we know that God is very displeased with false worship. He will not share the glory that is due to him with another. 

What I am saying is that this is how things go in nations. The fathers act foolishly, or the fathers sin, and the children of that nation suffer the consequences for it, sometimes for many generations. This was especially true with Old Covenant Israel given the terms of the covenant of works which God made with them in the days of Moses. Obedience would bring blessings to the nation. Disobedience would bring curses on the nation. When the fathers sinned, the curses of the covenant would be felt by the children. Think of all of the children who wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because their fathers were faithless and would not take the land. Think of all of the Israelite children who were born and raised in Babylonian captivity and exiled from Israel. Why were they there? It was because of the great and persistent sin of their forefathers. But the opposite was also true. Covenant loyalty would bring covenant blessings upon future generations, and that is what the LORD was calling Israel to.  Notice how he says that he will show “steadfast love” [some translations say, “covenant faithfulness”] to thousands of those who love [him] and keep [his] commandments.”  

To sum it up, we must understand that this remark about sins of the fathers being visited on the children to the third and fourth generation was made in the context of the making of a national covenant with early blessing and curses being promised to the obedient and disobedient nation. That is something very different from the idea that individual souls may be spiritually cursed because of the sins of their forefathers. That wasn’t true under the Old Covenant, and it certainly isn’t true under the New. Listen to Ezekiel 18:1-4: “The word of the LORD came to me: ‘What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. Behold, all souls are mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is mine: the soul who sins shall die.” (Ezekiel 18:1–4, ESV)

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The Heart Of The Matter

So we know what the second commandment is. In brief, no carved or graven images – no idols of any kind – are to be used in the worship of God. Warnings are added to that command. But the command itself forbids idolatry. So let us go now to the heart of the matter. 

Question 55 and 56 of our catechism are very helpful. 

Question 55 asks, “What is required in the second commandment?” Answer: “The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word.” 

And question 56 asks, “What is forbidden in the second commandment?” Answer: “The second commandment forbideth the worshipping of God by images, or any other way not appointed in His Word.”

So the simple and obvious answer to the question, what does the second commandment forbid”, is “the second commandment forbideth the worshipping of God by images.”

So the simple and obvious answer to the question, what does the second commandment forbid”, is “the second commandment forbideth the worshipping of God by images.” Have you ever wondered why idolatry is forbidden? I suppose a case could be made that idols could help facilitate worship by engaging the senses of sight and of touch. Idols can also help to unify a people by giving them something to rally around. But the problem is this: idols misrepresent God, who is infinite, eternal, and unchanging. Idols would tell a lie about God, for God is invisible, a most pure spirit. Idols, no matter how big and impressive, would make God small in the mind of the worshiper. They would blur the distinction between Creator and creature. YHWH cannot be represented by idols.

What does the second commandment forbid? Idols. But did you notice that our catechism picks up on something else that is very, very important? It is a general observation that is sadly often overlooked, and it is this: according to the Ten Commandments, not only is God alone to be worshipped, but he is to be worshipped in the way that he has prescribed, ordained, or appointed in his word. In other words, the second commandment does not only forbid idolatry, it requires (by way of strong and clear implication) that God’s people receive, submit to, and obey God’s word as it pertains to the way of worship. Quoting our catechism again, they are to keep “pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word.” True, the second commandment simply forbids the use of images in the worship of God. But there is obviously something bigger going on here, for God commands that we worship him alone, and he also commands that we worship him in a particular way – not with images, with reverence for his name, observing one day out of every seven as holy wherein we rest from our normal labors and worship. All of this is to be done with love for God in our hearts. The LORD alone is to be worshipped, and he is to be worshiped in the way he has prescribed, not according to the inventions and of man. What I am saying is this: The second commandment is violated, not only when God’s people use images to worship him, but when God’s people ignore what God has said regarding the way they are to worship. 

What are the most fundamental principles that God has revealed to us concerning the way of worship? One, no images (form). Two, we are to have reverence for the name of God (attitude). Three, one day in seven is to be observed as holy (time). 

Now I ask you, did these principles apply only to Israel under the Old Covenant? Certainly not! These laws are ever abiding. They applied to Adam and to us. They apply to all men at all times and places. Remember, they are three of the Ten Commandments which summarize God’s moral law!

But did God have more to say to Israel concerning the way of worship under the Old Covenant? Yes. As I have said many times before. These Ten Commandments functioned as the foundation or core of all of the laws that God would give to Israel. God would add other laws to these Ten. And those other laws were in fact unique to Israel under the Old Mosaic Covenant. We call these other laws “positive laws” because God added them to his moral law. 

Think of it. The natural law (or moral law) was written on Adam’s heart at creation, but positive laws were also added to him under that covenant. He was to abstain from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as he expended and kept God’s garden temple.

Here in Exodus, we see that the moral law was spoken to Israel by God on Sinai. Later it would be written by his hand on tablets of stone. Clearly, this moral law was special. It was revealed differently than all of the other laws. But to this moral law, positive laws were added. In fact, through Moses, many positive were added. Some were civil or judicial. Other were ceremonial, having to do with the way of worship under the Old Covenant. Under the Old Mosaic Covenant Israel was to be led by priests. They were offered very specific sacrifices at the tabernacle and later the temple. That tabernacle was to be constructed in a very particular way according to the pattern revealed by God. Israel was to abstain from certain foods. They were to engage in ceremonial washings. They were to observe many holy days in addition to the weekly seventh-day Sabbath, etc, etc.  These positive laws were added to the moral law. The positive laws were for Old Covenant Israel. They revealed the specific way of worship for Israel under the Old Mosaic covenant. 

But the Old Covenant has passed away, and the New has come. This is why the positive laws of the Old Covenant have passed away, for they were attached to the Old. Why are we not commanded to eat of the tree of life and to abstain from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil? Doesn’t the Bible teach that? Well, no. Adam was commanded to do that, but those positive laws are not for us. And why are we not required to circumcise, to abstain from pork to ceremonially wash, and to offer up animal sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem? Answer: those were all positive laws added to Old Covenant.  

But tell me, brothers and sisters. Has God’s moral law changed? No, it remains the same. God alone is to be worshipped. And how is he to be worshipped? Not with images. His name is to be revered. And one day in seven is to be honored as holy as a day for rest and worship. The moral law does not change. But the New Covenant, like the Adamic, Abrahamic, and Mosaic covenants, does have positive laws of its own. The New Covenant people of God are to baptize those who profess faith in Christ. We are to read, preach, and teach the word of God. We are to pray and sing. We are to observe the Lord’s Supper. These are the elements of New Covenant worship. As it pertains to the government of the New Covenant people of God, elders and deacons are to lead, and the church is to be disciplined according to the scriptures. 

So you can see that the moral law remains. God alone is to be worshipped. And how are we to worship? Not with idols, with reverence, and by observing the Sabbath day. And to this moral law, positive laws have been added for the New Covenant people of God. As you can see, it is as true for us today as it was for Adam, Abraham, and Moses –  the way of worship has been revealed to us. It has not been left for man to determine. No, “the second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, and keeping pure and entire, all such religious worship and ordinances, as God has appointed in His Word”, and this with love in our hearts for God. 

Brothers and sisters, have you kept this law perfectly? Answer: No, we have violated this law in thought, word, and deed. 

*****

The Gospel

So you have heard the law, now hear the gospel. 

Unlike Adam, and unlike Israel, Jesus the Messiah kept the law of God perfectly.

He worshipped God alone. Never did he bow down to or serve idols. He had perfect reverence for the name of God. He honored the Sabbath day and kept it holy.  

And not only did Jesus obey the moral law with perfection, he also kept the positive laws of the Old Covenant too, for he was a Hebrew, born under the Old Covenant and law of Moses which governed it. 

Jesus kept the Ten Words. He kept all of the positive laws of the Old Covenant which were added to them. And he kept them from the heart. In his human nature, and upheld by his divine nature, his love for God and neighbor was perfect and without flaw. 

Jesus Christ was righteous, therefore. He was guiltless and without sin. Death, which is the price that must be paid for sin, was not owed by him. But he died for sin. Not for his own, but for the sins of those given to him by the Father in eternity (see John 17), in obedience to the terms of the eternal covenant.

Christ has his righteousness to give, therefore, along with the forgiveness of sins, as a free gift to all who will believe in him. As Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, ESV). This salvation has been made available because “God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV).

These indeed are the greatest blessings of salvation – the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. But these are not the only blessings of the New Covenant. In Christ, we are made new. In Christ, the law of God is written anew and afresh upon our hearts. In Christ, we are filled with the promised Holy Spirit. And God, by his word and Spirit, not only makes us willing and able to believe upon Christ, he sanctifies us too. Those in Christ will learn God’s law, they will love God’s law, and will be empowered to keep God’s more and more with the passing of time. All of this is by the grace of God. But it is also something that we must choose to do, not in our strength, but in the strength which God provides. 

Brothers and sisters, the gospel is this. Though it is true that we have violated God’s law in thought, word, and deed. And though it is true that we, by nature, are under God’s wrath and curse. It is also true that God has provided a Savior, Christ the Lord. The forgiveness of sins and the life eternal is available through faith in him. And we know that all who come to him have been renewed by the Spirit, have been freed from bondage to sin, and have been born again to walk in newness of life as God’s beloved children.   

Let us pursue holiness, brothers and sisters, being moved by our love God out of gratitude for all that he has graciously bestowed upon us in Christ. Let us pursue holiness being empowered by the Helper, the Holy Spirit of Promise. In particular, let us be careful to worship God alone in the way that God has prescribed in his word so that we might do what the second commandment requires, and avoid what it forbids.    

Baptist Catechism 7

Q. 7. What is God?

A. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. (John 4:24; Ps. 147:5; Ps. 90:2; James 1:17; Rev. 4:8; Ps. 89:14; Exod. 34:6,7; 1 Tim. 1:17)

Scripture Reading: Psalm 147

“Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting. The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. The LORD lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked to the ground. Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love. Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem! Praise your God, O Zion! For he strengthens the bars of your gates; he blesses your children within you. He makes peace in your borders; he fills you with the finest of the wheat. He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and rules to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any other nation; they do not know his rules. Praise the LORD!” (Psalm 147, ESV)

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Introduction

Have you noticed that it is difficult to imagine God? In fact, it is not only difficult, it is impossible. Stop trying! Think about the word “imagine” (i-m-a-g-i-n-e). You can see (and hear) the word image in it, can’t you? When we imagine something we see a picture or image of that thing in our mind. Imagine a dog. Imagine and tree. Do you see how easy that is? But if I were to tell you to imagine God as he really is, you cannot. The reason for this is not that there is something wrong with your intellect or your imagination. No, the reason you cannot imagine God is because God cannot be imaged.   

God is a most pure spirit, remember? He does not have a physical body. Yes, God has revealed himself to man in physical form. He has appeared as radiant light, as a cloud, as fire, and as precious jewels. But it woud be a mistake to think that God is composed of light, cloud, fire, or precious stones.  No, God is not physical. He is a most pure spirit. A most pure spirit cannot be imagined because a spirit has no image. 

And there is another reason that we cannot imagine God, and that has to do with his transcendence. God is wholly other. He is not like anything in the created world. Though we can know God truly (through his self-revelation) we cannot comprehend him exhaustively, for he is with limits. Everything in this cerated world has limits. Time has limits. Physical objects, no matter how big or small, have limits. Energy has limits. We can imagine created things because created things have borders and boundaries. I can imagine a snail, a snake, and a whale. I can even imagine the sun, though that is more challenging. I can imagine ten years and a thousand years. I can even imagine a million years, though that is more difficult. I can imagine these things because, even if they are very big, they all have limits and boundaries. But God transcends everything in this created world. He is without limits of any kind. This is why our finite minds will never be able to fully comprehend him, for he is infinite. 

This is what our catechism teaches in question 7. 

What is God? Answer: God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth. 

 *****

Infinite, Eternal, and Unchangeable

Infinite means not finite. To be finite is to have limits or boundaries. You and I are finite. We possess a limited amount of strength. Our intellect is limited. And we are spatially limited too. You and I only tackle up so much space, and we can only be in one place at a time. We are finite in so many ways, but God is infinite. He does not have boundaries or limitations of any kind. 

By the way, it is common for people to say that God is big. I understand what people mean by this, and I do not think they need to be corrected in casual conversation. But really, God is not big.  To say that God is “big” implies that God has a size. He does not. God is not big. He is infinite. 

When we say that God is eternal we mean that God is without beginning or end, and is, in fact, not bound by time. You and I had a beginning. There was a time when we were not. God did not have a beginning. There was never a time when God was not. You and I will never come to an end, but this is only because God has made us to live forever. He will sustain us. But God will never come to an end because he has life in himself. And furthermore, you and I experience the passing of time. One moment gives way to the next in infinite succession. God does not experience this. He is eternal. He had no beginning, he will have no end, and he is not bound by time. He created time in the beginning when he made the heavens and the earth. But he does not experience the succession of moments as we do. Therefore, he sees the future as clearly as he sees the past and the present. He is eternal. 

And God is also unchangeable. This is what James 1:17 says. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” You and I change continuously. We grow stronger and weaker. We learn. Our emotions fluctuate. Everything in the created world moves and changes. But God is different. He never changes. Indeed, he cannot change. Can God improve? Can he grow stronger or wiser? Then that would mean he was less than God before. Or can he grow weak or foolish? No, that would mean that God would cease to be God. God is unchangeable. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

So you can see that God is different from us. He is transcendent. 

  *****

In His Being, Wisdom, Power, Holiness, Justice, Goodness And Truth

And notice that our catechism says that God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.

I love the way this is stated. The three qualities of infinity, eternality, and immutability (God’s unchangeableness), are applied first to God’s being, then to his attributes.

First, our catechism rightly teaches that God is “ infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being.” God is. He is the I AM, the self-existent One. No one gives him life. He has life in himself, and is the giver of all life. God, in his being, is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.

Next, our catechism mentions six attributes, or perfections, of God. 

God is wise. Proverbs 8:14 says, “I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.” And in Psalm 147:5 we read, “Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure.” God is wise, but he is not wise in the way that men and women are wise. God’s understanding and wisdom is beyond measure. God’s wisdom is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. God is wise, and perfectly so. 

God is powerful. In Jeremiah 32:17 we read, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” God is powerful, but he is not powerful in the way that men and women are powerful. God’s power unbounded. Nothing is too hard for him. God’s power is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. God is powerful, and perfectly so. 

God is holy. This means that he is set apart from us and without corruption of any kind. In Revelation 4:8 we find a vision of the heavenly throne of God. There we read, “And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, ‘Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!’” And in 1 John 1:5 we read, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” God is holy, but he is not holy in the way that men and women are holy. If men and women are holy, it is because God has made them holy by his grace through faith in Christ. But God is holy in himself. God’s holiness is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable. God is holy, and perfectly so. 

God is just. This means that God always does what is right. He judges with perfect equity. In Romans 9:14 we read, “What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!” God is just, and perfectly so. His justice is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable.

The same may be said of the goodness of God. Psalm 106:1 says, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” And 1 John 4:16 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

And the same may also be said of God’s truthfulness. “Let God be true though everyone were a liar”, Romans 3:4 says. And Psalm 117:2 speaks of God’s truthfulness in terms of his faithfulness, saying, “For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!” 

These fundamental attributes of wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth are better-called perfections in God, for God does not only possess a lot of wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth, but is wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth and perfectly so. In other words, these qualities are found in him infinitely, eternally, and unchangeably.  

*****

Conclusion

As we have considered the question, what is God?, I have tried to stress that God is not like us. We are like him in some respects, for we are made in his image. 

God is spirit, and we are like him in that we too are spiritual — we have souls. But God is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in his being, whereas we are finite, created, and mutable. 

And yes, we have the capacity for wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness, and truth. But we possess these qualities in a limited way. We may grow in these qualities, and even diminish. In God, these qualities are perfections. 

Brothers and sisters, while it is true that we cannot imagine God, it is possible for us to think thoughts that are true about him, for he has revealed himself to us truly in his word. And here is a god place for us to start. What is God? God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.