A
Commitment
To
Tell
The
Truth
3rd
Commandment
Exodus
20.7
Deuteronomy
5.11
Matthew
5.33-37
Series:
The
Ten
Commandments:
Old
Words
For
A
New
Day
Delivered
by:
Dr.
William
M.
Smutz
One
of
my
favorite
TV
programs
is
Antiques
Road
Show;
where
people
bring
their
family
treasures
and
thrift
store
bargains
to
be
examined
by
expert
appraisers,
and
learn
if
the
item
is
worth
anything.
When
an
object
is
appraised
in
front
of
the
cameras,
the
person
whose
item
is
being
examined
knows
that
she
or
he
has
something
good…..That
the
article
has
historical
value,
or
is
worth
a
whole
bunch!
I
love
the
moment
when
the
expert
puts
a
price
on
the
object,
for
I
am
always
amazed
at
the
values…..
But
as
much
as
I
enjoy
that
moment,
I
absolutely
hate
what
usually
follows…..When
the
owner
of
the
treasure
responds
to
the
price.
Roughly
ninety
percent
of
the
time
the
words
that
stumble
out
of
the
person’s
mouth
are,
“Oh
my
God!”
This
response,
this
phrase,
to
my
mind
trivializes
God,
and
is
completely
inappropriate
for
the
moment.
What
does
God
have
to
do
with
the
value
of
an
antique?!
The
third
commandment
is
for
us
both
an
invitation
and
a
caution.
It
is
an
invitation
to
call
upon
the
Lord
in
our
prayers
and
in
our
worship;
an
invitation
to
use
the
Lord’s
name
in
our
daily
routine
of
family
and
work
and
learning…..To
name
God,
is
to
claim
the
power
of
God;
and
God
invites
us
to
do
this!
Our
God
has
a
name,
and
wants
us
to
use
it…..without
fear!
But
the
third
commandment
is
also
a
caution
to
us.
For
while
the
Lord
says,
‘use my name’, this permission goes with the expectation that the name will be used carefully and respectfully, and always, always, faithfully! Use of the Lord’s name that is too casual, or in any way unethical or profane, is not acceptable, and God does not tolerate
it.
I
was
raised
with
the
belief
that
the
third
commandment
has
only
to
do
with
profanity….That
you
should
never
use
the
Lord’s
name
in
cursing,
or
to
express
anger
or
disgust
–
thou
shalt
not
take
my
name
in
vain!
But
today’s
lesson
suggests
a
broader
meaning
for
this
commandment
–
to
not
make
wrongful
use
of
the
Lord’s
name.
Certainly
this
definition
covers
cussing,
but
it
also
suggests
that
to
keep
this
commandment
we
must
pay
attention
to
a
whole
lot
more
than
just
what
comes
out
of
our
mouth.
A
very
literal
translation
of
the
commandment
is,
‘do
not
use
the
Lord’s
name
for
mischief’.
‘Mischief’
seems
like
a
much
broader
category
to
me.
There
are
many
things
that
can
be
understood
as
mischief,
or
be
described
as
mischievous
–
how
we
act
toward
each
other;
our
behavior
in
public
and
in
private;
our
ignoring
people
or
situations;
the
language
we
speak.
“Using
the
Lord’s
name
for
mischief
means
misusing
the
power
inherent
in
the
personal
name
for
God
to
do
harm
against
others.”
(Harrelson,
p.
73)
“Any
situation
where
the
divine
name
is
used
without
seriousness
violates
this
command…..In
fact,
to
invoke
the
name
of
the
Lord
is
a
commitment
to
tell
the
truth…..”
(Miller,
p.
79)
both
with
one’s
words,
and
with
one’s
actions.
This
commitment
to
truth-telling
isn’t
just
an
issue
of
personal
integrity,
or
a
matter
of
responsibility
to
the
larger
community….“It
has
to
do
with
one’s
allegiance
to
God….The
name
of
God
can
be
used,
and
should
be
used,
but
not
unnecessarily,
and
never
casually.”
(Miller,p.78)
Unfortunately
in
our
culture,
and
often
from
our
lips,
“the
name
of
God
is
commonly
associated
with
empty
phrases
or
easy
religion
or
feel-good
politics……dragging
God’s
name
down
to
the
level
of
the
contexts
in
which
it
is
used.”
(Fretheim,
p.
228)
In
just
politics
alone,
I
can’t
think
of
a
presidential
speech,
or
presidential
candidates
stump
speech
given
in
the
last
twenty-five
years,
that
hasn’t
ended
with
the
phrase,
“God
bless
you,
and
God
bless
the
United
States
of
America’.
It
is
easy
to
use
these
words…..we
like
to
hear
them….But
is
this
not-so-casual
mention
of
God
–
calling
upon
God
to
bless
the
entire
nation….Is
this
use
of
God’s
name
really
about
telling
the
truth,
or
merely
an
attempt
to
win
our
vote?!
And
when
we
think
about
how
we
use
God’s
name
and
call
upon
God
closer
to
home
–
in
our
personal
lives,
and
even
here
at
church….We
must
always
ask
ourselves
if
we
are
being
respectful
and
truthful
and
faithful
in
our
use,
or
if
mischief
is
our
true
purpose.
The
third
commandment
invites
us
and
reminds
us
that
we
“are
to
live
and
act
in
such
a
way
that
other
people
know
more
and
more
about
the
nature
and
character
of
God,
by
looking
at
us.
If
people
want
to
know
more
about
the
God
of
Israel,
they
should
be
able
to
look
to
the
people
redeemed
from
slavery
in
If
people
want
to
know
more
about
the
God
who
lovingly
gave
Jesus
new
life,
they
should
be
able
to
look
at
Jesus’
disciples,
at
you
and
me,
at
what
we
say
and
don’t
say,
at
what
we
do
and
don’t
do,
and
find
out
a
whole
lot
about
our
God!
The
third
commandment
challenges
us
every
day
to
consider
our
words,
and
consider
our
actions.
What
are
the
things
we
do
in
our
lives
or
we
don’t
do,
so
that
when
others
look
at
us,
at
the
example
we
set,
they
know
more
about
the
God
we
worship?
Each
of
us,
I
would
guess,
probably
has
some
work
to
do
in
this
area.
I
know
I
do!
And
so
our
challenge,
our
opportunity
for
the
week
ahead
is
to
carefully
consider
our
words
and
our
actions.
What
are
the
one
or
two
things
each
of
us
can
do
this
week
to
help
others
know
about
God
through
us?
For
some
of
us
it
will
be
our
language….how
we
use
God’s
name.
For
some
of
us
it
will
be
our
actions…..making
sure
that
the
way
we
live
at
church,
at
home,
in
the
office,
on
the
golf
course,
behind
the
wheel,
at
the
pool,
wherever
we
are……Making
sure
that
with
our
lives
we
do
not
use
God’s
name
for
mischief!
In
our
brief
Gospel
lesson,
Jesus
reminds
those
gathered
around
him
to
speak
simply
and
humbly
–
especially
where
God
is
involved.
Pretty
good
advice…..
An
absolute
requirement
for
people
trying
to
keep
the
third
commandment!
Amen!!!
Bibliography:
Fretheim,
Terence,
Exodus,
Interpretation
Commentaries
Harrelson,
Walther,
The
Ten
Commandments
And
Human
Rights,
Overtures
To
Biblical
Theology
#10
Miller,
Patrick,
Deuteronomy,
Interpretation
Commentaries