10th March 2021
ABUSING THE NAME OF GOD
David Abankwah
READ: Mark 16:17-18
Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
-Matthew 7:22 | NKJV
To abuse is: to put to a wrong or improper use; to corrupt practice or custom; to use excessively; to use or treat so as to injure or damage; to attack in words: REVILE; and lastly, to DECEIVE. In Exodus 20:7, God entreated us that: “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. To paint a clearer picture for you to understand what abuse is all about, let me use this scenario. There was this little mischievous boy who used to abuse the relationship he had with his parents and their names as well. He normally used to play with his parents that a wolf is about to catch him so they should come out and rescue him.
Upon hearing their names being mentioned, the parents hurriedly come out to see what is happening to their son, but upon arrival, they see it as a joke. This has been happening for a time and that is what this son always does. One day a real wolf came and the child called upon the names of his parents for help, but as usual, the parents thinking they should come out and rescue their son, reasoned again that, that is what their son has been doing to them and this time they shouldn’t allow him to fool them again. As the old sage goes: when a fool becomes prudent, that is the end of the game. This time the parents were reluctant to come because they were fed up with their son.
So they told their son from the room: ‘That is what you always do. We are not coming out this time.’ And that was the last time they ever heard from their son. This is what many so-called Christians have been doing. They are using the name of the Lord in vain. You abuse the name of God when you use His name as yours (Christian) but you don’t live as He did. It is easier said than done. You can call yourself any name: Archbishop, Bishop, Eminent, Cardinal, Pope, Father, Reverend etc and use the name of the Lord for healing, signs and wonders and what have you, but if you don’t live a life of righteousness, holiness, and sanctification, you cannot be allowed entry into New Jerusalem.
Real beauty is seen in character. The steadfast and sure thing, that pulls people towards others is righteousness, holiness, and sanctification. Beauty will fade, money will be spent, marriage will end, when you work you will retire, etc but holiness, righteousness, and sanctification is eternal. If people after thinking you are a Christian or a child of the Lord you have been mentioning His name to them, gets closer to you and realise you are fake, you have abused the name of God. It is better not to be called a Christian than to be one who is faking it. The name of the Lord is hallowed already because He is holy. It is not your bad character that is going to defile it in the midst of the heathens.
•| Prayer Diary |•
Lift up prayers for forgiveness for abusing the name of Christ. Lift up prayers for strength to be a worker of holiness as a Christian in the name of Jesus Christ.
Quote
Seeing yourself as a Christian but failing to do what Christ did, is using the Lord’s name in vain
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© 2021 David Abankwah
David Abankwah 