JUL 29

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12
Memorise 2 Thessalonians 1:12
“That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you”

Aside from being just a command against using God’s or Christ’s name as a swear word, there are many more subtle ways in which we commonly transgress the third commandment. Sometimes we think that as long as we don’t say ‘oh my god’, or shout ‘Jesus Christ!’, then we’re fine. Again, like all the other commandments, we must realise that there are broad and wide reaching applications of this commandment as well.

You see, when you start telling the people around you about your faith, about the fact that you are a believer and follower of God, straightaway a few titles will be placed upon you. They will identify you as being a ‘Christian’, a ‘child of God’, or a ‘follower of Jesus’. In all these names, we carry the name of God with us. It is like having a new surname, on top of your family name. Everything that you do and say will be observed by the people around you. If we do not live as a Christian should, but instead sin wilfully, and do not care about our testimony, our life brings shame to the Lord. Rather, we should do well to take heed to the stanzas in the song ‘Let Others See Jesus in You’:

“While passing through this world of sin, and others my life shall see, Be pure and clean without, within, let others see Jesus in me. Your life’s a book more than God’s Word, they’re reading it through and through Say does it point them to the Lord, do others see Jesus in you?”

Indeed as we carry the name of Christ with us, we must be very careful of the way that we live, for our whole life ought to bear witness to His name. It is a choice that we have to make. We can either live like an unbeliever, and falsely carry the name of Christ with us, and bring shame to it, or we could live a life that points to Christ, walk worthy of our calling as a Christian, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in [us]”.

Thought: Does my life bring glory or shame to the name of God?
Prayer: Lord, may You help me to be careful in the way that I conduct myself, that Your name can be greatly honoured through my life.