Daily We Sin by Mis-Using God’s Name: How? Now Explained!

IS GOD HIS NAME?

In reality, God has a specific name but doesn’t reveal out of sheer greatness vis-a-vis humans. Although we placed His name as “God” as His title or descriptor to refer to Him, that word (God) becomes as much holy to reckon with.

When He warned against wrong use of His name, He was actually not about His name, but about hurting ourselves if we take His name wrongly.

GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR “ACTS OF WORSHIP”

God exists even without us worshipping Him. He does not need our praises and honor because He is already “as such” even before the foundation of the world. He is, rather, the one concerned for the welfare of humans. We are “child” to Him, tender. Therefore, when He warned about misusing His name, He warned about us misdirected in life.

BY MISUSING HIS NAME, WE HURT OURSELVES

“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, English Standard Version).

The Book of Ecclesiastes completes the meaning of this Command particularly Ecclesiastes 1:2 declaring “All is vanity” and 1:14: “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.” (Both in English Standard Version).

Ever since, whenever we mention the name of God, we always link Him to our mundane pursuits, events and aspirations in this world, even praying that He blesses us and thanking Him on attainments, but which works, events and aspirations they are not God’s works, events and aspirations. We run amiss.

The biblical saying “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23, NIV) is now becoming more applicable. There is no other way to understand this clearer than by realizing we degrade and take the “name of God in vain.”

WE ARE IN THE WRONG ROAD

Don’t glorify this world. This is not God’s world. God’s World is yet to come. Didn’t Christ mention it in John 18? That “My kingdom is not of this world …”? (John 18:36, NIV). Hence, we are trekking a wrong road which leads to destruction instead of life.

“There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death” (Prov 14:12; 16:25, NIV)

WHERE DOES REAL HOPE LIES? God Makes Us His Dwelling Place

Mentioning God’s name we thought needful needs careful thought. But we must first look at the purpose of God which prompt us to ask what was that God created us humans for. The answer is in His Vision (Rev 21:3). The purpose is to make us His dwelling place:

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God” (Rev 21.3), NIV).

By knowing the above purpose (Vision) we can be able to “chat” with God on what concerns Him most, on topics surrounding that cause. We shall be in the right position worshiping God in the most proper way and so we avoid worshiping Him in vain just like what has been for long happening:

“These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules” (Matt 15:8-9, NIV).

How is this happening? We’ve been focusing on matters that does not relate to God’s purpose mentioned above. Our current set up and trends “built since birth” are not conducive to attain the purpose of God. We are utterly worldly, similar to the first behaviors of Adam and Eve, as demonstrated.

Now, the Vision shall be attained through several steps and activities including Missions, Goals and Objectives and Strategies and the Kingdom of God is crucial to put into work all those steps and activities.

Hence, there’s no more important in the mind of God today than the urgency of the Kingdom to come. It is these subject matters for which we can safely use God’s Name.

Talking about the Kingdom, praying that it shall come without delay is pleasing to God, not our concerns in this world. In fact, God has no bearing with our worldly materialistic pursuits in this world.

WHAT REALLY IS BEING HUMAN?

In fact, the only human hope when we think on “what really is being human” lies in the coming God’s World, not the material wealth we gained, not the works, not the accomplishments in studies, businesses, not even passing examinations, winning, healing, helping, constructing, etc. Those are sole human activities purely done in the wrong place, wrong motives and so-called vanity without eternal purpose but met with death.

In short, what matters are not what kind of living we wish in this world. Else, do not talk or pray to God on those issues. God has no bearing with them. In fact, He hates this world. Insisting it will insult God. Why? Did you know that God also wished we did not sin and never plunge as result into this kind of living like we have today in this world? That’s why He said in plain statement:

“Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you” (1 John 2:15, New Living Translation).

GOD SHALL COME TO END THIS WORLD

God is coming to end this evil world we currently live in. But before that, He first orders the preaching (announcing) of His Kingdom to come before it literally comes and literally takes over this world:

“And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come” (Matt 24:14, New Living Translation).

For which Christ added : “Yes, I am coming quickly” (Rev 22:20, Berean Literal Bible).

Resulting to: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever” (Rev 11:15, NIV).

MEANWHILE, WHY DO WE SUCCEED?

Generally, God has no bearing in our worldly aspirations. But did you know that God is instrumental in every success we achieve? How? But was He directly involved? Yes and No!

DOES HE APPROVES OUR WORLDLY WORKS? NO!

Did you know that our successes and failures God doesn’t have interest on? Sounds confusing! Read on.

Success and failures are the products of our own efforts dealing with right and wrong as we interact with the nature coupled with luck. But God has no use on our outputs as they have no significance to His endeavor. In fact, they are obstacles.

BUT HOW DOES GOD CONTRIBUTE?

God gave us “provisions” beforehand in His love for us, stubborn sons as we. God knew our needs, what we use in our journey in the opposite direction away from Him. He gave us chance and time to prove we are correct on our decision of wanting “to be our own” without Him interfering. Sounds complicated again? Read on.

The contribution of God is “nature” symbolized by “rain and shine.” Yes! What God contributed to our personal pursuits is “nature” not what we do after harnessing nature.

Clear now, God only gave nature to us as our tools to give us chance to prove correct what was said as foolish actions done in Genesis 3. So, God gave us nature in the name of love but not approving our actions and activities as we trip away from Him.

God caused “… his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt 5:45, NIV).

The mention of “evil/unrighteous” in this biblical passage is not meant to single out specific people publicly known as bad elements but it is addressed to every human race since we are all both good and evil, righteous and unrighteous, and so because the result of the mixture is negative, “No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18, Berean Standard Bible).

With that goodness, He gave us the basic tools for living while we are “wayward” sons.

Similarly:

“… God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, Berean Standard Bible)

We thank God for these natural things, but do not thank Him for worldly outputs that tend us to move away from Him growing in materialism. That is tantamount to insulting Him Who is a spiritual Being. Our accomplishments are ours alone. God is not interested on them. God, generally, doesn’t use our products and services we made (vanity according to Ecclesiastes) but all shall be destroyed without trace. In fact, when Christ comes, He reverses everything human-made. How? By renewing all things.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne …’” (Matt 19:28, NIV).

Renew implies the old (our works) is discarded completely without trace to start new all over again in the original designs of God as before the incident in Genesis 3. Biblical versions vary on this like renewal, world made new, new word, regeneration, etc., but all convey the same meaning. Renewal signifies the old things shall be discarded for lacking usage and significance like our works in this evil world called vanity in Ecclesiastes 1:2 and 1:14).

WE ABANDONED OUR DOMINION

By defying God in Gen 3 which behavior was first demonstrated by Adam and Eve passed unto us their children down the ages, it is in reality casting away “God’s Will” to give way for what we personally want to do.

We abandoned our dominion intended by God for us which is heavenly. We went on our own way which is hell (involving shame, disgust, failure and death).

Paradoxically, why do we ask for blessings, blessing which is clear deviation from God’s direction? We’ve been wrongly taught by human “religion” in this world. Stop asking for blessings now.

Our worldly ambitions in a world that is not God’s World, our traditions, celebrations, observances and practices. Did we pray for success on these matters? That’s ridiculous if not plain foolishness.

FIRST IN THEIR MINDS

Meanwhile, what were in the minds of Adam and Eve when they began exploring the Garden of Eden?

Take note, the first two humans were fresh, pristine and without experience yet to compare things. But at the onset they had already the tendencies with deep desires on materialism, worldliness, physical desires as well as selfishness. These influenced their hearts in their acts in Genesis 3

Read the reactions of Eve as related:

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Gen 3:6, NIV).

That early, Eve had manifested her materialistic inclination at the sight of the physical fruit’s beauty. She did not appreciate the spiritual side of God. At this early, God said physical things are meant for physical things, spiritual to spiritual (biblical).

Look, Adam was with her, but why did he not stop Eve? Why did he not see Eve’s first act at the very moment she reached for the prohibited fruit?

Adam was busy somewhere without seeing Eve’s act, but his mind opened when he felt the taste of the proscribed fruit. Where were Adam’s eyes focused beforehand? Purely at Eve!

To him, nothing is around except Eve. This is typical to a man courting a woman! A man in love thinks there are only two of them in the surroundings, disregarding anything that disturbs. Adam didn’t watch the fruit that Eve was interested on.

Back to basic topic

Those traits were all wrong. Selfishness and pride were all that which prevailed in their behaviors that change the course of humanity away from the towering intents of God. Eve knew it was wrong to eat the fruit but relegated God’s advice. Adam was callous on God’s cause instead of forcefully preserving it.

What do we do now as we supposed to do?

Answer:

WAIT FOR GOD! Waiting is also a task to reckon with! That’s all we can do to please God rather than being religionist which is insignificant to God if not waste.

What do we do now as we supposed to do? Answer: WAIT!What we do is to do what the Five Wise Virgins did in Matthew 25. That’s all just what we do on the matter of relationship with the Creator God. No other works, or else, they just don’t meet the standard of the magnificent God

However, while waiting for God’s Kingdom, we should live morally, not spiritually. We just cannot attain spirituality. But morally? Do it to the best we can, although perfection is not expected. The Book of Proverbs is full of facts and instructions on how to live in this evil world while waiting for God.

This was exemplified or rather demonstrated by the Five Wise Virgins’ “going to sleep” tantamount to living worldly but wisely by being in the “waiting mode” (reserve oil) in all eagerness and anticipation for God’s coming (Matt 25).

WAITING IS ALL THAT PLEASES GOD

By waiting, we don’t need religion, or doing any spiritual work to please God to enter heaven. No! Just live naturally following the principles of nature and morality.

Take the case of the incidents in Matthew 24:40-41, they were on their ordinary and regular routines for living but suddenly chosen.

They were not praying, kneeling or worshiping God when God picked them up. They were virtually laboring for living.

“Two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left” (Matt 24:40-41, Berean Standard Bible)

SALVATION then IMMORTALIZATION

In the brink of our stupidity of utter materialism comes Salvation. Salvation is the act of stopping humans from continually wandering farther and farther away from the Creator God, retrieving and bringing them back to “ground zero,” thus begin the true godly way of living to “resume” the glorious process toward making us God.

Even while we are this filthy-sinning humans God is coming to end our foolishness which has been the cause of our weariness, miseries and heavy ladened state of living laboring to get ahead stressfully both rich and poor without rest. Only death brings rest.

God is concerned but has to apply the strategy in intervention, thus this length of time without Him coming yet. People die without Him coming yet, but promised to bring them back to life.

TIME OF DEATH BETTER THAN TIME OF BIRTH?

No one wants any love one die. God forbid. We’re opposite God.

Although births are pleasing to God, He looks at the “upcoming” miserable living the child would soon face in this evil world. But in death? The dead rests, and the next moment at resurrection, the death rises to the glorious Word of God. The dead by then back to life shall live heavenly. That explains Ecclesiastes 7:1.

“… the day you die is better than the day you are born” (Ecclesiastes 7:1, New Living Translation).

But even with much explanation, we still fear deaths. God understands as He knows we are just humans without capacity as He has.

WHAT’S LIFE IF WE WERE WITH GOD AT THE BEGINNING?

Read the kind of life directly under God’s Personal watch. Read: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matt 11:28, English Standard Version). It’s life that is light, easy and without experiencing killing stresses. Rest means life without stress.

NOW, WHATS IMMORTALIZATION?

Eating and learning are the major activities in the Kingdom of God. Learning God is the center of joy. God is not boring.

Did you know that God is the author of Joy? Sadly today, the reflection of God based on human religion portrays Him as boring, bland, repetitious, archaic, static, cold, lonely, characterized by deprivation, etc. No one could stand longer in such environment.

With that picture of God, no one is preferring God’s way. People just stay put in religion because of fear of hell and missing heaven. There is no love in fear and vice versa (1 John 4:18).

People today, in the final analysis, look down at God. They no longer have that real adoration with the Supreme Being but built in their minds a kind of god that better suits their desires. And so thank him whenever they succeeded in their worldly pursuits, contrary to God’s point. This is reality at this juncture, all caused by human tradition.

“Thus, you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that” (Mark 7:13, NIV).

Read: God is Joy!

“… the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).

WE ARE GOD, AT LAST!

After a span of time learning God during God’s Reign, immortalization takes place. This is the ultimate process involving our transformation from human flesh and blood into spiritual Godly-State-of-Being. At last, God’s Vision in Revelation 21:3 is attained! God now dwells with man.

“I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:50-54, NIV).

The forgoing wide range facts narrated above show we are not in the cause of God, trekking road in opposite direction, thus, turning back from His real Work.

These have never been said before.  Now it is told.  These are End-Time-Understanding poured in the “Last Days.”

 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy’” (Acts 2:17-18, NIV).

(NOTE: The part “they will prophesy” is ability to prophesy that doesn’t necessarily mean ability to speak out feverishly to public but ability to comprehend in all the silence of the mind to prepare the heart to meet God when He comes.)

 WHAT TO PRAY FOR

He is coming for us. Pray to God for His quick coming, not for anything else. Otherwise, you misuse the name of God. Anything unrelated to the Kingdom coming is vanity.

To be continued …

What do we pray for?