B lasphemy may well be expected of Gentiles, heathens and unbelievers. But it is a damning accusation when those who claim the special privileges and favour of God are guilty of it. The Jews of Paul’s day by their hypocrisy and deceitfulness in their practice were blaspheming Jehovah’s name among their Gentile neighbours. They caused that name so sacred to them as to be unutterable, to be mocked by unbelievers. How is our Lord God blasphemed? When His people take His name in vain by unholy living, being untruthful in their words, dishonest in their dealings, by disobedience to His commandments and distrust in His promises and power; when Christians compromise God’s Word to please others; when His people profane His name, His character, His Word, His church by bringing it down to the base levels of the world and treat it as something common and ordinary if not with disdain; when reverence and fear of offending Him are replaced by casual indifference and presumptuousness. Our Lord is grieved and offended when His name is brought to shame by those who profess to represent Him. When unbelievers look at the Christian and the church, and see little difference between themselves and the Christian, we are in grave danger of what Paul was telling the Jews here. Our calling is to live in such a manner our Lord Jesus Christ is honoured, and to conduct ourselves to be blameless and without reproach in God’s eyes in the midst of a crooked and perverse world. That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world. – Philippians 2:15
LESSON
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
THOUGHT
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