Christians are the worst blasphemers

I bet like me you have heard people say “Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain” when somebody uses Jesus’ name as a swear word. Who can have missed the riots and murders that have occurred when somebody misuses the name of Islam’s prophet or their God. And Christians protest when films (usually produced by non-Christians) are shown that suggest Jesus lived a life that isn’t represented in the Bible, for instance he was homosexual or he was married – and maybe all these protests are justified in some way, but that isn’t what I want to talk about.

I want to suggest that Christians routinely commit far worse acts of blasphemy than any of the examples I’ve given so far – let me explain. We love to hear the familiar blessing, normally at the end of the service, when somebody reads Numbers 6:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face towards you and give you peace.

But the passage goes on to say that by blessing the people in that way the priests “will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.” Putting the name of God on the Israelites defined them as being under his care and belonging to him. That meant that they had to live in ways that were consistent with the character of God; they had to live up to his name.

Christians live in a different relationship with God. There are many ways of describing it including: they have been bought by Jesus; Jesus has died and paid the price of the wrong-doing in their lives; they have submitted their lives to Jesus and he is their master. Becoming a Christian means that God, through his Holy Spirit, comes and dwells in us – a more intimate relationship than “simply” having his name on us. How much more then should we live in ways that are consistent with the character of God? This is surely, at least partially, what Paul had in mind when he wrote Romans 12:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

When we, as Christians, conform to the pattern of this world and worship other gods, such as money, or our jobs, or celebrities; or when we exploit people, abuse power, act without integrity; or when we rely on the power of the courts or politicians or economics rather than on God, then actually we are misusing the name of God which is upon us. We carry God’s Holy Spirit in us, we carry his name and we ought to live in ways that are consistent with his character as a consequence – failing to do that is to “take the Lord’s name in vain”, that is where true blasphemy is and I would suggest it is far more offensive than somebody who doesn’t know Jesus using his name as a swear word, or portraying him negatively in a film. Let us instead offer our bodies as living sacrifices and be transformed by the renewing of our minds and

let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).