Westminster Shorter Catechism Question for the Week
Q.54. What does the third commandment require?
A. The third commandment requires the holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles, qualities, regulations, word, and works.
As with all the ten commandments, we cannot content ourselves with simply obeying in a strict and wooden fashion. For example, I am not keeping the sixth commandment when I harbor hatred for them in my heart even though I refrain from killing them. We must keep the spirit of the law, and that means we must go beyond the letter. And so for this command, we cannot just refrain from saying “God” in an irreverent way. We must also refrain from misusing other names and titles for God. We must be careful in how we talk about Him. We must also take care in the way we use His scriptures.
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
