Westminster Shorter Catechism Question for the Week
Q.56. What is the reason for the third commandment?
A. The reason for the third commandment is that the Lord our God will not allow those who break this commandment to escape His righteous judgment, although they might escape punishment from men.
Recall the third commandment: You shall not misues the name of the Lord you God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
God Himself promises to punish those who misuse His name. We often comfort ourselves with the thought that our private sins are completely unknown to anyone but ourselves. We think that no one else sees what we have done. But that is not true. Even if no other living human soul knows what we have done, God knows. Nothing escapes His notice. God sees everything we do, and He notes if we have misused His name.
God warns us here to be careful how we use His name. But if we do not obey His commands and fear His name, God promises punishment.
58 “If you are not careful to do all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, the LORD your God, 59 then the LORD will bring on you and your offspring extraordinary afflictions, afflictions severe and lasting, and sicknesses grievous and lasting. 60 And he will bring upon you again all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Every sickness also and every affliction that is not recorded in the book of this law, the LORD will bring upon you, until you are destroyed. 62 Whereas you were as numerous as the stars of heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God. 63 And as the LORD took delight in doing you good and multiplying you, so the LORD will take delight in bringing ruin upon you and destroying you. And you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to take possession of it.
