Amen. Hear the Word of God. 1 John 3, verse 4 and following. Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. We know that He appeared in order to take away sin, but there is no sin. No one provides anything for sin. No one can sin, and sin is for no one. Little children make sure no one can sin. The one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. The one who practices sin is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born of God practices sin, because his seed abides in him. And he cannot sin, because he is born of God. By this, the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious. Anyone who does not practice righteousness not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. Deuteronomy chapter 5, and you will just read from one verse, 11. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain. Thus ends the reading of God's Word. May it be seated. My prayer has been and continues to be that all of us will grow in our understanding of the epistle of 1 John. That's the epistle we're preaching from. That's our starting point, even in this pre-testament in the Ten Commandments. I hope that by the study of the Ten Commandments, and depth for you out of this epistle, that you will understand its continuity with the Old Testament, and that you will see its relationship, particularly with the moral law, as it relates to the confidence of assurance of salvation. Chapter 5 and verse 13. He said, I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. John writes this epistle so that those who believe in the name of Jesus Christ, you see the relationship, may know they have eternal life. We understand the issues God was facing and dealing with and attacking. Past teachers had entered into the church, and they were teaching this hybrid form of Christianity. Wasn't denying Christ literally and totally, but was denying the very essence of Christ. They were denying the true theology and doctrine of Christ. They were denying the Jesus given to us by the Father. Yet they believed in a Jesus. They were incorporating secular vain philosophies along in with their Christianity in order to accommodate for themselves a lifestyle and a righteousness that made them feel good about themselves. Not a righteousness provided by God. And that's really where we want to go this morning. As I have been dealing with principles from the commandments and starting, hopefully, dealing with the commandments in a way that's more digestible for us and rememberable, this morning we're going to deal with guilt in the third commandment. Guilt in the third commandment. John teaches us that there are only two kinds of people in the world. Those in the kingdom of Satan and those in the kingdom of God. And he says they are distinct. That they're recognizable. That you can recognize the kingdom, that you can recognize the sons of Satan by their actions and words and you can recognize, just as you recognize God's children by their actions and by their words. and provided anything that is mixed along with Christianity in order to make a hybrid form of Christianity. Because remember, this Gnosticism that was being promoted in the early church, which is still alive and well today in the New Age movement and even in evangelical circles, that this Gnosticism had different facets to it. teaching of false teachers. And what I mean by monolithic is it wasn't some monolithic creed, one uniting creed that the Gnostics had. They didn't have a unifying creed. They didn't have a creed that bound all the Gnostics together. They didn't have that. They sort of had their own version of the Christianity that they loved to teach. Perversions of this Christianity was basically perversion. Because it was teaching the people to trust in the rest in themselves and not in Christ. That is, they did not understand theology. Okay? False teachers don't understand theology. They did not believe that Jesus was God. They believed He became God and that God left Him. But that Jesus that died on the cross was a man. Therefore, they didn't understand the relationship of Jesus as being fully man and fully God. And you can see how that worked and distorted their lifestyles. Because basically, some of the Gnostics have built this dichotomy in, well, the spirit is clean and good, and it cannot be contaminated, and that's the only thing that God cares about. Therefore, my flesh is bad and wicked, and I can live any way I want to, because the way I live in my flesh is not going to contaminate my spirit. Okay? Well, people live like that today. They call it once saved, always saved. And once I save the sinner's prayer, there's nothing I can do to ever lose that salvation in Christ. And they live any old way they please. That's the same brand and flavor, just under a different teaching, under a different heading. But it's the same philosophy. It's the same philosophy behind the reason people live, I can believe, I can confess Jesus and just live any way I want to. The same intent is involved. And that's been some time, but I want to remind you of 1 John and its intent and its breakdown. I want you to know this. I know that probably most of us are not reading through 1 John. On a regular basis, I would encourage you to go back, because I think having gone through some of these commandments, it would be an encouragement to you to go back and to read 1 John in the line of what you've learned about the commandments, and you'll see how John continues to expound these commandments in various verses. You see, beloved, this epistle, I'll break it down into three sections. And I'll break this epistle into three sections based on statements made by John about God. Okay? There are many outlines about 1 John. If you go by a commentary, more than likely that commentary is going to provide an outline for you. And no commentary has the same outline. This is my outline. This is when I read 1 John. This is how I read and understand the book. And this is the way I'm teaching it. That is, there are three theological statements made about God, and then John takes and expounds each one of these three theological statements. Now, under each of these three statements, he gives three tests. You remember these tests? There's a moral test, how we live. There's a social test, how we relate to one another. And then there's a theological test, what we believe. Each one of these sections of the book all contain these three tests. Now, children, you ought to be able to remember those tests for your parents at lunch. There's a moral test. A social test and a theological test. A moral test, a social test, and a theological test. Now let's look at some of these. Let me show you how this works so that you'll know this book and are able to make use of it in your own life as you struggle with your own assurance of salvation, that this book you would find comfort in the teaching of God's Word. Let's look at the very first theological statement. That's found in chapter 1 and verse 5. The very first theological statement John makes is this. He says, God is light. He says, this is the message we have heard from Him and announced to you that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. And now, once John makes this theological statement, what you're going to find John doing until the next theological statement about God, is He begins to weave this fabric of these three tests, a moral test, a social test, and a theological test, under the heading of God is light. Everything is relating to this theological statement. That is, God is light, and if we are children of light, we must walk in Him, and we must obey Him. That is, God is light, He is pure. He's without corruption, completely, wholly, infallibly. And we ought to be children. that are fighting corruption, fighting sin, and walking in the light as He is in the light. Look at verse 6 of chapter 1. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and yet walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. And if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. So John here recognizes, you know, listen, John here is saying, okay, if we confess to know God, if we confess Him as our God, we are going to look like children of light. Alright, simple. Now let's look at these tests up under this statement. You can see we just read verse 6, but look at chapter 2 and verse 3. By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. And the one who says, I have come to know Him and does not keep His commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. Notice how John is again reaffirming God is light, we are children of light, and what does children of light do? How do they live? What's the moral test? They live according to the commandments of God. They live according to God's Word. That is, how do you know you're children of light? Do you walk according to the commandments of God? Okay, remember, it's not an emotional test. It's a moral test. It's an ethical test. And remember, as the nation of Israel was about to go into the Promised Land, God was giving them what? The standard of ethics. And He was telling them, live this way. You're going to be a distinct people. I'm your God. You're going to be My people. And this is what's going to make you distinct. My commandments. That is, as you live according to My revelation, you'll be keeping My name holy. You are profaning my name. Remember we talked about the third commandment includes way more than just the express commandment itself, not to take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. It's comprehensive. It completely involves all of life. That is, we live profane lives and blaspheme God's name when we are not living according to our creation. not living according to His relationship that He's given to us, that He's placed us in. All right, so we see a moral test. Let's look at the social test, Matthew 2, verse 9 and 10. The one who says he is in the light yet hates his brother, he is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him but the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. You see there beloved that there is a social test and the test that test is do we love God's people? Look at all the psalms. How many psalms have we read that David continually affirms? I hate those who blaspheme your name, but I love the praises of your people. I hate those who lay traps. for your people who hate your laws and your commandments, who spurn your ways, who blaspheme your name. I love the praise and worship of God's people. That's a test, beloved, and we are to take the test. How much we love God's people, and we should be growing in this, in our sanctification. So there's a moral, I mean, a social test. And then, under this first section, there is the theological test found in chapter 2, verse 22, where John writes, Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the Antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. The one who confesses the Son, Has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you which you have heard from the beginning." Now stop there. What he's saying is, John says, you didn't learn Jesus this way. You learned Jesus to be God, the Son of God, fully man, fully God. Abide in the teaching that you have heard. Don't listen to these false teachers who say, They know the Father, but yet deny the deity of the Son. He says, because not only do they not know Jesus, they do not know the Father. So there's a theological test. Do we know God? What's our theology? Is our doctrine correct? And make no mistake about it, there are some doctrines in the Bible you can get wrong and go to heaven. Okay? Because remember, our salvation isn't based upon everything we can comprehend. Praise God for that, because there's a lot I don't understand. Okay? Our salvation is based upon the righteousness of Christ. Yet, in that, Christ is our teacher. He instructs us, and He teaches us. And there are certain things about Him we must not get wrong. And that is, He's God and man. He's Savior. He's the Son of God and the Son of Man. And you cannot get this wrong, beloved, and go to heaven. You cannot get this doctrine wrong and stand before Him and hear the words, well done, good and faithful servant. And those Jehovah witnesses are the Mormons, are the Buddhists and the Muslims and all those that reject this teaching of Jesus Christ, will be condemned on that last day, and they are guilty of violating the third commandment. They have blasphemed God's name. They have profaned God's name. They have rejected God's revelation in His Son, Jesus. And they blaspheme God's name by rejecting this Christ that God has so freely offered to the world as Savior. Beloved, I believe in the elect. I believe in a certain number of men and women, boys and girls saved, and that number will not be surpassed. God has a certain number. But beloved, the gospel is offered to the whole world through Christ Jesus. And we are to call the whole world to repent of their sins and to embrace God's Savior. And if they don't embrace God's Savior, they are guilty of the third commandment, and the third commandment says that God will hold them guilty. He will not clear their guilt. It's important. I'm going to give you these other two breakdowns of the book, and then we're going to move on into the third commandment, because I'm feeling I'm getting preachy on John, and we need to move on to understanding guilt and the third commandment, okay? Second theological statement is found in verse 29. I've given you these several before, but I just want to refresh this in your mind. In chapter 2, verse 29, when he makes the statement, he is righteous, referring to God. We know that he is righteous. You know that everyone who also practices righteousness is born of him. That is, God is righteous. Remember, God is light. Now, God is righteous. And he says, if you're born of God, you too are righteous. And then he begins chapter 3, and he begins laying out again these three tests. These three tests that we must wrestle with in order to have the assurance and confidence of our salvation. Because your confidence and assurance is based upon these three tests. This moral test, how do we live? This social test, what do we love and who do we love? And then this theological test, what do we believe about God and His revelation? It's important. I'll give you the breakdown real quick. John gives us a moral test in chapter 3 verse 1 down through verse 9. That's the moral test and that's what we've been studying in the law of God. We've been dealing with sin and lawlessness and unrighteousness. There's this moral test. Secondly, there's a social test starting in verse 10 and goes all the way down to verse 24. And talking about love, and who do we love? And he uses Cain and Abel as an example. He uses the devil as an example. Okay? And then there's another theological test. It starts in chapter 4, verse 1, and goes down through verse 6. This theological test. Let me read this portion to you. I think out of the two, I just want to emphasize this. When John says, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, every teacher. But test the spirits to see whether they are from God. Because many false prophets have gone out into the world, by this you know the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the Spirit of the Antichrist of which you have heard that it is coming and now is already in the world. And so you see there that John says, look, little children, speaking to you as children. Test the teacher. All teachers must be tested. How? Theologically. What is their doctrine concerning Jesus Christ? If they don't have this doctrine right, they are anti-Christ, they are to be shunned, they are to be put out. if they don't repent of their error in their ways. So you see again in that second section, the moral test, social test and theological test. And then you had the third section, which begins in verse seven of chapter four. And again, another theological statement about God. And that is in verse eight. God is love. God is light. God is righteous. God is love. And then the rest of the chapter, the book All the way into verse 12 of chapter 5 are those three moral tests again. Same test over three times. Three tests given to the church three times under three different theological statements about God. And each of these tests relate to the statement made. God is light. You're children of light. God is righteous. You're children of righteousness. And God is love. You love not because you're lovely and not because you're loving, but because God loves you. See, all through these three tests, you see this line. You know what the line is? Sovereign grace. You abide in the truth because God abides in you, not because you understood it. Because remember what the false teachers always exalt in? False teachers always exalt in their own personal knowledge and understanding of the Bible and God. Listen to me, I've got a word from God. Listen to me, I have special revelation. I speak face to face with God. They had these arrogant boasts about God and their teaching and their instruction. And John says, oh no. See, John weaves masterfully throughout the epistle how it's all sovereign grace. You're a Christian because God made you a Christian. You're walking in the paths of righteousness because God's in you. His seed abides in you. He causes you to walk in His ways. And that's why John can say, the righteous do righteousness. Not because you're righteous, but because the seed of God abides in you. That's the cause of the righteousness, beloved. Sovereign grace. Now you see how the Ten Commandments and the introduction to the Ten Commandments just fit so perfectly in with the teaching of John. And that is, I am the God that brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. I'm the sovereign God of the universe. And I displayed my power, my glory by squashing Egypt and Pharaoh. I brought you out to myself to be my sons and daughters. And now I give you this land because I own it and I'm evicting These wicked residents that live there now, and I'm placing you in it. And hey, when you go in and you live in these houses and you drink the wine made from the grapes of these vineyards and you eat from the fruit of these crops, don't think you did it. And don't forget me because I'm the one that put you there. You see? You see the example? John again is showing us how amazingly clear This epistle is to the Old Testament and the rest of the teaching of Scripture and Moses and Jesus and all of the other apostles and disciples. And beloved, these tests are amazingly clear. They're clear. You can't misunderstand the moral test, the commandments of God. You cannot misunderstand the social test, love of God's people. Let me tell you something. God did not gift you. How many times have we said this under the third commandment? God has revealed Himself. God has gifted you, not so that you could exalt yourself, but so that you would promote the holiness and happiness of the people sitting next to you. That's why. God has gifted each family here to promote the holiness and happiness of the family sitting next to them. And if we don't, we are profaning the third commandment, profaning, breaking the third commandment and profaning God's name. It's absolutely dangerous not to recognize these tests in John, John's epistle. Dangerous, because it's only by these tests that we recognize and know we have eternal life. OK, well, let's talk about. this relationship in the third commandment. The third commandment says, Do not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain. This is the threatening of the third commandment. And I want to expound a bit upon the guilt of the third commandment. Beloved, that is, God has revealed himself, God's revelation, even in us, mankind. We are made in the image of God. We bear the image of God. And when we do not act according to the creation, to the image that God has made us in, we pile upon us guilt. Now, we already have inherent guilt in Adam. Not only are there two families in the earth that can be related to the family of God and the family of Satan, But these two families can also be distinguished in this way. The family of Adam and the family of Christ. That is, all men are either under Adam and in the covenant of works, or they're in Christ in the covenant of grace. And under Adam, in the covenant of works, all men will stand before God and give an account for every deed done in the flesh, every word spoken, every thought expressed, every intention, emotion of the heart will be judged according to God's Word and they will be cast into hell because Paul says in the book of Romans that they are debtors. Yet, The family of Adam expresses itself today in various cults and religions. Pop psychology. Why? Because what do they want to do? They want to get rid of the guilt. All profaners are guilty before God. How many of you have been guilty? How many of you have been convicted and felt guilty under these sermons under the third commandment? And have been, you know, weighed down with how the things we say with our mouths, so without thought. The oh my goshes. All of these things that are similar to saying, oh my God. All we say without thinking about them. Addressing how God's name is to be used in such a holy and reverent manner and how we so easily fall into these statements and using the name Lord in a very trite way. Oh, beloved, when it comes to the name of God, we are to stand in awe. The threatening of the third commandment is a very serious threat. You see, this group of Adam wants to get rid of the guilt. How do they do it? Through self-righteous works. Cults, works of religion. Jehovah's Witnesses, if you knock on enough doors, if you hand out enough tracts, Mormons, if you go be a missionary for two years and come back. All of these things that are related to works-oriented relationship with God are all works of self-righteousness. Now, not only religions, but also all evolutionary science is based upon, this pop psychology based upon evolutionary science. All has one thing in common. He wants to get rid of guilt. How do we get rid of the guilt? That's what Freud's problem was. Freud was a Jew. He was a Jewish man, raising a Jewish home, and he hated the orthodoxy of his parents. He wrote about how he despised their religion, and he hated God, and he said, we must rid ourselves of this guilt. Because it's not good. You see, Freud's concept, which is not new, beloved, it goes all the way back to the garden where man will try to form a religion that makes him feel good about himself. And that's blasphemy. That's profaning God's name. And so what he does is he says, you know what? See, for Freud, he wanted to, he under this dichotomy of the sacred and secular. Now follow me because this is important. Well, Freud wanted to wipe out the distinction between the sacred and secular just like we do, except for this. He wanted it all to be secular. See, what does the third commandment teach us? The third commandment teaches us that all of life is religious and sacred. That all of life is to be lived under the revelation of God and that everything we do has meaning and purpose. Everything we do. I mean, from the mundane things of tying your shoes, eating pizza, whatever it may be, we do all to the glory of God under the banner of His name, exalting and praising Him for being in our God, and we are His creatures. We believe all life is sacred. He believed all life is secular, humanistic, man-centered. And he said, in order for this to happen, in order for us to tear down this sacred distinction, we must get rid of the taboo. That is, those deep things that lies within all of our hearts that we really want to do, that you know you really want to do, that you won't do because of the instruction of your parents. And that's why psychology had the influence, you know, well, if you're bad, it's your parents' fault. If you're a pervert, it's your parents' fault. If you're a murderer, it's your parents' fault. If you're this, it's your parents' fault. If you're that, it's your parents' fault. Do you hate your mama? Do you hate your dad? That's why he got into all this crazy, you know, applications of trying to get rid of this guilt. And all modern pop psychology after Freud is just some application of that under a different name, under a different strategy. That is, all of these psychologists seek to get rid of the guilt that is inherent in each one of us for a reason and a purpose. Because God says He will by no means clear the guilty. It's important. But man tries to wipe away the guilt. He wants to make life all of humanism, all secular, all humanistic. And he wants to live according to his own self-righteousness. Benjamin Palmer, who wrote a book on the Ten Commandments, said that these words, this threatening found in the Third Commandment, He said, ought to leave every person in awe. To know that the Lord will not leave them unpunished who takes His name in vain. He said, ought to leave every person in awe. He said, because it is obvious that these words imply a lot more than they express. And that's what we've been talking about. Remember, that is just taking God's name in a curse word is not the only thing this commandment is talking about. It goes way beyond that. And we've seen that in the last several weeks. So, you see, beloved, how will we deal with this guilt? Will we accept God's remedy for this guilt or will we seek a self-righteous means to get rid of the guilt. That is, whether it be sports, you know, entertainment, heavily involved in social activities, drugs, alcohol, sex, you name it. Anything to numb the guilt in order to rid ourselves of thinking about being guilty of the third commandment. Using our minds, our bodies, our words, our speech not to glorify the name of God but to profane His name and we are riddled with guilt. How do we get rid of that guilt? People do it in various ways. Of course, Freud and secular psychologists will say, well, there really is no God. I don't know why this guilt you have is a false guilt. Don't worry about it. There's no God anyway. That's where the third commandment comes in. And that's where the threatening of the third commandment comes in. Because, beloved, here's what the words of that commandment, that threatening says, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished. Now, let's look at this. Let's break down this threat. in bits and parts, in order to understand clearly the threat involved here. Number one, the threat clearly implies a reckoning with God. For the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes his name in vain. The commandment clearly implies a reckoning with God. that there will be a day of reckoning. Now, beloved, much evangelical preaching today has totally wiped out the teaching of Judgment Day. That is, when men walk before the Lord and they're guilty, and they try to assuage their guilt in various ways, they know in their heart there's a day of judgment. And it's always sad. When we go to funerals of known sinners, reprobates, and profane people, that we don't hear the judgment of God being preached faithfully, they all went to heaven. Everybody goes to heaven. And those other profane, perverted sinners out there are left in their self-righteousness to depend upon themselves. And they will be disappointed when they stand before God. And He says, I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who do the deeds of wickedness. So you see, beloved, this threat clearly implies a day of reckoning. That is a day when all of his creatures shall stand before the scrutiny of the omniscient God. He's the God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. I am your covenant God. I am the omnipotent one. I created all things. I am all sovereign. There is a day of reckoning when you will have to give an account to this God. To that God now. Palmer talks about that great investigation on that day. You know, we can fool people, right? We can. We can trick people. We may be clever. We may can say things to get us out of binds and to say things to make people think more highly of us than they ought to think. Children learn it well from their parents, husbands and wives, and the children are born doing it well themselves. lying to their parents, saying things that don't truly put the blame and responsibility and guilt upon them. But beloved, recognize this, there is a day of reckoning when no one will trick God. It's a fact. And we as ministers and as parents must teach this day of reckoning if we're to be faithful to the Word of God. There will be a day when men will either be found innocent or guilty, condemned or acquitted. And beloved, there are sins more sinful than other sins. This sin is directed against the name of God. It's directed against Him personally, and God takes personal offense to it. It's one thing for me to offend my brother. It's quite another to offend God. And that's why God says there's a day of reckoning when I will settle all debts and accounts myself. You see, beloved, people steal, lie, cheat. People take church vows and they don't take them seriously. They think they got away with something. You don't get away with anything with God. He's omniscient God, sovereign God. He is the God that will settle all things on that dreadful day. Dreadful for those who have not accepted His righteousness. He says, I am Jehovah and there is none like Me. Beloved, we know that there is eternal judgment. There is a day of eternal judgment whereby the whole earth will stand before Him. And we need to understand this because this is not being taught today. In fact, this is what they're telling people in seminary. You don't really need to teach this stuff because this stuff right here brings people down. This depresses people. They don't want to come and hear this, man. They want to come and feel good about themselves. And if you preach this kind of stuff, don't expect to grow large churches. But you see, beloved, it's not about growing large churches, it's about growing holy churches. It's about growing families who understand there's a day of judgment. It's about growing families and individuals that understand that they can stand before God on that day and hear the words, well done, good and faithful servants. There is a day of judgment. No doubt about it. And God will be the one doing the judging. And beloved, we must preach judgment. Let me read to you several verses of Scripture. I want to show you just how prolific the Bible is concerning these passages of judgment. And we're only skipping stones here. I'm going to give you Matthew 10 and verse 15, where Jesus says, Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that city. Referring to those who reject the gospel. You see, beloved, there are more sins more heinous than other sins. There are more sins more sinful than other sins. And when you offend God, that sin is a greater sin than offending your brother, offending your wife, or offending your husband. That's why this, listen to me. When a husband is requiring his wife to do something that's not what God requires of her, the wife needs to look at her husband and say, I love you, but I will offend you before I offend God. and vice versa. When the husband feels bound to his wife, because if he decides to be spiritual, he'll lose his wife. He must offend his wife instead of offending God. I love you, honey. I want us to love the same things. But I must offend you before I offend God. There are, and that's what Jesus was relating here, those who reject the presentation of the gospel will have stricter judgment than those who have never had the gospel preached to them at all. 2 Corinthians 5, verses 10-11, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for the deeds in the body according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, We persuade men, but we are made manifest to God, and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. Just a couple of things. Notice, number one, again, the judgment, but how it's related to the fear of God. Remember the connection of fear and reverence in the third commandment? And also recognize the conscience here. Who's the Lord of the conscience? God is. You see, beloved, I don't even know if they still have this today. I may be speaking in ignorance according to modern day, but I know back not that long ago, there was something called a conscientious objector to war. That's biblical. Here was the deal. This is why it was biblical. Because what the courts did is they recognized that man is not Lord over another man's conscience. that God is the Lord over his conscience. And they could not make that man go to war if going to war sincerely violated his conscience. The courts would have to concede to his conscience because who is the Lord of the conscience? Not man, God. I don't even know if they even recognize that anymore. If you don't do what the state says, I'm sure they'll probably cast you in the jail. I'm not sure, but maybe so. I don't know. Hebrews 9, 27 and 28. Inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once, and after this comes judgment. So Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation with reference to sin to those who eagerly await Him." Again, another text stating that there is coming a day of judgment. Hebrews 10, 26-31, For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins. but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think you will deserve who has trampled under the foot the Son of God and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, Vengeance is mine, I will repay. And again, the Lord will judge His people. This is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. You see what the author of Hebrews is saying? Listen to this church that was toying around with apostatizing from the faith, walking away from the covenant of grace. He says, Be careful that you don't blaspheme the name of God. You've been shown the truth, and now you reject it. And he says, and you fall under the terrifying expectation of judgment. Vengeance is mine. Of course, this is talking about the temporal salvation. I mean, temporal judgment. That judgment that comes to man in this life, you see. 2 Peter 2 and verse 4, For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness reserved for judgment." Again, future judgment. Verse 9 of the same chapter. Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment. Here's what he's saying. Those angels that rebelled against God at the creation of the earth, whenever it was exactly, are reserved. in hell for the day of judgment. There are other judgments. We talked about an eternal judgment and temporal judgments. And beloved, listen, profane men may escape temporal judgments. Profane men may live this life as if nothing had not occurred in the world. Have all the money he could spend, they could spend as a family? Have all just the accolades of men? And he can do social activities. He can go feed the poor at Thanksgiving. He can go hand out presents at Christmas. He can play Santa Claus at the mall. He can do all kinds of good deeds throughout the year. He can go on mission trips, all to make himself feel good about himself. And he may escape the judgment of God in this life, but he will not escape the judgment of God in the next life. That's what I'm saying, beloved. We don't get away with anything. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 11 through 13, again talking to these people, these Christians who were tempted to apostatize from the faith, he says, therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest provided by Christ so that no one will fall through following the same example of disobedience. For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to His eyes of Him. with whom we have to do. Beloved, what he's saying, what the apostle was saying, is he says, listen, in order for you not to be like that disobedient generation, cast yourselves to the Word of God. And let God judge you. Let God search out your heart. Let God search your motives. Let God search your intentions. Let God who sees all things opening and laid bare before Him, let Him search you out with His Word and Spirit. Listen to what 1 Peter says. Again, dealing with a church in the 60s of the 1st century, fixing their head into the full-blown persecution of the late 60s, 80s, 70s, the destruction of Jerusalem, a lot of persecution. Here's what Peter writes to the church. Chapter 4, verse 12, he says, Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange things were happening to you. But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exaltation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed. Because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, a thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler. But if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God. And if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of the godless man and the sinner? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right." You see, beloved, judgment will begin with the household of God. That is, you can expect as a Christian to be judged. temply in this life. When the fiery ordeals come upon you, you don't consider it strange. Even though, like Psalm 78 says, I look around and I see all of these unrighteous and sinful men having their way, having these feasts, these parties, driving these brand new cars, living in these big houses. They don't have a care in the world. My children are sick. I don't have any money. I don't have any retirement. I've lost my job. All these things, they don't seem to have cares whatsoever he says don't consider it strange beloved judgment begins with the people of God and be thankful for it because see ultimately ultimately even though we're forgiven in Christ and he's taken away that original guilt remember what we prayed in in our prayer this morning forgive us of our sins our guilt because you know why who's here's innocent Who is here that does not deserve the chastisement of God? Anybody want to raise your hand? Who's here can say, I don't deserve anything that the Lord brings to me. I don't deserve any of these bad things. I deserve all good things. Who can say that? You see, number two, Not only will there be a day of reckoning, but on that day of reckoning, every deed will be exposed. Every irreverent thought, every irreverent emotion, every profane word, every profane deed will be laid before the omniscient eye of God. Now, that ought to motivate. You know, like Benjamin Palmer said, when we read this threatening, we ought to stand in awe. How many of us just say things that we just, and here's the worst part about, it's not just saying them that's bad. That's bad enough. I mean, things that don't edify, things that don't build people up. But what's bad about it is when we're corrected, we say, oh, it didn't matter. That's worse. That's worse. To act like it really doesn't matter. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me. Is that true? No. That's not true. Words do hurt. They profane God's name. They offend God. Jeremiah 17 and verse 10, I, the Lord, search the heart, test the mind, even to give each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds. Now you can see, beloved, why the confession teaches, and rightly so, how the Bible teaches. If we rightly know our faith, we rightly know the Bible, don't we walk in repentance? I mean, is there a time that you don't need to repent? Is there a time, is there a day that you go by that you don't need to repent? Is there a half a day you go by that you don't need to repent? An hour? You see how theology, this ought to motivate us to what? Watch the things we say? Check our thoughts? I mean, we have a thought come into our mind, and what do we need to do? I'm not going to profane the name of God. I want to reject that Lord. Give me grace to overcome this. Take this thought away from me. I'm depending upon you, Lord, to mortify the deeds of the flesh. Matthew 12, verse 36 and 37, Jesus said, But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an account for it on the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Remember what 1 John said? If you say that you're in the light, but you don't walk with God, you're a liar, and the truth is not in you. You know, we need to think about this emotionally too. We know that deeds, you know, deeds encompass thoughts, words and actions. Your deeds encompass what you think. Your deeds encompass what you feel. How you feel about certain things. That's why, beloved, I mean, turn to Psalm 139. Let me show you. Just importance, the importance of training our emotions to comport with the law of God. Look at verse 17. Look at what the psalmist says. How precious also are your faults to me, O God. How vast is the sum of them. How many of us can say that? Precious. Precious. You know, we say precious when it concerns babies. They're precious, and there's an emotional swelling in our hearts when we, you know, look at babies. They're cute and cuddly, and we love them to death. But the psalmist is saying, how precious are God's thoughts to him? That he's emotional. He has this emotion that swells up into his heart that attaches this preciousness to the law of God, to God's thoughts. How about verses 19 and 21? O that you would slay the wicked, O God! Depart from me therefore, men of bloodshed, for they speak against you wickedly, and your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with the utmost hatred, and they have become mine enemies." Now let me just say this. You know, David's referring to those blasphemers. David's referring to those people that just want to blaspheme God's name and they they want that they hate God, they despise God and God. And David is saying, telling the Lord, he says, you know what, Lord, they hate you. I hate them. I don't have nothing to do with them. They're blasphemers. Now, you know, there's an emotional attachment there with hatred. Precious, hatred, loathing, all of these things. If we don't emotionally love the right things, we're breaking the third commandment. Matthew 16 24 through 27 and Jesus said to his disciples if anyone wishes to come after me must deny himself And take up his cross and follow me for whoever wishes to save his life will lose it But whoever wishes to lose whoever loses his life for my sake will find it for what will it profit a man who gains the whole world and forfeits his soul or what will a man give in exchange for his soul and For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and will then repay every man according to his deeds." I mean, I could go on and on, beloved. Romans 2, 3 through 10, where In several places, Paul writes, I'll start at verse 5, but because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each person according to his deeds, to those who by perverseness in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, for the Jew first and also the Greek." Revelation 20, verse 12 through 15, I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And books were opened, and another book was opened, which was the book of life. And the dead were judged from the things that are written in the books according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them. And they were judged, every one of them, according to their deeds. And then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. You know, one of the things pop psychology tells us today when parenting our children is don't be negative. Be positive. Positive. We don't even call it discipline anymore. We call it positive reinforcement. It's positive reinforcement. You can't be negative, beloved. This threatening of this third commandment ought to strike fear in every one of us. It's very negative. It's very judgmental. It's true and it's right. We must teach our children the way God instructs us. The third implication of this threat is that God will by no means clear the guilty. That is, He will by no way clear those who profane His holy name. That is, they will bear their own guilt. They will be responsible for their own blasphemy, and He will punish them. Numbers 14 and verse 18, the Lord is slow to anger and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression. But he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children of the third and fourth generations. Psalm 5 and verse 10, the psalmist writes, Hold them guilty, O God, for their own devices let them fall by their own devices. In the multitude of their transgressions, thrust them out, for they are rebellious against you. You see, beloved, that's the point. That is, the Lord will hold every man responsible for his own blasphemy, his own words, his own thoughts, his own actions. You know, think about it this way. And this is the point. Who can save man from the omniscient God of judgment? Who can save him? Who? Will you be able to gather all your friends up on that day? Will you be able to stand before God and to gather all your wicked friends together and overtake God? Will you be able to gather A sympathetic mother to plead with God on the Day of Judgment? Will you be able to bring out a father who has always excused your rebellion? And then for him to stand before God and say, he's a good boy, Lord, he just, he just, you know, I mean, he doesn't mean, he means well. All his life, his mother and his father have been doing those things, and they will not be able to do it before God. Serious, isn't it, parents? So while the Proverbs says, you rescue the sinful person, you've got to keep doing it. You're hoping that he learns, even if it's the hard way, so what? If he stands before God, he won't need somebody to come and take his place. He'll be able to be responsible before the Lord, and he will have learned, hopefully, not to trust in his own self-righteousness and blaspheme God's name, but to accept the righteousness offered to him in Jesus Christ. Who can save man on that day? A man, will he be able to hold himself innocent of his profanity? Of his lustful thinking? His family, his friends, and even the public arena may overlook him. May think him to be witty and pleasant, as Benjamin Palmer says. A good old boy. But God will hold him fully responsible and will not take lightly the blaspheming of his name. You know, parents, better teach your children now while you have them. Moms and dads, teach them now. Teach them to be responsible. Don't keep giving them excuses. Don't keep giving them outs. Because when they stand before God, there will be no outs. Benjamin Palmer takes it further. He said, who can save men from this predicament? His family can't save him. His riches can't save him. He said his own poverty can't save him. He can't go before the Lord and say, but Lord, I was poor. I didn't really have all the advantages of this life. It doesn't matter. You blaspheme my name and I take it seriously. His friends may esteem him. He may be very jovial in his attitude and everybody like him. But God takes offense at it. We just read Psalm 139. I just want to read verse 20 again. For they speak against you wickedly, and your enemies take your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate you, O Lord? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? I hate them with the utmost hatred. They become my enemy. Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts, and see if there be any hurtful way in me. And lead me in the everlasting way. What's the psalmist saying? Search me so I'm not guilty of blaspheming your name, O Lord. Show me the errors of my ways and I will confess it. I will repent of it. And I will cling to Jesus Christ, my righteousness. Search me, O God. You know, there's a close connection between The third commandment in the blasphemy of the Holy Ghost, Mark 3, 28 and 29, truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men and whatever blasphemies they utter. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Ghost never has forgiveness, but is guilty of eternal sin. You know, it's a good thing if you're worried about ever blaspheming the Holy Ghost. That's a good sign you haven't blasphemed in the Holy Ghost. The point being, beloved, that God will not hold them guiltless. who blaspheme his name continually, continually, particularly as it relates to sending them the gospel message and they continue to reject the gospel. Every time they reject the gospel, it's an ultimate blaspheming of God's name. And when they, that last moment before they die, they reject the gospel and they stand before him, they will be guilty. of this eternal sin, of blaspheming God's name. And God says it will not be cleared. You see, the Catholic Church blaspheming God's name by teaching there's another chance on the other side. Purgatory! You'll spend some time in torment, but over time God will let you into heaven! That's blasphemous! They're guilty of blaspheming and profaning God's name. There is no other chance. I had a guy sitting across from me one time who was thinking about suicide. I said, you know, that seals the deal. You know, I'm sorry, I'm just not very lenient with some people when they're trying to manipulate you. That seals the deal. You make that decision, that's it. There's no more decisions to make. There's no more corrections in your life to make. There's no more going back and changing the things you wish you could change. That's done. You sure you want to do that? Because it's over. When you enter into eternal life, it's done. And your deeds follow you there. I want to read Isaiah 53, 4 through 6. Beloved, here's the application. Here's what I want you to do. I want you to embrace Christ. I want you to recognize how much we have sinned, how profane we are. But yet, we don't rest in our own righteousness. We rest upon the righteousness God has offered us in Christ Jesus. And we don't blaspheme and profane His name by embracing Christ, confessing our sins. Yes, Lord, I am a profane person. Forgive me for all of my profanity and blasphemies. And I cling to Jesus Christ. I forsake myself righteousness. And I follow in your ways, beloved." That's how you escape the wrath and judgment to come. That's how you're going to do it. Listen to Isaiah 53, 4-6. Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, submittent of God and afflicted, but He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening of our well-being fell upon Him. And by His scourging, we were healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray. Each one of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. You see, beloved, if you embrace Jesus Christ, He's paid for your profanity. He's paid for all of your blasphemies. Past, present, and future. What does 1 John say? Jesus came to take away sins. The ultimate blasphemy of God's name is to reject the Lord Jesus Christ. His sacrifice. I mean, Isaiah 53 says it pleased the Lord to punish Jesus for our sakes. You know the old illustration that this bottle represents our sins, children. Look up. And the Lord took our sins that were rightly ours. And he placed them on Jesus Christ. And he bore the wrath of God. God poured out His anger and hatred upon Christ so that it wouldn't be poured out upon us. Amen. John 3, verse 36 says, He who believes in the Son has eternal life, but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. Beloved, let me end with this passage and this thought. How will we escape the wrath of God to come? The judgment. By repenting of our blasphemies. Repenting of our profanity. Embracing Jesus Christ, yes, we've embraced Him. Embrace Him again. Embrace Him daily. Embrace Him constantly. Embrace Him through the means of grace, through the reading of the Word of God, through prayer, through the study of the Word of God, which is completely different than reading, through partaking of the sacraments, through church, praise, worship. The communion of saints, beloved, embracing the Lord Jesus Christ continually, continually repenting of our sins, continually exercising faith, and continually making use, a diligent use of the means of grace. Last passage, 1 Corinthians chapter 11, and this will perfectly flow into the Lord's Supper. 1 Corinthians 11, look at verse 27. Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, he shall be guilty of the body of the blood of the Lord. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly. For this reason, many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep. But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. Now, here's the thing, beloved. Here's the opportunity we have. And what a wonderful opportunity it is. That is, to rightly judge ourselves with the Word of God. As we come to the Lord's Supper, what are we doing? We're going to rightly use the Word of God, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in our minds as we've been guilty. The things we say, the things we think, the things we do that blaspheme God's name, what are we doing? We want to practice righteousness by repenting of those things and planning and seeking not to continue to do them. Beloved, don't leave here forgetting what you have learned. Don't leave here forgetting what you have heard. Don't leave here looking into the mirror of God's law and leave forgetting what you have seen in it. And rightly judge yourselves. And this is the fruit of that repentance and right use of the means of grace. Righteousness. Holiness of life. Standing before God. And there will be no need for Him to judge you. You know why? Because you've already judged yourself rightly. And He says, well done, good and faithful servant. You've already confessed and pleaded for grace and mercy, and I've bestowed it upon you, because you've asked. And you've embraced my Son, and you have forsaken all self-righteous means to get rid of your guilt. You want to know how to get rid of your guilt? Embrace Jesus Christ. That's how you get rid of your guilt. You want to deal with your guilt? Love Christ. Follow Him. Make use of the means of grace. That's how you deal with guilt, beloved. Let us pray. And Father, we thank You for the clarity of Your Word. We thank You for Christ. We thank You for His sacrifice and how it has pleased You for Him to bear our iniquity, our profanity and blasphemy. Lord, pour out grace upon us through the means of grace Give us grace to repent of those things you have exposed to us today, that we might walk in the newness of the covenant of grace and repentance. In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen. Let us stand and sing the Gloria Patri.