One friend wrote: your study gives us some helpful ideas about how to avoid wrongly using the Lord's name. Yet it might be said that the message here is a "negative" one.

Nathan:

It's a bit hard to avoid that - it was an attempt at commentary on a "Thou shalt not...", so I have simply endeavoured to unpack what it is that we are instructed not to do.

Nevertheless, your question is a perfectly reasonable one to raise, and it certainly came up in our study groups when they tackled this material.

Friend:

Are we able to define the _proper_ use of God's name? What does it look like when a person invokes the divine name in an appropriate manner? And when are we allowed to do it?

Nathan:

I haven't managed to come up with any sort of concise definition (other than the obvious 'you can do it when you're right'!!), and I'd be very keen to hear one if anyone can have a go at formulating one. There were some good suggestions for bits and pieces of criteria that came out of our group discussions though, some of them positives and some negatives.

1. Proper use of God's name is usually doxological and eucharistic - that is to say it gives praise and thanks to God.

2. Linking to the first commandment ("I am the Lord your God who brought you out of slavery; you shall have no other gods"), then we are on much safer grounds when we are attributing something to God which is clearly consistent with God's proclamation of freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind, good news for the poor, healing for the broken-hearted, and the coming reign of justice and reconciliation.

3. Although we are somewhat safer when we are quoting or expounding scripture, the example of the Satan in the temptation stories demonstrates that it is no guarantee.

4. We are in serious danger of blasphemy any time we say "thus says the Lord" in support of an agenda in which we have a personal vested interest.

5. Saying "thus says the Lord" as a way of deflecting attention from your own responsibility for the pursuit of an agenda is highly suspect.

6. There is something significant in the relationship between a lack of power and the right to say "thus says the Lord". The Biblical prophets were mostly not in positions of power that would have enabled them to forcibly achieve the agendas they proclaimed. They were proclaiming an unpopular message at considerable personal cost. People like the American President or a beloved and trusted senior pastor frequently have the authority and influence to achieve their goals anyway. In such circumstances, they should be willing to accept full responsibility for their decisions, rather than shifting responsibility onto God. It is perfectly legitimate to say "I have given this much prayer and this is what I believe God is calling us to, but I am personally responsible for whether I have discerned God's call correctly and made the right decision". But that is very different from saying (or implying) "God has given me a vision for this, and those who disagree with it are opposing God and God's prophet." If you've got the authority anyway, then have the guts to wear full responsibility for how it is exercised.

That's my attempts at some criteria.

Peace and hope,

Nathan

______________________________________ Nathan Nettleton Pastor, South Yarra Community Baptist Church Melbourne, Australia