298. In the spiritual sense the name of God means the whole of the church's teaching taken from the Word, and through which the Lord is invoked and worshipped. All of this is summed up in the name of God. Therefore taking the name of God in vain means using anything from this source in idle talk, false statements, lies, curses, witchcraft and spells; for this too is slandering and blaspheming God, and so His name. The following passages will show that the Word and all the church takes from it, and so all worship, is the name of God.
From the rising of the sun men shall call upon my name. Isa. 41:25*.
From the rising of the sun to its setting, great is my name among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name. You profane my name, when you say, The table of Jehovah is defiled. And you sniff at my name, when you bring as an offering what is mauled, lame and sick. Mal. 1:11-13.
All peoples walk in the name of their God, and we shall walk in the name of Jehovah our God. Micah 4:5.
They shall worship Jehovah in one place, where He will set His name. Deut. 12:5, 11, 13, 14, 18; 16:2, 6, 11, 15, 16.
His name means His worship.
Jesus said, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst. Matt. 18:20.
As many as received Him, to them He gave the ability to be sons of God, if they believed in His name. John 1:12.
He who does not believe is already judged, since he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. John 3:18.
Those who believe will have life in His name. John 20:31.
Jesus said, I showed forth your name to men, and I made known to them your name. John 17:[6,]26.
The Lord said, You have a few names in Sardis. Rev. 3:4.
There are many other passages in which, as in these, the name of God means the Divine which goes forth from God, and through which He is worshipped. The name of Jesus Christ, however, means the whole of redemption, and the whole of His teaching, and so the whole of salvation. Jesus means the whole of salvation by means of redemption; Christ the whole of salvation by means of His teaching.
* The Latin text has Isa. 26:8, 13, a reference perhaps intended to be quoted.
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