Comprehending Pink’s Commandments Part 23

Foreword:

The following exerpt is taken from The Ten Commandments  by Arthur W. Pink

(BAKER BOOK HOUSE, 1994 GRAND RAPIDS, MI)

In this blog series I will work through this very important article a paragraph at a time – asking my reader comprehension style questions at the end. I have been much convicted by the writings of Pink and I pray your walk will also be strengthened meditating on his teaching of scripture …

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT PART III

God's Name is taken in vain when we swear lightly and irreverently, using the Name of God with as little respect as we would show to that of a man, or when we swear falsely and are guilty of perjury. When we are placed on oath and we attest that to be true which we do not know to be true, or which we know to be false, we are guilty of one of the gravest sins which man can possibly commit, for he has solemnly called upon the great God to witness that which the father of lies has prompted him to speak. "He that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of Truth" (Isa. 65:16) , and therefore it behooves him to consider well whether what he testifies is true or not. Alas, oaths have become so excessively multiplied among us-- being interwoven, as it were, into the body politic--and so generally disregarded, that the enormity of this offense is scarcely considered. "Let none of you imagine evil in your hearts against his neighbor; and love no false oaths, for all these are things that I hate, saith the Lord" (Zech. 8:17). And what shall be said of that vast throng of profane sweaters who pollute our language and wound our ears, by a vile mixture of execrations and blasphemies in their common conversation! "Their throat is an open sepulchre ... the poison of asps is under their lips: whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness" (Rom. 3:13, 14). Utterly vain is their thoughtless plea that they mean no harm, vain their excuse that all their companions do the same, vain their plea that it is merely to relieve their feelings! What a madness it is when men anger you, to strike against God and provoke Him far more than others can provoke you! But though their fellows do not censure, nor the police arrest, nor the magistrate punish them, yet "The Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain." "As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him ... as he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his bowels like water" (Psa. 109:17, 18). God is dreadfully incensed by this sin, and in the common commission of this Heaven-insulting crime our country has incurred terrible guilt.

1) “Alas, oaths have become so excessively multiplied among us-- being interwoven, as it were, into the body politic--and so generally disregarded, that the enormity of this offense is scarcely considered” – If Pink wrote this in the last century consider how much more we have lost honour in our time. There was a time when a person’s word was their bond, a time when a promise unkept would result in a destroyed reputation, a time when a person’s trustworthiness was one of their greatest possessions. In our time there is a sad loss of trust and trustworthiness. What practical steps can a Chritian person take to swim against the tide of erroded honour. Consider things like punctuality, communication, oaths and steadfastness in spite of the odds.

2) What three vain excuses or pleas does the sinner give for oath breaking according to Pink? Can you think of more?

3) Can one claim to bear the image of Christ who is the ultimate oath keeper and yet make vain cheap oaths and break them? What is Christ's teaching on this matter in Matthew 5:37cf?

4) Howdo you think God feels about people typing or even (strangly) saying “OMG” ? What about other “near” blasphemies like:

-         “for goodness sake” 
-         “for crying out loud” 
-         “Jeeze” or “gee whiz”