7.9.13 — Blaspheming The God You Teach About

Romans 2:17-24

Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rest in the law, boast in God, know His will, and approve the things that are superior, being instructed from the law, and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the full expression of knowledge and truth in the law — you then, who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal” — do you steal? You who say, “You must not commit adultery” — do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob their temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written: “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Those who teach God’s Word are very important. Yet it is the teachers of the Word that can so easily blaspheme God and then fall into a stricter judgement by the Word on the last day. James 3:1 says…

Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment

God’s Word is true even if the individual teaching God’s Word is not living according to the standards he or she is proclaiming. Yet this type of hypocrisy actually blasphemes the name of God in the eyes of those being taught by the hypocritical teacher. So even if God’s Word is still true, the hearer will not believe the truth on account of the fact that the lifestyle of the teacher does not line up with the truth the teacher proclaims. If the teacher does not live the truth he proclaims, then why should the hearer?

It is incredibly important for me and your mom to live according to the principle truths of the Scriptures. It is incredibly important for you to live the life you proclaim as right. If you do not live by the standards you tell others to live, you are a hypocrite, and you are a blasphemer.

• Do you see the importance to live what you say you believe? You do in fact live what you actually believe. That is why the teacher of the Word is a hypocrite. They say they believe one thing, yet they live like they believe the contrary. Our actions will always follow our beliefs.
• Take a moment to think about your life. Are there areas where you need to seek forgiveness from God because you have blasphemed his name?