PADKOS – 24 March

BLASPHEMY

The Dictionary defines BLASPHEMY as:

• To speak of God in an irreverent/disrespectful or impious/sinful manner.
• To revile/insult/scorn.
• Evil speaking of something sacred.

The British Law on blasphemy was lifted on 10 May 2008 and replaced with a new law making it an offence to incite religious hatred. In 1950 The Digest of Criminal Law stated that it was not blasphemous to speak or publish opinions hostile to Christianity or to deny the existence of God as long as it is couched in decent and temperate language. The test was how it was advocated and not the substance of the doctrines themselves.

In 1988 Salman Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses caused an uproar when Muslims considered the book blasphemous against Islam. Likewise, the poem The Love That Dares To Speak Its Name by James Kirkup, where it suggests Jesus was a homosexual also caused a stir.
I would hate to be in Mr Kirkup’s shoes when he comes face to face with Jesus, which he will!

Jerry Springer the Opera, a musical notable for its profanity and irreverent treatment of Judeo-Christian themes also caused an outcry with over 55,000 complaints flooding in to the authorities.

Regardless of whether or not the British Law Makers decided to do away with the Law on Blasphemy, God is, and will be, the ultimate judge of such enmity towards Himself.
The Bible makes it very clear that those who reject His love will not be obliged to endure His presence in eternity.

Everyday conversation is littered with the misuse of God’s name and I have often wondered why it is that the name of Jesus Christ is so often taken in vain and used as an oath.
So many people use God’s name as an exclamation of surprise, most utter His name without realising they are doing it, and when challenged about doing so, become indignant and self-righteous as if their integrity has been questioned.
No matter which way we look at it, using God’s name in this way is irreverent, sinful and blasphemous. There is no getting away from it. His name is used in the arts, the movies, on TV, on the radio, in books and magazines, the list is endless, so much so that one is forced to ask where did this start and why?

There is no doubt, that there is a deep hatred of Christianity in the Western World, coupled with the sickening arrogance of man who thinks that he can get along without any fear of God at all.
If you have any doubt about this, visit a few schools in your area and listen from the side lines to what the students, both male and female, talk about.
Take note of the language they use.
Listen to how they talk about their teachers.
Observe how little respect they have for authority.
Listen to how often the Lord’s name is used, indicating no respect for anything or anybody.

This state of affairs is a direct result of the educational system being hijacked by humanists and atheists who will not allow Biblical Christianity to be taught in schools and universities, simply because it will show up the ridiculous principles upon which their belief systems are founded.

Trying to do away with our Creator and live without any reference to Him has been the ruination of countless numbers who profess to be wise, when they are in fact fools.
There was a popular saying that equated very bad language and profanity with making a Sailor blush, well from personal experience, what young people talk about and the way they swear and blaspheme would make any hardened Sailor blush.

Every second sentence is commenced with the words: OH MY GOD! The words JESUS CHRIST or CHRIST are used frequently throughout conversation as are words denoting sexual activities. Sadly, Teachers and parents say and behave the same way, so is it any wonder then that impressionable young minds copy what their elders say and do.
Young people are like blotting paper, soaking up everything anyone does and then imitating it, and if challenged, they quite rightly, turn the tables and say:
If they can speak and act like that, then so can we.

Switch on the tv or radio any time night or day and you will hear those words, OH MY GOD! repeated over and over again.
I went into a well-known greetings card shop to look for a suitable card to send to my Father in celebration of his Birthday and happened to pick up cards where the words OH MY GOD! were already printed in the card as part of the message to save having to write them.
Mobile Phones arrive with OMG already embedded in the Predictive Text for sending messages.
Is there no end to this blasphemy?

The 3rd Commandment is not so that God can protect His own name, or that He has some sort of divine insecurity, it is the fundamental connection between God and morality, man and his maker, time and eternity.
The Ten Commandments are a framework of moral absolutes, given by our Creator for us to live by, and there is no doubt that the misuse of the name of God has led to a loss of moral cohesiveness and rise in atheism and an I don’t care attitude among people.

They are God’s requirements for mankind because they embrace EVERY aspect of life.
The fact that mankind has chosen to ignore God’s Word, choosing instead to mock the Scriptures, does not lessen the effect it should have on our lives, because there is coming a day when every single person who has ever lived will be judged by the Word of God, and for those who have ignored it will find themselves condemned by it.

All of us are guilty of blasphemy at one time or another, and we need to ask forgiveness for this terrible sin, then we need to ask Jesus Christ to come into our lives and to take control, and we need to live for Him and Him alone.
Won’t you do this now?
Before it is too late.

Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span
At Calvary!