The Verse that Almost Was

At the start of the academic year at seminary where I taught, faculty gathered together, and the president would share our theme verse or passage for the year.  In my last year there, the president said he considered sharing Ezek. 36:20-23 but decided on a passage in John.  Being the curious type I had to check out the “almost” verses.  This is what I found:

Ezek. 36:20-23 – ^{20 ”}And wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name, for it was said of them, ‘These are the Lord’s people, and yet they had to leave his land.’ ²¹ I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel profaned among the nations where they had gone.

²² “Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. ²³ I will show the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, the name you have profaned among them. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Sovereign Lord, when I show myself holy through you before their eyes.” (NIV)

Those words were like a sucker punch in the gut.  Had I, like God’s people Israel, profaned His holy name?  It is a thought that is now with me all the time.  I read Ezekial again last week.  It is probably my 40^th or 50^th readthrough. The convicting power of those verses has never diminished.

Though written to Israelites in captivity 400 years before Christ, these words of warning seem even more applicable today.  In our created nature, we are image-bearers – we are created in the image of God.  Just as Israel was identified as bearing the name of God, so those of us who identify as followers of Christ are bearers of His name.  People will assign what they see in us to Jesus.  So how do we profane that most holy name?  I think that anytime we fail to live out his truth, we make Jesus out to be something or someone he isn’t – we profane his name.

Truth is under attack, even in the church.  The attack is insipient as Christians have become anemic in their knowledge of God’s Word which teaches who He is – His name.  They are vulnerable to cunning but deceptive speech.  They slowly embrace the teaching of the world rather than the truth of God’s Word: “Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32) They are all too ready to accept 21^st century opinion rather than 2000 years of Scripture and church tradition.

I realize that I can’t fix the church universal, but I can influence our local church, and I can, with the power of the Holy Spirit, determine how I will represent my Savior. We are a holiness people, set apart for holy living.  Perhaps it is time to restoke discipleship habits in our daily life such as reading the Bible, studying the Bible, and praying.  I would suggest that you read the Covenant of Christian Conduct in the Manual.  Embracing it will move you a long way towards honoring the name of Jesus, and away from profaning it.  End each day asking God to show anything that you have done to dishonor His holy name (Psalm 139:23-24).  May God’s words to Ezekiel be a constant reminder that God’s holiness will always make His name precious to Him, and hopefully to us as well.

Pastor Doug