Is there anyone who cannot tell by the news and testimonial reports of the so-​called children of God that not everyone who are calling upon the name of the Lord and answering to the name of a child of God fully understands the responsibility of their identity, much more of the implication attached with failure to live up to divine expectations upon them to be followers of God as dear (not counterfeit, bastard, sham, phony) children for the salt to keep its sweetness lest men trample it under their feet and becomes good for nothing. Ephesians 5:1. Born again believers are God’s sanctified ones – his holy nation and peculiar people, whose conduct and manners should be peculiar to silence the ignorance of the wicked and foolish people of the world. When the wicked cometh, then cometh also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. Proverbs 18:3. Ignominy act and walk in the world of ungodly sinners unquestionably bring dishonour and shame, (sin is a reproach –shame to any people) not only to any as a child of God but indirectly to the name we answer to and represent in the world as ambassadors of Christ. God shall be exalted among the heathen and he shall be exalted on earth by faithful and sincere execution of the responsibility and obligation of the elects, for the honour and praises they are expected to attract to his precious, dreadful and glorious name as children of God, which should not be tarnished by any misconduct or corruptible lifestyle as those that should frame their ways and doings before the Lord — as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, be ye holy; for I am holy. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judges according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.1 Peter 1:14-17. God will not only show his holiness to be sanctified (either by man’s obedience or punishment) in all those that come near him, but will also make himself known as him who should be served acceptably with reverence and godly fear. He will show himself as the thrice holy God and the consuming fire who slew the sons of Aaron the high priest in the temple when they offered strange fire before the Lord as they went to the temple drunk under the influence of alcoholic spirit to minister before the Lord. Today, you hear such funny words as medical marijuana and some broadway believers are claiming to encounter God’s presence in a unique way after taking the hemp – certainly, the devil has appeared to them as an angel of light to deceive the delusional in their faith.
Because the Israelites failed to live up to the standard, worth and expectation of the sanctity of their covenanted name of royal priesthood, holy nation and peculiar people of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, he declared against them that you alone have I known (shared my name with, covenanted and related with) among all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. Amos 3:2. Note: let no man think that relationship with God shall exempt them from reaping the consequences of ungodly lifestyles and unworthy walk if they chose to live in the same sin he will judge and condemn the world of ungodly and unrepentant sinners for by living and sowing to the flesh to make the cross of Christ of none effect in their lives, bringing shame and dishonour to his holy name – crucifying Christ again the second time, and bringing him to an open shame — let everyone called by the name of the Lord depart from sin — not walking in craftiness nor in dishonesty. God is not mocked and none shall be secured or spared to partake in the second death like the ungodly-​unrepentant sinners as long as they continue to sow to the flesh: by walking contrary to God, he will also walk contrary to them, for there is no respect of person. If we fail to sanctify his name by our walk and conduct, openly or secretly, God will reprove us to show that he has purer eyes than to behold iniquity and will sanctify his holy name before those we have dishonoured him by the rod he will send to chastise us (howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die. 2 Samuel 12:14) in the presence of those he has been misrepresented by us just as he withdrew not his rod and curse against David and his household in the matter of Uriah’s wife. Leviticus 26:24.
The third Law of Moses commandment reads: ‘thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. The word ‘misuse’ the name of the Lord thy God in vain is not limited to blaspheme the name of God — swear falsely in his name — make a vow and afterward defer to pay it; or to steal and take his name in vain. It also implies living an unworthy life of double standard in deceitfulness of spirit — this people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me, in vain do they worship me and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men. Isaiah 29:13.
If we are not serving God in the singleness of the heart to bring honor, praises, and glory to his holy name as our sole interest in every transaction, the heart becomes divided, but instead of the issues of life flowing out from it, the lack of diligent to keep it uniquely focus to sanctify God in the heart shall cause it to bring forth thorns and briers; and the lifestyle would be far from pleasing God to sanctify or hallow his name on earth before men.
Our Lord not only fulfilled this by saying, I do always those things that pleases my Father (John 8:29) but he magnified the law and re-​enact to broaden it in his response to his disciples request ‘teach us how to pray’ as he taught them the manner of approach before the Father’s throne, in conscious confession, acknowledging their readiness to perform personal duty or obligation before the heavenly Father — ‘hallow be thy name’. In other words, Christ brings them into personal confession saying, our Father who art in heaven, it is our duty and we pledge to reverence and bring honour to your name today as always in all our ways in everything we do, think or speak. May our walk and activities at the end of the day shows that we have glorified your name among the heathen and before the saints — may our deeds reveals that we have sanctified the Lord in our hearts (that our representations of you today will challenge and provoke many unto good works and they shall seek to be yours as well – it is our primary purpose and goal to sanctify you in our decisions making, reactions in confrontations, and whatever actions before those who are making mockery of your name that by well doing, we may put to silence, the ignorance of the foolish people against your holy name, for we are called by your name — to walk in the presence of sinners and among the ungodly world in such a way that their accusations shall be baseless: that we will prioritize your glory and praises above any personal benefit or praise in all our ways today and never forget to fulfill our greatest obligation of the day with great success: namely, to sanctify and bring honour in all our dealings to your glorious name, even as Christ continue to reign in our hearts by faith, and men see through our conducts as his living epistles read and known by them all: therefore, in the consciousness of our duty, we solemnly declare our readiness to sanctify and bring honour to your name today in all purity, uprightness of life and in blameless conducts among the believers and unbelievers alike. 1 Thessalonians 2:10.
This is a solemn pledge – a vow to be a good and faithful ambassador of Christ and to walk worthy of the Lord daily unto all pleasing. This is the Lord’s model and general view of an appropriate approach to converse and receives daily help and grace before the throne of God to have the grace to serve him acceptably with reverence and godly fear. If we take pleasure and glory in that name (children of God by faith in Christ Jesus– we are yours, you never bear rule over them; they were not called by thy name. Galatians 3:26. Isaiah 63:19) it is also our duty to refrain from any act or lifestyle, commitment, association, co-​operation or engagements which are contradictory to the nature of the new life and are against the general principles of the kingdom of God, even things that may cast doubt over the claims of our identity to bring dishonour to his name and bring dirt on his person in us.Careful and honourable preservation of family’s name by good comportments and well-​behaved manners and deeds worthy of praises are issues of great necessity, concerns and expectation in many African cultures from the parents to the children, especially from my background of Yoruba culture in Nigeria. It is generally assumed that if a child behaves well and respectably in the society, people will assumed that he is well taught and brought up by the parents – he’s from a good, responsible and respectable family. But if he behaves foolishly, wickedly and bastardly, society shall reproach and make a mock at his parents to ridicule the entire family as if they are consentaneous to his evil deeds. Thus a wayward and the rebellious child becomes a negative referable point and contact of unpleasant reproach to the entire family’s name and legacy. It is wrong for the society to judge and condemn the entire family by a single person bad representation of them, but as the proverb says, a little leaven leavens the whole lump, the scriptures cannot be broken. Note: we should disassociate from believers whose conduct and doctrines are not revealing the true nature of God. The only way to earn respect and to bring respect to the name of God from sinners is to walk wisely and honourably by the word of God – it is our wisdom and greatness in the kingdom: for whosoever shall do the teachings of Christ and teach men likewise shall be called great in the kingdom of God: not only shall our personality stands out to be respected, but whatever we stand for in the Lord shall be highly esteem and honoured before the Lord, men and before the world; for we are made spectacle (object of attraction) not only to the world but to the holy angels and demons as well.Whatsoever you do, in word or indeed, think first about what impact or fruit it shall bring to God and what’s going to be his reaction to commend or disapprove of it.
Your sufficiency is of God and what people think or may say about you is of no importance if your daily goal is to sanctify the Lord in your heart and in all your ways, just be ready to give an answer to everyone that ask your question of the hope that is in you with gentleness and respect. Our walk and life should command respect, honour and admiration to that worthy name we answer with the Most High — to sanctify the name and the presence of God in our lives, even as David, while at Saul’s palace, behaves himself wisely and found favor before King Saul and before his servants – and the king Saul feared him.1 Samuel 18:14. Note: when we walk circumspectly as wise (living by the word) and not as fools (disregarding the word) we become his beloved sons and daughters in Christ Jesus in whom he will be well pleased to bestow whatever dignifying honour upon us– he that honour God shall be honour; and whosoever despise him, shall he lightly esteemed and disgraced. 1 Samuel 2: 30. 1 Corinthians 4:9.
How is the name of God hallowed if the truth that sanctify and set free is not fully and rightly divided and spoken as the truth is in Christ from the pulpit (for our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile: but as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God, which tries our hearts. For neither at any time used we flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness; God is witness. 1 Thessalonians2: 3-5) by the clergies who are dishonouring him by their fair speeches and sweet-​flattering words to keep men in bondage of sin, seeking men’s admiration for whatever advantage to build what God is not the architect, neither in it –for many shall follow their pernicious way, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken off. 2 Peter 2: 1-3. Reverence and godly fear of God is fading rapidly and it is an evil thing that God’s fear has departed from many churches, considering the terrible things some men with conscience sealed with iron are doing under the banner of the name of the Lord, even deeds that are of great concerns before the ungodly if those behaviours and activities are indeed the doings and manners of the Lord – are these his ways? But there are sinners in Zion (pretentious – unrepented brethren) and not all her dwellers are straight gate and narrow way seekers: much more, are there tares among the wheat (the children of wicked) and they are deeply rooted and grounded in the church to stain and desecrate the name of God and to cause offenses and division in the church. They keep messy up the church to desecrate the temple and the word of God, and keep defaming the name of the Lord by their unholy deeds to mislead and confuse the unlearned to think or assume that they are all children of God which are called by his name, not realising that there are also sons and daughters of Belial (Satan) in the church programmed by Satan to bring dishonour to God’s holy name just like the sons of Eli who were assumed to be prophets, but were sons of Belial (1 Samuel 2:11) did inside the temple to sleep (sexual carnal knowledge) with the women who has come to worship to desecrate the temple of God and brought bad reputations on the thrice Holy name of God by their promiscuous and profaneness.
Show me your faith by your works….sanctifying the name of the Lord is a daily fruit bearing lifestyle; for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, proving what is good and acceptable to the Lord. Familiarity with God for answering his name and manifestations of spiritual gifts are awesome with great spiritual experiences, but none of those things should breed any contempt against God’s name and honour in our conducts and lifestyles. We should consider our intimacy with any spiritual experiences with God as great advantages to build progressively upon in our spiritual walk, growth, and maturity: and as the privilege of blessings to others from the position of our relationship and fellowship designated for greater responsibility, accountability and proper conducts to serve appropriately as evidence of a fruitful growth and success in our spiritual life, consecration and increasing transformation. It should be the testimony of a godly reverential example by us in every conversation, and not in any way be flattered to neglect our duty (hallow be thy name) in self indulgence and laxity in conduct, by taking things for granted against what is required and demanded of us for the trust bestowed upon us as harmless dove. The better we know the best we should be to live before the Lord in temperance and good conversations before others. This was Moses error which was indirectly influenced by Satan, as the people moved him to anger, and they got the better part of him, by provoking his spirit, he spoke unadvisedly with his lips, and failed to sanctify God (hallow be thy name) before the Israelis at the water of strife (Meribah) and the Lord punished and deprived him of his right to enter the land of Canaan…. and the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron, because you believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them – holy and reverend is his name. Psalms 111:9.
Prior to my conversion during one of the independence Day celebration in Nigeria, I went to the liberty stadium to celebrate and to have fun with friends. At the end of the day, I was uncontrollable drunken and took a public bus back home. Argument broke up between me and the bus conductor because I had no money left on me for my transport fare; and worst of all, neither the bus driver nor his conductor were informed about it before I get on board the bus. Fight broke out when he asked for the fare, and I broke the bus window back side glass. The driver and the bus conductor knew my parents (almost everyone is familiar with my parents in our neighbourhood, most especially my father for his kindness to all and his good testimonies) and because of his sake, they deferred their anger and held their peace to consult his opinion and damages for the incident without any immediate vengeance or response. The following day, my father approached and calls my attention to the incident of the previous day which I couldn’t actually remember happened because I was over maximum level intoxicated. The bus driver came over the following day as agreed with my father to narrate the whole events and he brought back my memory back to refute further argument. Had it not for the knowledge of whom my father was, the great respect for his honour, it could have been a different story and experience with the hooligans’ heartless public driver who is capable to fight and injure me with knife and get rid of me just for my refusal of a transport fee of less than a dollar.
God’s name is hallowed when we renders not evil for evil or railing for railing unto anyone; his name is hallowed if we give room for his vengeance to give bread to the enemy’s hungry and water to drink for the adversary, though they detest and fight against us for no good reason and the Lord will reward us. When we willingly get over a painful offence to waive our right, though we are deceived by a beloved brother who we trusted in the Lord for his name’s sake, but breach the trust and transgressed against and betrayed brotherly love; nonetheless, we take it gently and suffered to be defrauded without dragging the offender before the law for his name’s sake — we’ve hallowed his name through our action. Note: let it be known that the Lord is carefully watching and taking record of all our doings for his name’s sake (I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Revelation 2:3) to reward us accordingly.
Are you taking advantage of God’s holy name to defraud, fool, exploit, and deceive others? Are you really doing all things for his name’s sake without expectation of any recognition, praise, and reward from others? There is no any other way to fulfil the scripture ‘hallow be thy name’ except you think on the influence and effect of your action on his holy name. How many would forbear their right and preach freely today for his name’s sake without charging anything to collect offering or seed faith (3 John 5 – 7. 1 Corinthians 9:14) that in preaching the gospel they may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of their rights as a preacher of the gospel.1Corinthians 9:18. What is the measure and deepness of self-sacrifices, tolerance, forbearance, long-​suffering, selfless service in your labour of love and works of faith for the brethren and to the world for his name’s sake — God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10.
What have you given up for his name’s sake though you have all the rights and faith to such things, but to make known that it’s all about the glory and honour of his holy name, you deny yourself from those right? How are you walking and living your spiritual life for the positive or negative influence it may have on others for his name’s sake? Is it not written, let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another: do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food, but to reconsider for the Lord’s sake, that it is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, (though you may think you have the right and faith for it) nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak – hallow be thy name? Romans 14:13-23.