I John 4:9. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. I John 4:20. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? I Pet. 5:7. Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Ps. 37:5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. READING.--The Golden Calf, Exod. 32; or, The Golden Image, Dan. 3. ILLUSTRATIONS.--_Secret_ Idolatry: Goliath, I Sam. 17:41 _seq_; Nebuchadnezzar, Dan. 4:25 _seq_.; Herod, Acts 12:21-23; The Rich Young Ruler, Matt. 19:16-22; The Rich Fool, Luke 12:15-21. _Slavish Fear_: Adam, Gen. 3:10-11. _Child-like Fear_: Joseph, Gen. 39:9. _Love to God_: Abraham, Gen. 22:1-14; Peter and John, Acts 4:19, 20; Jesus, John 4:34. _Trust in God_: David Fighting Goliath, I Sam. 17. Daniel in the Lion's Den, Dan. 6. CHAPTER VI. THE SECOND COMMANDMENT. GOD'S NAME. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. _What is meant by this Commandment?_ We should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure, lie or deceive by His name, but call upon Him in every time of need, and worship Him with prayer, praise and thanksgiving. * * * * * THE NAME OF GOD. [Ps. 111:9, Mal. 2:2, Rev. 15:4] A name is that by which we know a person. God's name means all by which He is known to us; hence not only the words God, Lord, Jehovah, Jesus Christ, the Almighty, the Eternal, the Omniscient One, etc., but the Word of God and the Sacraments, and all holy things. This Commandment _forbids_ the wrong use, and _commands_ the right use of God's holy name. I. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. TAKING GOD'S NAME IN VAIN: 1. _Thoughtlessly_. God's name is taken in vain thoughtlessly by using it as an exclamation in our conversation, by reading or hearing God's Word without devotion, jesting about sacred things, quoting Scripture in fun, and the like. Thoughtlessness is no excuse. We must give an account to God for every idle word; [Matt. 12:36+] how much more for every vain use of His name. 2. _Intentionally._ This is done by those who CURSE; [Jas. 3:9, 10, Matt. 5:44, Rom. 12:14+] that is, by those who call on God to do evil to themselves or to others. Disguised forms of cursing are sinful also. SWEAR. We are forbidden to confirm what we say by the use of God's name, either _Needlessly_ [Matt. 5:34-37+] in our ordinary conversation, or _Falsely_ [Lev. 19:12+] before a magistrate.