Romans 2.24 observes, the Name of God is being blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
Probably no greater indictment against the Christian could occur than being accused of causing God’s Name to be maligned by non Christians due to their ungodly behavior. God in Jesus expects and warns that His Name will be maligned by non believers. His expectation of this blasphemy is for followers of Jesus living godly lives and proclaiming that faith and allegiance to Jesus alone is necessary for pleasing God will cause the non believers to hate Him and His followers resulting in blasphemy.
Indeed this is why Christians in Muslim lands are persecuted unto death today and why the great saints of the past were slain by those who despised their message. The warning in today’s reading however is for those who claim to be Christians but live disobedient lives causing non believers to blaspheme God.
Those who claim to be Christians but steal from people, lie to people, hate people or otherwise demonstrate some form of malice toward others cause non believers to malign God’s Name. So too do those who cheat on their spouses, live homosexual lifestyles and indulge in other sexual perversions including pornography.
People expect Christians to live lives of love and purity. If there really is a God surely He is holy, loving and good. Christians are commanded to live as Jesus did Who is God in human form and certainly lived a life of love, holiness and goodness.
Jesus summarized such a life as living in obedience to God’s commands. Christians live as Jesus did when they live in obedience to Jesus’ commands. Jesus has recorded forever for everyone what He commands in the Bible. Christians must read, study and commit to doing what the Bible teaches if they are to know God’s commands and do them.
Obedience to God will not keep people from hating Christians or God which means they will still speak evil about God. God will reward His people who suffer for their obedience to Him.
However, when people speak evil about God because God’s people misrepresent Him then those people who claim to be His but don’t live in accordance with His commands can expect the same judgment as the non believers, for God has warned that He will dismiss the hypocrites from His presence in heaven.
