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Battling the Sin of Using God's Name for Personal Gain

Using God's name for personal gain is a form of dishonoring God, akin to blasphemy and selfishness, which biblical texts consistently condemn [1, 4, 10]. The concept of "sin" itself is understood as a transgression against God's law, originating from an evil heart and leading to rebellion [6, 7, 11].

The Old Testament provides foundational insights into the reverence due to God's name. Proverbs 30:9 expresses a desire to avoid both poverty, which might lead to stealing and thus dishonoring God's name, and wealth, which might lead to denying God [2]. This verse highlights the temptation to misuse or forget God in pursuit of personal comfort or gain. Similarly, Psalm 44:20 speaks against forgetting God's name or turning to other gods [3]. The psalmist in Psalm 74:18 and 74:20 laments when adversaries reproach and blaspheme God's name, indicating that such actions are a direct affront to God's honor [16, 17]. John Gill interprets this as referring to figures like the antichrist, who opposes and exalts himself above God [17].

Blasphemy, in its broadest sense, involves speaking evil of God or anything sacred [4]. This includes claiming divine attributes, as seen in accusations against Jesus for claiming to be the Son of God (Matthew 26:65) [4]. The book of Revelation describes the beast opening its mouth in blasphemy against God, His name, and His dwelling, which John Gill interprets as the papacy assuming divine authority and promoting idolatry [15]. Therefore, using God's name for personal gain can be seen as a subtle form of blasphemy, as it reduces the divine to a means for human ends, rather than acknowledging God's inherent sovereignty and holiness.

Selfishness is identified as a core issue underlying the misuse of God's name. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists various manifestations of selfishness, including "seeking after gain" and "serving God for reward" [1]. These actions are contrary to God's law and the example of Christ, who did not seek His own will but the will of the Father [1, 5]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on Genesis 3:13 describes the sin of the first pair as not merely eating an apple, but a "love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters—a preference of the creature to the Creator" [10]. This perspective suggests that any act driven by self-interest that diminishes God's glory falls under the umbrella of sin.

The New Testament further emphasizes self-denial as a characteristic of Christian devotion, contrasting it with self-seeking behavior. Christ Himself set an example of self-denial, and it is presented as a test of devotedness to Him [5]. Paul's teaching in Romans 1:18–3:20 highlights universal sinfulness, where both Gentiles and Jews are under sin's power, unable to find favor with God through their own actions [12]. God's anger is depicted as a necessary response to sin, not an arbitrary emotional outburst [12].

The struggle against sin is an ongoing one for believers. While all humans are born sinners, the godly are called to fight against their sinful nature [8]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on 1 John 3:8 states that "He that committeth sin is of the devil," contrasting this with those who do righteousness [9]. This commentary clarifies that while believers may still commit actual sins, denying this makes God a liar [13]. The ultimate claim on believers is by Christ, and through Christ, by God [14]. Therefore, any attempt to use God's name for personal gain contradicts this divine ownership and the call to self-denial and devotion.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Selfishness — Contrary to the law of God -- Le 19:18; Mt 22:39; Jas 2:8. The example of Christ condemns -- Joh 4:34; Ro 15:3; 2Co 8:9. God hates -- Mal 1:10. Exhibited in Being lovers of ourselves. -- 2Ti 3:2. Pleasing ourselves. -- Ro 15:1. Seeking our own. -- 1Co 10:33; Php 2:21. Seeking after gain. -- Isa 56:11. Seeking undue precedence. -- Mt 20:21. Living to ourselves. -- 2Co 5:15. Neglect of the poor. -- 1Jo 3:17. Serving God for reward. -- Mal 1:10. Performing duty for reward. -- Mic 3:11. Inconsistent with Christian love -- 1Co 13:5. Inconsistent with communi”
  2. Proverbs “lest I be full, deny you, and say, ‘Who is Yahweh?’ or lest I be poor, and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God. -- Proverbs 30:9”
  3. Psalms “If we have forgotten the name of our God, or spread out our hands to a strange god; -- Psalms 44:20”
  4. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Blasphemy — In the sense of speaking evil of God this word is found in Ps. 74:18; Isa. 52:5; Rom. 2:24; Rev. 13:1, 6; 16:9, 11, 21. It denotes also any kind of calumny, or evil-speaking, or abuse (1 Kings 21:10; Acts 13:45; 18:6, etc.). Our Lord was accused of blasphemy when he claimed to be the Son of God (Matt. 26:65; comp. Matt. 9:3; Mark 2:7). They who deny his Messiahship blaspheme Jesus (Luke 22:65; John 10:36). Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost (Matt. 12:31, 32; Mark 3:28, 29; Luke 12:10) is regarded by some as a continued and obstinate rejection of the gospel,”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Self-Denial — Christ set an example of -- Mt 4:8-10; 8:20; Joh 6:38; Ro 15:3; Php 2:6-8. A test of devotedness to Christ -- Mt 10:37,38; Lu 9:23,24. Necessary In following Christ. -- Lu 14:27-33. In the warfare of saints. -- 2Ti 2:4. To the triumph of saints. -- 1Co 9:25-27. Ministers especially called to exercise -- 2Co 6:4,5. Should be exercised in Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. -- Ro 6:12; Tit 2:12. Controlling the appetite. -- Pr 23:2. Abstaining from fleshly lusts. -- 1Pe 2:11. No longer living to lusts of men. -- 1Pe 4:2. Mortifying sinful lusts. -- Mr ”
  6. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Malice — Springs from an evil heart -- Mt 15:19,20; Ga 5:19. Forbidden -- 1Co 14:20; Col 3:8; Eph 4:26,27. A hindrance to growth in grace -- 1Pe 2:1,2. Incompatible with the worship of God -- 1Co 5:7,8. Christian liberty not to be a cloak for -- 1Pe 2:16. Saints avoid -- Job 31:29,30; Ps 35:12-14. The wicked Speak with. -- 3Jo 1:10. Live in. -- Tit 3:3. Conceive. -- Ps 7:14. Filled with. -- Ro 1:29. Visit saints with. -- Ps 83:3; Mt 22:6. Pray for those who injure you through -- Mt 5:44. Brings its own punishment -- Ps 7:15,16. God requites -- Ps 10:14; Eze 36:5. Pun”
  7. Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Sin — bush”
  8. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 58:3: 58:3 All human beings are born sinners (see 51:5); however, whereas the wicked indulge their sinful nature, the godly fight against it (Rom 7:19-23; Jas 4:1-10).”
  9. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:8: He that committeth sin is of the devil--in contrast to "He that doeth righteousness," Jo1 3:7. He is a son of the devil (Jo1 3:10; Joh 8:44). John does not, however, say, "born of the devil." as he does "born of God," for "the devil begets none, nor does he create any; but whoever imitates the devil becomes a child of the devil by imitating him, not by proper birth" [AUGUSTINE, Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 4.10]. From the devil there is not generation, but corruption [BENGEL]. sinneth from the beginning--from the time that any beg”
  10. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 3:13: beguiled--cajoled by flattering lies. This sin of the first pair was heinous and aggravated--it was not simply eating an apple, but a love of self, dishonor to God, ingratitude to a benefactor, disobedience to the best of Masters--a preference of the creature to the Creator.”
  11. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 19:13: 19:13 An individual who commits deliberate sins does so with an insolent (86:14) or arrogant (119:21, 69) attitude. • The great sin is rebellion (see 32:1).”
  12. Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 1:18: 1:18–3:20 Paul delays exploring the theme of righteousness through faith (see 3:21) until after he first teaches about universal sinfulness. Gentiles (1:18-32) and Jews (2:1–3:8) are equally under sin’s power and cannot find favor with God by any action of their own (3:9-20). 1:18 God’s anger is not a spontaneous emotional outburst, but the holy God’s necessary response to sin. The Old Testament often depicts God’s anger (Exod 32:10-12; Num 11:1; Jer 21:3-7) and predicts a decisive outpouring of God’s wrath on human sin at the end of history. While Paul usually de”
  13. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 1:10: Parallel to Jo1 1:8. we have not sinned--referring to the commission of actual sins, even after regeneration and conversion; whereas in Jo1 1:8, "we have no sin," refers to the present GUILT remaining (until cleansed) from the actual sins committed, and to the SIN of our corrupt old nature still adhering to us. The perfect "have . . . sinned" brings down the commission of sins to the present time, not merely sins committed before, but since, conversion. we make him a liar--a gradation; Jo1 1:6, "we lie"; Jo1 1:8, "we deceive ourselves"; worst of al”
  14. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 3:23: 3:23 Just as they may now claim everything as their own, so Christ has claimed them for himself (see Rom 14:7-9), and in Christ they are ultimately claimed by God (see 1 Cor 6:19-20; 7:23).”
  15. Revelation (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Revelation 13:6: And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God,.... By sitting as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God; by suffering himself to be called by the name of God, God on earth, Lord God the pope, and to be worshipped as God; and by assuming infallibility, giving out that he cannot err, which only belongs to the God of truth; and by his idolatrous practices commanded by him, as the worshipping of idols of gold, silver, wood, and stone, which is in Scripture called blaspheming God, Isa 65:7; see Dan 11:36. To blaspheme his name; his authority, by ”
  16. Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 74:18: The psalmist here, in the name of the church, most earnestly begs that God would appear fro them against their enemies, and put an end to their present troubles. To encourage his own faith, he interests God in this matter (Psa 74:22): Arise, O God! plead thy own cause. This we may be sure he will do, for he is jealous for his own honour; whatever is his own cause he will plead it with a strong hand, will appear against those that oppose it and with and for those that cordially espouse it. He will arise and plead it, though for a time he seems to neglect it; he wi”
  17. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 74:9: O God, how long shall the adversary reproach?.... The name of God, as in the next clause, the divine Persons and perfections, the purposes and providence of God, his people, ways, worship, truths, and ordinances: shall the enemy blaspheme thy name for ever? The "adversary" and "enemy" being in the singular number, may intend some particular one, as antichrist; who is emphatically and eminently "the enemy" of God, he opposing himself to, and exalting himself above, all that is called God; and the adversary of Christ, as his name shows; not only setting himself in his”
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