We live in a society where God’s name is constantly coming up in conversation and being used! To reference God, without a proper and respectful attitude, is truly to use His name in vain (Ex.20:7)! Yes, even Christians may loosely drop God’s name into their phrases such as, “Oh My ____,” “____ damn,” “God knows…,” etc. (I feel very uncomfortable even writing or thinking of this but it is something we need to consider and change for ourselves.)
In Mark 9: 38-41, two of Jesus’ chosen disciples (James & John) sought to be protectors of orthodoxy as they stopped a person from casting out demons in Jesus’ name. They knew themselves to be pure followers of Jesus (his chosen disciples) but didn’t think the “uninitiated of their circle” should be allowed to represent Christ’s service. Did religious pride enter their hearts as well? John sought to keep things “pure,” by his standards, but Jesus didn’t share the same concern for religiosity. Two thousand years later, the church still has well-meaning disciples who are displeased when things are done in Jesus’ name but not “approved for action!” Yet, the words directed to John are ones we would do well to consider, “no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me (v.39). Apparently, Jesus knew that the one who cast out demons in His name was, at the very least, giving authority & credit to the right source! May we all focus our efforts to use God’s name expectantly and respectfully as we use our lives for His purposes.
妄称神的名？
我们生活在一个经常提及上帝名字的社会里。「不可妄称耶和华你神的名，因为妄称耶和华名的，耶和华必不以他为无罪。」（出埃及记20：7），我们看到即使是基督徒也会随便引用（ “Oh My_G-O-D ”，”____ damn,” ）我的天，（God Knows。。。）天晓得，等等。 （在这里写下这些我都觉得不舒服，但是我们还是需要为我们自己思考这个问题并改变。）
在马可福音9章38-41节里，耶稣的两位门徒（雅各和约翰）为了要守住正统，阻止他人用耶稣的名赶鬼。他们知道自己是耶稣拣选的纯正的门徒，那些不属于“圈内的”外行人不应该代表基督行事。宗教的骄傲是否存在于他们的心里? 约翰自己定义的纯洁和宗教标准，耶稣并不担心这些。两千年后，教会仍然有处于好意的门徒，会因为有些没得到他们认可，却奉主之名行的事而感到不高兴。主对约翰说的话让我们反思,“不要禁止他，因为没有人奉我名行异能，反倒轻易毁谤我。”（马可福音9：39）耶稣知道那用祂名赶鬼的人，至少知道把权柄荣耀归给正确的源头！在我们活出 祂的生命时，愿我们带着盼望和尊重，使用上帝的名。