I. HOW GOD'S NAME IS HALLOWED.
1. WHEN THE WORD OF GOD IS TAUGHT IN ITS TRUTH AND PURITY. God has revealed Himself to us in His Word, and it is only from that Word that we can learn to know Him and worship Him aright. [John 1:18+] Those, therefore, who in the Church, the school, or the home, teach God's Word, as well as those who gladly hear, read, and learn it, hallow His name. [John 17:17+] But the Word must be taught in its truth and purity; that is, it must be taught as it is recorded in the Scriptures, with nothing added, taken away, or changed. [Gal. 1:9, Rev 22:18, 19]
AND WE AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD LEAD HOLY LIVES IN ACCORDANCE WITH IT. In order to hallow God's name, we must not only hear but obey His Word. [Jas. 1:22+, Matt. 5:16] As God's children we should think, speak, and act according to the rule which He has laid down in His Word, and thus glorify His name.
TO THIS MAY OUR BLESSED FATHER IN HEAVEN HELP US. We cannot preserve God's Word in its truth and purity against its foes, nor believe and obey it by our own strength: hence we pray for God's help.
II. HOW GOD'S NAME IS PROFANED.
BUT WHOEVER TEACHES AND LIVES OTHERWISE THAN AS GOD'S WORD PRESCRIBES,
FROM THIS PRESERVE US, HEAVENLY FATHER. We pray thus, because we are by nature inclined to error and sin, and have need of God's grace to preserve us from profaning His name.
QUESTIONS.—1. What do we pray for in this first petition? 2. What does the name of God mean? 3. Why is God's name holy in itself? 4. What does it mean to hallow God's name? 5. How is God's name hallowed? 6. Why do we pray for God's help? 7. How is God's name profaned? 8. Why do we pray God to preserve us from profaning His name?
SCRIPTURE VERSES.—John 17:6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world.
John 1:18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.