We live in a day of comfort. Every new product boasts a greater measure of ease than that which preceded it. Our public discourse insists that the highest form of virtue is that we do not make others feel uncomfortable about their beliefs or lifestyles. Then we read the Bible and, in many places, we find it to be extremely uncomfortable. Of course, we all have our "go-to" encouragement passages; and, it's right that love them. These are the cherished Gospel promises and comforts. These are, without question, supremely important to the life of faith for the child of God.  Still, we find just as many uncomfortable warnings and rebukes in Scripture as we do comforting promises and encouragements. So how should we approach the severe passages of Scripture? 

Westminster Larger Catechism Q&A 112 and 113 discusses what it means to take the Lord’s name in vain, to blaspheme. As you read through those questions and answers you realize rather quickly that for Christians our lives are literally taking on the name of the Lord, and to take his name in vain is to live a life that misrepresents God to others around us. Quite literally, the way we live can be blasphemous. To not live a blasphemous life would require perfect obedience because everything we do in some way will misrepresent God. This could be overwhelming or depressing if we left it at that. However, herein lies the difference between blasphemy as the Bible looks at it and blasphemy as our society looks at it.