Honoring His Name

The Third commandment

“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.” Exodus 20:7 NASB

Names are important. In the Bible, we can see that there is always a meaning behind the names. For example, Isaac means laughter, and if you remember the events leading up to his birth, you will understand why.

If you think about the importance of a name, it is also true for God. When we learn about God’s character and attributes, there is often a name that reveals it.

Israel was commanded not to abuse the Lord’s Name. They were to honor His Name in such a way that was true to the character and attributes of God.

“So what exactly is forbidden by the third commandment? The Word vain (as it’s rendered in the ESV) can mean “empty,” “nothing,” “worthless,” or “to no good purpose.” We are forbidden, therefore, from taking the Name of God (or taking up the Name or bearing the Name, as the phrase could be translated) in a manner that is wicked, worthless, or for wrong purposes.” (DeYoung, 2018)

How can Christians take the Lord’s Name in vain?

We can break this commandment by using profanity, being thoughtless, insincere, and manipulative.

Using profanity and being thoughtless
It might be obvious that we should not use God’s Name in profanity, but somehow it has become a part of our everyday vernacular. Using God’s Name in this way invokes God to “do” something He would never do. You are associating God’s Name with something that is not in His character.

Sometimes we are thoughtless in our use of God’s Name. There are words like “Jeez” because it was short for “Jesus.” Gosh” to “Oh my God.” Yet, we must do our best to protect and honor the Lord’s Name.

In our prayers
Sometimes we can be thoughtless in our prayers. Christ warned about vain repetitions “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matt. 6:7).

I am sure you have heard those prayers where the petitioner says, “Dear God, we just come to you, Father, Lord God. Thank you for this day. Lord God. Father bless us, Lord God, for the mercies you bestow on us, Lord God……. Christ is not impressed with showy prayers that thoughtlessly use His Name and titles. He focuses on the condition of our hearts.

We can be insincere
We can also use God’s Name insincerely. As Christians, we bear the Name of our Lord. Therefore, what we say and act should be in honor of His Name.

“The man who professes with his lips to honor God, and yet denies Him in his life, will do far more to hinder the coming of the Kingdom than the man who openly blasphemes and makes no profession of honoring God.” (West, 2010)

“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17).

Our life is to be a reflection of Christ. When it is not, we damage His Name.

We can be manipulative.
Have you ever heard someone say, “God told me we should do this,” or God said we should move in a certain way” This is how we use God’s Name manipulatively. We ascribe false authority by using God’s Name to back up our plans or ideas. God has most likely not spoken to you audibly. We should not use the Lord’s Name to promote our own agenda. We do have the inward prompting and leading of the Holy Spirit. We get our direction through the Holy Spirit’s prompting and God’s written Word. We should humbly state that we seek God’s guidance and feel that this decision would honor God and his purpose.

As believers, we are to give honor to the Lord’s Name. That is expressed in how we live our lives. Do we live in a way that reverently shows value and love for the Name above all names?

Arthur W. Pink said, “His Name must not be used with contempt, irreverently, or needlessly. In our speech, nothing must enter that lowers the divine dignity of that Name.”

Bibliography
DeYoung, K. (2018). THE 10 COMMANDMENTS What They Mean, Why They Matter, and Why We Should Obey Them
West, R.M. (2010) “The 10 Commandments—Then and Now”