Taking the Name of God in Vain
This, the 3rd of the Ten Commandments, is generally presumed to mean a prohibition against using the name of God in a profane way in our speech.
There are many examples of this, which will go unsaid. Some of the ways people use the name of God verbally can be pretty disgusting, and this certainly should be something that the Lord hates for anyone to do.
But, I believe that the Lord is speaking of something even more serious here.
Throughout the Old Testament account of the nation of Israel, God continually warns the people against becoming like the nations around them. He constantly rebukes them for falling into worship of the idols of the pagan nations, or for following the gods of other nations.
God rebukes and chastises the people for causing His name to be blasphemed among the nations because of their actions.
God named the nation "Israel", which means "Ruled by God". But, they did not always act that way.
I do believe that this is more in tune with what God is speaking of when He says "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain..."
Proverbs gives us a view into just what it means to "take the name of the Lord in vain":
Proverbs 30:7-9
"Two things I request of You (deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches - feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God."
We, in the church today, are sometimes just as guilty as the people of Israel were. We call ourselves "Christians", but the things we do, and the things we say, reveal just the opposite.
A "Christian" is, by definition, a follower of Christ. What does it mean to follow Him? It means that first and foremost, we obey His Word. Not just what we feel like obeying, but all of it.
My prayer is that all those who call themselves Christian would act and speak like a Christian. If you do not, please call yourselves by some other name, because the name "Christian" is already taken, and those who are Christians follow and obey the Lord. Those who don't simply profane His holy name, and take His name in vain.
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