"Thou Shalt Not Take The Name of The LORD Thy God In Vain"
~ Exodus 20:7 ~
prepared by Don R. Hender
While the first set of commandments deal with God and man's relationship to God, that are not
always well understood. Commitment to God is of a central theme of these commandments beginning
with the recognition of God as the one true God, committing one's time and devotion to God and
now the importance of keeping one's covenants which are made with God. Thus this commandment
is not always properly understood in the proper perspective and in line with the first two
commandments. While it is well and Good not to use improper low language, the 'swearing' that
is being spoken of in the third commandment is in relationship to the oaths that man does
swear to or covenant with unto God. Swearing an oath and making a covenant with God is a most
important commitment made with and unto God. And man must learn to not take his covenants
lightly or in 'vain'.
God understands that men will make mistakes due to their weaknesses in nature of being of
subject to the temporal carnal flesh of the natural man, but when someone makes a covenant
promise unto God, God expect that they will honestly strive to live by that oath and covenant
and that they are not just 'vainly' make a commitment unto God which they in all seriousness
are not willing or striving the best they can to keep. The covenant of Baptism is its self
a most serious commitment by which man must solidly commit to and strive to keep. It is that
they do willing take the name of God upon them, that they always remember God, and they we
keep God's commandments which has given unto them to keep. And God in turn promise to bless
them with a remission of their sins by and through the atonement of Christ and to bless them
with the Spirit of the Holy Ghost, that is the presence and company of His Spirit, to always
be with them in guiding and directing the ways of their life.
Man promises to keep God's commandments and as he does, God will forgive man for his past
transgressions. But it is an oath and covenant taken in vain when a man makes such a commitment
unto God by baptism and/or renewing his such covenant by weekly partaking of the sacrement on
Sunday when that man does so almost intentionally and knowingly that he will be breaking one of
God's commandments that same very week. That is the true case of having taken the name of God in
vain. Making and swearing an oath of covenant with God while at the same time intentionally
intending to break that commitment and oath. That is what the thrid command is all about. It is
about man keeping his promises, oaths and covenant he make with God in the name of God. Man is
not suppose to do that in 'vain'.
And while foul language is not appropriate and lowly pronouncing God's various names in anger
and without any intention but to include it in volgarity make be included here, it is the formal
making of promises, oaths and covenant with and unto God that are the first and primary aim of
the thrid commandment. And when a man 'raises' to speak the name of God, God has the right to
expect that man is calling upon him and speaking to him is come form of communication. And when
it is but spoken in some foul manner not consistent with the sacred name of God and making and
keeping God's commandment commitments, this it is also the speaking of the name of God in vain
as well.
Rev. 20 May 2015
|