How Church Men Like

John Spong
Take the Lord’s
Name in Vain

By David Battle
2010
 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him
guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Deut 5:11, KJV).
Today we come to the Third Commandment which is the second commandment to have a curse at-
tached to it. You may remember that the Second Commandment had a curse in it for those who prac-
ticed idolatry. Here, we will seek to understand what it means to take the Lord’s name in vain. This
Old Testament Commandment is very import for those who claim to be Christians. Unfortunately
we often limit its moral injunction to speech. Yet, the force of this Law is not against just vulgar and
course speech. It addresses hypocrisy among those who claim to belong to God. We will examine
this commandment under three headings. First we will study the meaning of the Third Command-
ment. Then we will briefly deal with its legal implications. And finally, we will examine our own
heart with its moral implications.

Now let us return to the Third Commandment which is a legal standard with great moral implica-
tions. Let us read Deut 5:11 again to refresh our memories. “Thou shalt not take the name of the
LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain”
(KJV).

The there are two key words in this verse. The first word is translated as “take” in the King James
versions. The second work is translated “in vain.” Many contemporary translations combine the
two words and translate them as “misuse.” A more literal and forceful translation is reflected in the
Septuagint, which is one of the first translations of the Old Testament. “You will not take for your-
self the name of the Lord your God in deceit.” This Greek translation gives us an insight into the
Commandment.

The verb “to take” sounds like the name of our space agency, N.A.S.A. The Hebrew word ! 1
means “to take,” “to bear up”, or “to carry.” The same verb is used in Exodus 28:12 describing the
Ephod of the High Priest. The names of the Twelve Tribes were inscribed upon the Ephod, thus the
High Priest bore or carried their names. This verse describes the symbolic representations of one of
the responsibilities that the High Priest bore. He interceded between God and Israel. He represented
Israel before God by taking on the identity of the tribes when he stood before God. To take the
name implies that one takes the identity of that name.

In the same manner, a person who takes the name of God is identifying himself with God. God
gives the new borne believer the Holy Spirit and adopts that person. The regenerated believer is
now an adopted child of God. She takes on the name of God. What are believers called? Is it not
“Christians”? The word “Christian” means “little Christ.” We are identified by the name of Christ.
When we declare that we have faith in Christ, we take the name of God. This is part of the symbol-
ism of the water baptism. The Holy Spirit is poured into us at the moment of salvation, and we be-
come a child of God. Thus to take on the name of Lord our God is to be identified as belonging to
God.
 The other important word in this verse is the one translated as “in vain.” This word is used fifty-
three times in the Old Testament. In the King James it is most often translated as “vain” and
“vanity.” The word connotes “emptiness” and “falsehood.” The word is often parallel with “deceit”
(Job 31:5, KJV) or “falsehood.” The psalmist in Psalm 144 asks the Lord to deliver him from the
hand of foreigners “Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood”
(Psa 144:8, KJV). The Hebrew word translated “vanity” here is the same one used in the Third Com-
mandment. The New International translates Psalm 144:8 this way, “whose mouths are full of lies,
whose right hands are deceitful.” This word identifies things that are meaningless or false, like the
promises of politicians. They are empty words. The wicket are described in Psalm 12:2 this way,
“they speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they
speak” (KJV). The Hebrew word for vanity is the same one as in the Third Commandment and
Psalm 144. The New International reads this way, “Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering
lips speak with deception” (Ps 12:2). Meaningless words, empty words, vain words are lies, false-
hoods.

Now, let us think on the Third Commandment. The Commandment assumes that the Israelite would
be taking on the name of God. What the Commandment forbids was the taking of the name of God
in vain, in emptiness, or in falsehood.

The Third Commandment forbids that the invocation or the claiming of an affinity with God in any
manner contrary to the very nature of God. More simply, it is using God’s name to deceive or to
defile.

God does not take the misuse of His name lightly. He includes a curse with this Commandment.
God curses whoever uses His name to deceive or to defile. He will not exonerate the perpetrator of
guilt.

In summary, this commandment condemns those who use God’s name in deceit or emptiness. They
reduce God to a tool of their ungodly agenda. They take on the name of God so as to defile it. They
do not fear God nor do the keep God’s name hallow or holy.

Before proceeding, we need to address the difference between a legal standard and a moral standard.
The difference is really one of degree. Moral standards draw the line between right behavior and
wrong behavior. For example, let us say you have a five-year-old daughter who takes money off of
your dresser drawers. She acted immorally. She stole money from you. This is a family matter.
When you discover the theft and determine who the thief was, you discipline your child in the hopes
that she will learn that steeling is wrong. You want her to grow up respecting the property of others.
She acted immorally when she stole the money. Yet, few of us would view that five-year-old as a
criminal.
On the other hand, if your nineteen-year-old son entered your neighbors house one night and took
their Nentindo® Wii. Your neighbors would call the police who would begin investigating the
crime. When the stolen merchandise is traced back to your son, the police will arrest him, and he
will have to go before a judge to answer for his crime. In this case our son has broken our hearts be-
cause he has been identified as a criminal.

Both children have done the same thing. Both violated a moral standard; The eldest also violated a
legal standard. The difference is just a question of degree or seriousness. Both demonstrated their
selfish nature by violating the property rights of others.

Contrary to popular opinion, law is the imposition of moral standards. Law says at this point, the
government is going to get involved. The government does not get involved with your five-year-old
daughter who stole some change from you; but the government has an obligation to deal with your
nineteen-year-old who stole from your neighbor.

Legal standards are imposed moral standards. Legal standards are lower than the moral standards.
Good laws deal strictly with verifiable behavior. The prosecutor has to prove to the court that the
accused has violated a particular statute. Our moral standards guard our hearts. We may covet our
neighbor’s ridding lawnmower and never act upon it. We do not violate any legal statute, but our
selfish desires have shown themselves to us. Man can enforce law because he looks on the outside;
God judges the heart because in looks on the inside. God will judge us based upon moral standards
not legal standards.

The Third Commandment had a very specific legal context. Just like it was used in our courts. Re-
member in the old court cases when a layer would call up a witness. The witness would stand and
put their right hand on the Bible and raise their left hand. The bailiff would say, “Do you solemnly
swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So help me God?” Then the wit-
ness would repeat, “I solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. So
help me God!” What the court was doing was requiring that the witness invoke the name of God as
to the truthfulness of his testimony. If he lied under this oath, not only was he in danger of being
found guilty of perjury, but he also put himself under the curse of God. The same is true of our Pres-
idential Oath.

In ancient Israel, the Israelites did a similar thing. We have evidence for it in both archaeological
texts and in the narrative texts of the Old Testament. If an Israelite wanted to affirm the truthfulness
of their statement, she would say, “as the Lord lives.” We find this declaration at least twenty-seven
times in the Old Testament. For example, David said to Bethsheba in 1 Kings 1:28ff:
 The king then took an oath; “As surly as the LORD lives, who has delivered me out of every
trouble, I will surly carry out today what I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel: Solo-
mon your son shall be king after me, and he will sit on my throne in my place. (1 Kings 1:29-
30, NIV)

In these contexts we see the legal nature of this Commandment. God’s name was used to affirm the
truthfulness and determination of David. Today, this aspect of the Commandment applies to all
those who claim to be Christians and live in open sin. One example is men like Bishop Song who
claim to be Christians but deny basic tenets of the Christian faith. The worst examples of this are
those church leaders who claim to be pastors of God’s flock and who at the same time live in open
sin. They do not even hide their sin. In fact, they use their clerical robes to lead people disregard sin
or worse into explicit sin. There was one cult in southern France that, in the late seventies and early
eighty, justified prostitution as a means for sharing the love of God. Today, the most notorious ex-
amples are people who claim to be Christian and are proud of their homosexual orientation. They
live as the world lives, but they want to pass themselves off as Christian leaders. There is not surer
way to incur the curse of God, than to defile His name this way. These are the enemies of God
whom the Psalmist spoke against in Psalm 139:20. They speak of God with an evil intent; They take
on the name of God in vain.

I am not too concerned about these who have legally damned themselves. They have made God
their enemy, and God will not hold them guiltless. Nothing that you or I can do will change their
hearts. Their self-deception is so dark that they refuse Light because it offends their sensibilities.
Today, I am more concerned with the moral application of this Commandment.

When we identify ourselves with the Sovereign Creator of the world, we identify ourselves with the
God of truth, life, and holiness. Christians should be people of truth, life, and holiness. We should
not be involved with falsehood, death, or defilement. To do so, is to put ourselves at odds with God.
We can put this more simply. If we claim Christ as our savior, we should live as holy children of
God. The Christian life is lived in the imitation of God.

Turn with me to Ephesians 5.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ
loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity,
of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity,
foolish talk, or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For you can be
sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person– such a man is an idolater– has any inheritance in
the kingdom of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things
God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore, do not be partners with them.
(Eph 5:1-7, NIV)
Therefore, let us examine our own hearts and asks ourselves some questions. First, ask yourself, “Do
I consider myself a Christian?” Be careful how you answer. Only those who have the regenerating
Spirit of God are save. If you do not have the Spirit, you do not have Christ. Has the Spirit witness
to your spirit that you are a child of God? If He has not, do not pass yourself off as a regenerated
believer. I implore you to seek the grace of God. If you diligently seek Him, God will reward you.
Do not try to justify yourself before God. He knows your heart better than you do. He knows all
that you have done, even when it was done in the privacy of your own home. He even knows your
actions in the anonymity of some other place. So do not destroy your own soul by arguing to God
that you are righteous. Instead, go to God admitting your sins and misdeeds. Plead with God that
you want His grace not because you are worthy of His grace. Plead for his Grace because you need
His saving Grace and His purifying Spirit. Seek it on the bases of the atoning work of Christ.

If you can answer that you are saved. You have professed faith in the atoning work of Christ. You
have a confidence the Christ died to pay for your sins. You have experienced the witness of the Spir-
it. You can answer, “Yes, I am a Christian.” I praise God with you. You have taken on the name of
Christ.

Now, Christian, examine your own life. Reread Ephesians 4 and ask yourself, “Am I living in sin?”
Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart and reveal any unclean thing. Do not quench the Spirit by
trying to suppress or rationalize your guilt. Do not let your pride lead you into a violation of the
Third Commandment. Do not presume upon God. He will not let anyone take His name in vain. He
will not hold him guiltless, who defiles His holiness. Turn form any sin of which the Holy Spirit
convicts you. Confess it to Him, and God is faithful and just to forgive us of sin and to cleans us
form all sin.