“Thou shalt not take
the name of the LORD thy God in vain” – Exodus 20:7a
All my
life I’ve been taught that this third commandment means to refrain from using
God’s name in an irreverent manner; such as cursing, swearing to God, etc. In fact, Charles Ellicott, in his commentary on
this commandment notes that it forbids vain, profane and false swearing. Albert Barnes interprets it as forbidding any
profane or idle utterance of the name of God.
Matthew Henry, in his commentary notes that it references the MANNER of
our worship – that it is to be made with all reverence and seriousness, forsaking
all false oaths and profane cursing.
But what if there’s a different interpretation? Consider the following:
What does it mean to TAKE
THE NAME?
When a woman becomes a bride, she “takes
the name” of her husband, the bridegroom.
My wife did not become “Deborah GREEN”, until she became the bride of
Steve GREEN. When we were married, she
became my bride, and she “TOOK MY NAME”.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become the bride
of Christ, and we TAKE HIS NAME, becoming “Christians”.
What does it mean to do something IN VAIN?
The word
VAIN, and its idiom “IN VAIN” are derived from the word VANITY, and can be
defined multiple ways. Let’s look at a
few.
1.
Excessively proud, conceited or concerned about
one’s own appearance. Example: He made vain remarks about his
accomplishments.
2.
Fruitless, ineffectual, unsuccessful or
futile. Examples: vain
hopes, a vain effort, a vain war
3.
Without real significance, value or
importance. Examples: vain pageantry,
a vain display
4.
To no avail or no purpose; without effect or
results. Examples: Lives
lost in vain, to apologize in vain
Paul
implores us in 2 Corinthians 6:1 to not receive the grace of God in vain. Strong’s defines Grace as the Divine
Influence upon the heart, AND it’s reflection in the life. If there is no reflection in your life of God’s
influence on your heart, have you not received His grace in vain?
Perhaps
this commandment can be interpreted this way:
If we CALL OURSELVES Christians (TAKING THE NAME of CHRIST when we
became His bride), yet we do so because of pride, or a desire to “look good” in
front of our friends; and our lives are fruitless, showing no result of Christ
living in us . . . Have we not TAKEN THE NAME OF THE LORD IN VAIN?
