Commandment number three: In the social world each of us has what is called a “master status.” This social identification is the status that those who know us or know about us mentally download when our name is mentioned. For example, the name Rockefeller is automatically associated with wealth. A great athlete’s name is automatically connected to physical ability in a particular sport. A known thief’s name automatically produces a negative evaluation of the person to whom the name belongs. Words such as “God” and “Jesus,” when spoken in the proper context, connect the two divine entities to positive personal qualities such as righteousness, holiness, power, salvation, etc. “Satan” brings forth a negative mental response in those familiar with the Holy Bible.

Unfortunately, the names of the Father and the Son are not always used in the proper sense by those who either do not know the Biblical Truth about Their names, or do know but do not care. In Exodus 20:7 we find the Old Testament God speaking to this issue in reference to His fellow God, saying to the people of Israel: “You must not take the name of your God IN VAIN, for the Lord (almighty God) will not hold him guiltless who takes His name IN VAIN.” The word “vain” has two connotations. When applied to the persons himself, “vain” describes a person who has an exalted opinion of himself. When someone is described as “vain” the speaker is saying that the subject thinks of himself much more highly than he should. In the other context we the word “vain” in the Hebrew language is shav, meaning evil, wickedness, iniquity, falsehood (lie), emptiness, nothingness. These are the words that characterize one who uses the name of the deities in the wrong way.

One who takes God’s name in vain is, by His definition, guilty of committing both doing vain and being vain. In the latter, he is placing himself above God. He feels that he has the right to speak negatively about the God Who created him. In James 1:14,15 we are told that all sin begins in the mind. Before acting or speaking we first think what we are about to do or speak. In Philippians 4:8 the Apostle Paul tells us to think before doing or speaking that is forbidden by the Lord. Here he encourages us to think on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely and are of a good report. This is referring to what we must think about WHEN WE HAVE A CHOICE. Obviously, life sometimes forces us to think about things that we would rather not think about, such as the death or misfortune of a loved one. Then there is the necessity of concentrating on a job in which we are involved.

However, much of the time we are able to choose the subject of our thoughts. In Proverbs 23:7 it is stated that “as a man thinks in his heart (mind), so he is.” Of course the proverbist is referring to what we deliberately CHOOSE TO THINK ABOUT when time and circumstance allow us to choose the subject of our thoughts. Things like pornography, sports, etc. become addictive when we REPEATEDLY fill our minds with them. In the eyes of God, we become what we have chosen to fill our minds. Most people do not believe this. As I have noted many times, we must view everything through the eyes of God. In His view, we become that about which we choose to mentally focus. How much time do we give to the things of God when the choice is ours? In His eyes, we become what we CHOOSE to think about. And His eyes are the only eyes that count. His eyes choose to see us as what we choose to be by deliberately focusing on certain things. Focusing on Godly things makes us godly in His sight. Of course, the opposite is also true.

Which brings us back to the sin of using God’s name in vain. When we speak or write the name of the Lord in any way other than to bring honor to Him, we are using His name in vain. I have found that church people often do so because they do not realize that they are doing so. We are not taught from early on how God views His own name and the name of His Son. that They are extremely strict in this regard. Because the proper use of His name is listed in the Ten Commandments, this fact alone should give us a clue as to His attitude toward the issue. If we claim to be God’s children we must always us His name in way that brings honor to Him.

A personal experience will demonstrate how we can, by our actions, reverse the effects and intentions of the words we choose. My first school superintendent was a chain smoker. He would have a cigarette hanging out of his mouth so long that the ashes would fall on his coat or vest. Periodically he would lecture the students about the negative aspects of smoking while clusters of cigarette ash clung to his clothing. Because of his actions, his words were spoken “in vain.” If we use the Lord’s name in vain while claiming to be His people, our words betray us. The people who hear us know that we do not “walk what we talk.”

Recall that God sometimes changed people’s names to match a change in character or in their situation. For example, He changed Jacob’s name, which meant sneaky or conniving, to “Israel,” which means power with God, power to rule, to rule as God. He did this because of Jacob’s change in character. God changed Abram’s name to Abraham because Abraham obeyed Him. For this reason God promised to give the childless elderly man numerous offspring. Abraham means “father of many.”

Using God’s name in any way that does not exalt and honor Him is to denigrate Him and cause Him to be viewed as less than He is. It also elevates the speaker to the god level in his own mind. In Isaiah 48:1 the Lord speaks through the prophet to and about the children of Israel. Here He says: “Hear you this O house of Jacob which are called by the name of Israel and have come forth out of the waters of Judah, who swear by the name of the Lord and make mention of the God of Israel, BUT NOT IN TRUTH OR IN RIGHTEOUSNESS ….” They talked a good walk but their walk did not match their talk. They praised God but refused to obey Him. Sound familiar? Read Revelation 3:14-22 where Jesus describes the modern-day church.

In the Book of Exodus we find Moses having trouble with the Egyptian Pharoah who would not allow the Israelites to leave his kingdom which at that time was the most powerful nation on earth. If that was not a big enough problem, the people Moses had come to free were threatening to turn against him. To encourage His faithful servant the Lord identified Himself by saying, “I am the Lord” (the Eternal). I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob by the name of God Almighty, but by My name ‘Lord’ I was not made known to them …. Therefore, tell the children of Israel about Me. Say to them that: ‘I am the Lord Who will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I will rescue you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgements.” Here the Lord was using a couple of His names to encourage Moses as to Who was speaking to him. Sometimes we need to stop and consider exactly Whose name we are using in our speech.

To those who watch television and movies, notice the number of times you will hear the name of the Lord used in flippant, and sometimes vulgar ways in order to draw attention to the speaker. When we, by our own choice, watch such productions and listen to the language spoken in them we are deliberately allowing such blasphemy to enter our minds where it remains. The Lord made it clear to me that I was to stop watching television except for the straight news, not the group-speak type of newscasting that has become popular. T.v., radio, movies, magazines, newspapers, the internet all focus on one thing–THE WORLD. Those who have their eyes focused on the portable brains they carry around with them are most certainly not reading the Holy Scriptures. The Lord commands us to come out of the world and have no more to do with it than is necessary. We are IN the world but not be OF the world. Let us not forget that Jesus of Nazareth was also IN the world but was not OF the world. He is our standard. Only those who live AS He lived in this life will live WITH Him in the next life. Let us walk AS He walked now and thereby earn the right to live WHERE He lives later.

Two words that are used in religious circles are abominations to both God and Christ in that the words reflect upon the Ones Who rightfully own them. The words are “Father” and “Reverand,” both of which are applied as exalted titles to those to whom they must not apply. In some religious circles certain church leaders are referred to as the people’s spiritual “Father.” God commands that we call no one our spiritual Father except God Himself (Mat. 23:9). The title “Reverand” is often used to characterize a minister. The word “Reverand” applies only to one to whom reverence is due. “Reverand” denotes that one is WORTHY OF WORSHIP. Only one human being has earned that honor. His name was Jesus. L.J.