The Name of God in Vain

The Name of the thrice-holy God is most holy and must not be profaned. As God speaks through the Prophet Ezekiel:

Wherever they came, they profaned my holy name… But I had concern for my holy name… And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations; and the nations will know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. (Ezk 36:20–23)

Under the Old Covenant, the sacred Name of God revealed to Moses, YHWH, was to be borne with full awareness of what that Name implied: that God is the faithful Keeper of promises, with absolute sovereignty over all the nations of the earth to accomplish his purpose (see Study on the Sacred Name).

Then, as today, the Name of God is taken in vain when it is uttered with disrespect, for no good reason, in unprofitable talk, and still more when it is uttered lyingly or irreverently, as in false swearing. For Christians under the New Covenant, the divine Name is not only the sacred Name of the Old Covenant, but “the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Mat 28:19; see Q083, Q091); and the Name ‘Jesus Christ‘ is the sacred Name of the New Covenant, the “name which is above every name” (Phi 2:9; see Q224, Q390), invoked unto salvation by all who “call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1Co 1:2; see Q266, Q268). Therefore, all the divine Names, including ‘God’ and ‘Lord’, are to be treated with mindfulness and reverence.

To ‘bear the Name of the LORD’ was literally the privilege of the high priest, who bore the sacred Name on the golden plate of his headpiece, “Holy to the LORD” (Exo 28:36–38), but also of all God’s people, chosen as his witnesses: “‘You are my witnesses,’ says the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen… I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior… and you are my witnesses’” (Isa 43:10–12; see Q028, Q092).

Accordingly, hypocrisy, bearing the Name outwardly while denying it inwardly, is especially detestable to God: “you also appear righteous to men outwardly, but inside, you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!” (Mat 23:28); “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy” (Luk 12:1).

(What sins are forbidden by the Third Commandment?)

The faults and sins addressed by the Third Commandment, and again in the New Testament, include:

1. Blasphemy, daring words against God (1Ti 1:20);

2. murmuring, complaining against God’s providence (Phi 2:14; Heb 13:5; see Q486, Q607);

3. profanity, when holy things are mocked, insulted, or treated without reverence (1Co 11:27–29; Jud 8; see Q337, Q348);

4. inattention in prayer (Mat 6:7);

5. perjury, affirming with an oath what is false (Col 3:9; Zec 8:17; see Q600);

6. oath-breaking, failing to keep just and lawful oaths (Jas 5:12; Heb 6:16; see Q534, Q535);

7. breach of vows made to God (Act 18:18; 21:23–24; Psa 116:14–18);

8. common swearing (notably by misusing the name of Jesus Christ) and thoughtless oaths in everyday talk (Mrk 14:71);

9. and every form of hypocrisy (1Pe 2:1).