God’s Third Commandment

[Pages:3]God's Third Commandment

"Hallowed be thy name."

"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain."

Today we look at the third of the Ten Commandments, which is written above. Exodus 20:7

We need to begin with a brief description of the name of God. In the Word of God (King James Version [KJV / NKJV]), when we find the word "LORD" all in upper case letters, it is the translation of the Hebrew name of the God of the Bible, JEHOVAH or JAHWEH. This God is the triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Therefore when we are speaking about honoring, reverencing, or profaning the name of God, we mean any person of this divine trinity. God told His people through Moses, "that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD," (Deut. 28:58)

The name LORD or Jehovah is found at least 6,519 times in the Old Testament. The shortened form JAH is found an additional 49 times. This shortened form is most often found in the Psalms and used with the Hebrew word "halal" which means "praise." Thus we have our English word "HALLELUJAH" or (misspelled) "ALLELUIA" which means "Praise the LORD" or "Praise Jehovah!"

Let us also state by way of introduction that the Name of the LORD stands for His nature, His attributes, His words, and His works. As one man of God said it, "Anything pertaining to God should be spoken of with the greatest sobriety." The inspired Psalmist said this about His holy name, "Holy and awesome is His name." Psalm 111:9 [This is one reason why it is wrong for men to go by such titles.] Our Lord in the model prayer taught us, "Hallowed be Your name." Psalm 135 verse thirteen says, "Your name, O LORD, endures for ever;" because God Himself endureth forever.

Notice the guilt and condemnation upon all Law breakers; "for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain." Not to be guiltless is to be guilty.

What does it mean, to "take the name of..."? It simply means to make use of it as an object of our thoughts or the subject of our speech. Let us now proceed to give several ways in which we might be guilty of violating this holy Law of our holy God. I do so for a twofold reason,

first, to instruct us that we might avoid offence and guilt. Secondly, I do so to point out just how wicked and guilty our modern society is. As the apostle has taught us, this is one of the great purposes of the Law of God, to show us our sinfulness and drive us to the Lord Jesus as guilty sinners. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God." (Ro 3:19) And also, "Therefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Gal. 3:24) To neglect the name of the Lord God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, is to break this commandment. It is obvious that to ignore Him and His holy works and Word, and to fail to worship and serve Him is to deny His holy name. Even though the Commandment is stated negatively, not to worship nor to desire to be instructed of Him is to slight Him and all that He has revealed about Himself. Do you, my Friend, worship and serve Him? Do you faithfully attend a Bible-preaching Church eager to know better the LORD, your God? Remember the LORD says, He "... will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain."

God's name is taken in vain when it is used lightly or without due reverence and godly fear. Surely we know that this would include all such interjections as, O God! my God! good God! good Heavens! (and others) These are formal, positive breaches of this law. What blasphemy does Hollywood put before our nation day after day. Parents, what are you teaching your children by your own example or by what you allow them to say or to watch? "...for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain."

Thirdly, to call His name in prayer or in song without any real thought of His glory and majesty is also to use His name in vain. How often we simply go through the motions of "saying prayers" or worshiping God, but have no godly fear or reverence for the great God of Heaven and Earth. The Bible does not command any bodily position for prayer (such as kneeling or bowing), but in our hearts, at least, we must bow and humble ourselves before God. What about you and me, dear Reader, how often are we guilty of such sin before God? "... the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain."

When we swear falsely we certainly are guilty of vainly using the name of the LORD. Part of the description of "the righteous man" in Psalm 15 is "He who swears to his own hurt, and does not change." That means that the truly righteous man gives his word in an oath or promise, and because of His fear of the Lord and His holy name, that man will not go back even if it is to his own detriment. This verse condemns all who do not pay their debts as taking the LORD's name in vain. I believe it also condemns the shady lawyers who promote and encourage such godlessness. This is part of the cause for the Lord's curse upon the land of Israel in Old Testament times. "... the LORD will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain."

Is it not obvious how greatly we need a Savior? The Bible says, "... and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:" (Heb. 12:14) Our sin and guilt is great. Neither the church, nor baptism, nor any earthly "priest" can take away our sin and guilt. Only the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God, can cleanse us and make us righteous before God. It is He alone

Who died for the sins of all of His people. He it is that perfectly kept the Law and lived sinlessly before God. The Word of God says that His righteousness becomes ours by faith.

We must be as the apostle Paul when he said in Philippians three verses eight and nine, "Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;"

In this chapter Paul relates the claims that he had on righteousness ( verses 3-6) and THEN says, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." He realized by the grace of God the truth of the Prophet Isaiah who said, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags;" (Is. 64:6) So it is, my Friend, with you and me. We have no righteousness with which to approach the holy God of the Universe. Rather we sit under His just wrath and condemnation for our sin and rebellion. We need to come to the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, casting ourselves upon Him as guilty sinners, trusting wholly upon Him alone for salvation. If we do not come to Jesus alone, casting aside any hope in baptism, the church, our so called "good works," we can not be saved. We must throw out all trust in prayers, or in Mary or the saints if we would have Jesus. When we do this,we can say by faith, with the apostle, "the righteousness which is of God by faith" in the Lord Jesus Christ is mine by His blood and grace. But to have His perfect righteousness, we must, as Paul, count our own righteousness as "rubbish."

I urge you, my Friend, do not be satisfied without being able to say with full assurance of heart, I know that God has saved me, and I know that when I die I will go immediately to be with God. If we can help you to come to know the peace of God in Christ, please contact us.

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