The third of the 10 Commandments declares:
7 “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.
To take the name of the Lord in vain means to use God’s holy name as if it were cheap or worthless. How is this done? Human beings take the name of the Lord in vain when they curse God, also known as blasphemy, but there are other ways of mistreating God’s name.
We take the name of the Lord in vain when we attach his holy name to a promise we know we aren’t going to keep. When you swear by God’s name, it must not be a false promise.
We take God’s name in vain when we use his name to ascribe a false sense of authority to our plans, dreams, or feelings. We ought to be careful about using the phrase, “God told me…” To casually use God’s name to justify yourself or your plans is perilous.
Neither ought we to use God’s name carelessly. Prayer to God and in the name of Jesus ought not to be a flippant or phony practice. Christians may have differing convictions over phrases like, “Oh my gosh,” but every Christian ought to take seriously how they use the name of God.
You are called Christian—you bear the name of Christ, the Son of God. Your purpose is to bring greater reverence and care and attention to the name of your God.
So, hear God’s third command to you:
7 “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.
This reminds us of our need to confess our sin, so let us pray.