How to Avoid Using the Lord's Name in Vain
You shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. ~ Exodus 20:7
The Lord our God has made it clear that we are not to misuse His Holy and Sacred name or He will not hold us guiltless. It is the third commandment given to us in Exodus 20:7. Yet many of us continue to do so every day. Some of us do it without any care or thought while others do it out of pure ignorance.
The Webster dictionary defines the word "vain" as meaning "having no real value; idle and worthless". It can also mean having no real purpose.
Here are some examples of using the Lord's name in vain:
Using God's name as a swear word or in profanity.
Using God's name to legitimize an oath and then breaking the promise.
Acting, thinking, and speaking in a worldly or profane manner.
Misrepresenting Jesus Christ, either intentionally or through ignorance of the Christian faith.
Casually invoking God's name for emphasis, which can trivialize what the Bible reveals to be holy.
Wickedly or disrespectfully using God's name or His Son's name, Jesus Christ, in any wrongful manner.
Dishonoring God's name in any manner denigrates His holiness and basically says that God Himself is wortless. The Old Testament describes several ways in which the third commandment can be violated: to blaspheme or curse the name of God, which we can read about in Leviticus 24:15-16.
The third commandment also forbids us to make empty or false oaths: "Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord." (Leviticus 19:12; Hosea 10:4). If you make a declaration, swearing by God's Holy name, you must honor the promise with the intent of keeping it. Otherwise it is a false and empty promise. In fact, Ecclesiastes 5:5-6 tells us: "It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin...")
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, Warns Us against Making Oaths
Even Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior, has said: "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.' But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne: or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." (Matthew 5:33-37.)
False Prophesies and Evil Sacrifices
The third commandent also forbids us in making false claims and visions on God's behalf: "Therefore, declares the Lord, "I am against the prophets who steal from one another words supposedly from me. Yes," delares the Lord, "I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, 'The Lord declares.' Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," declares the Lord..." (Jeremiah 23:30-32).
God also warns His children in Leviticus 18:21: "Do not give any of your children to be sacrificed to Molek (a Caananite false god), for you must not profane the name of your God, I am the Lord.)
God's name is Holy and we should only use His name out of respect and reverence for our Heavenly Father. We should use God and Jesus Christ's name only when we are sincerely:
Praying
Worshipping
Spreading the Holy Word of God and Gospels of Jesus Christ to others
Singing Songs of Praise
Seeking His Truth
Praising and glorifying both God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.
I say all of these things to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His Holy Name...who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed...The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love... ~ Psalm 103
References:
DeYoung (PhD, K. (2018, October 24). What does it really mean to take the lord’s name in vain? Crossway. https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-does-it-really-mean-to-take-the-lords-name-in-vain/
Access your bible from anywhere. BibleGateway.com: A searchable online Bible in over 150 versions and 50 languages. (n.d.). https://www.biblegateway.com/
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). America’s most trusted dictionary. Merriam-Webster. https://www.merriam-webster.com/