Saying The Lords Name In Vain
“THOU 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.”Deuteronomy 5:11
Exodus 20:7 “Thou 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.”Twice the Lord says this in the exact same way, in two seperate books of the bible. What does vain mean you ask? In vain, without effect or avail; to no purpose: to apologize in vain. In an improper or irreverent manner: to take God’s name in vain. Without real significance, value, or importance; baseless or worthless.
The reasons I feel we should not take the name of the Lord in vain is 1.We are told not do it,and 2. to call on his name is to have his attention. As a parent I cannot tell you how often my kids said mom mom mom mom and I answered what each time, only to have them say it one more time, and then tell me what they wanted or sometimes forget what they kept saying my name over and over again for. It drove me crazy lol. Also,we know to call upon the name of the Lord is to have his attention. In an emergency we call out Jesus or we call out God Please!!! He always listens, always has his ear turned to us. If we are using his name as a swear, then thats blasphemy, and thats where he would certainly get angry. His name is HOLY!! His name should be said with reverence, with Love, and with the expectation that he is listening.If you are calling his name for any reason, other than to get his attention, then you are pulling his attention to you for nothing and He tells us he will not hold you guiltless.
I know some people who will not even spell his name out when they are definately talking about him and or explaining him to others. I do not personally see a reason not to speak his name when you are speaking of him and sharing Him with others. Would you not get angry if millions and hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people called your name for no other reason than to say it, wouldnt you be sick and tired of it? When I hear the Lords name taken in vain and especially as a swear, it actually physically puts what feels like an arrow through my ear. I have someone in my life who uses the Lords name in vain but most often as a swear word such as GD and or JC. I actually feel my soul shrivel at these times. I had said to this person when they were in my house ,could you please please stop saying that in my hearing, or please just stop saying that? He was angered but worked hard (I could tell) at not saying it.When I first became a Christian, I still was saying the Lords name in vain and quite often. Then I read something that gave me to know not only through the bible that this was wrong. I read The Rapture by Tim Lahaye and Jerry B Jenkins. In that book the rapture occurs, and the people in Heaven with Jesus just simply had to think of Jesus and he was with them, immediately. That really made me think about how us being here on earth is no different, when we call upon his name rather in vain or praying, He turns his attention to us, immediately.
I also know many atheists who have said oh my God. My response at such a time is to ask the atheist, didn’t you tell me you do not believe in God? The answer Yeah I don’t believe in God. My next question stymies them always. If you do not believe in God, then why are you calling out MY GOD when you do not even believe in him? I have never had an answer to that question as of yet.
To stop myself from saying it with no good reason, I began asking the Lord to prick my heart each time I said it. God is surely faithful when we ask him to remind us of our wrong doing. Every time his name came out of my mouth I realised it immediately and then asked for forgiveness. Before long I stopped saying His name in vain. Also when I would start to say it in my mind, at that early time in my walk, I sent up a prayer, rather than just saying his name, I put those times to good use.
Love in Christ Jesus, Prayer Warrior / Tammy