Taking the lords name in vain?

Answer 1

Of all the Commandments, this is perhaps the one that "slips through the cracks" with those who bother to read them and/or regard them as being of any importance, today.

"Slip through the cracks" is an "idiom" for: "to escape notice or lack sufficient attention."

I grew up believing that this Commandment referred to "cursing" under extreme emotional stress... using God's name in a series of emotional epithets when a grownup was angry with someone... or caught their finger in a door, perhaps.

Then, I heard other grownups use God's name insultingly in their casual conversation. How could God be a "loving God" if He was forever "condemning" everyone and everything in sight?

But, the third Commandment is a "sleeper."

The Bible reveals God's "name" to be "Holy"... "Sacred"... "Hallowed"; regarded with great respect and reverence:

"...Holy and Reverend IS HIS NAME. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do His Commandments: His praise endureth for ever." (Ps.111:9-10)

Jesus commands us when we address our prayers to His Father... the very first thing we should do before we thank Him or list our requests or complaints is to "acknowledge the sanctity of and our respect for His name":

"...HALLOWED BE THY NAME." (Matt.6:9)

Jesus lists the Commandments and informs us that they aren't "physical laws"... but "spiritual" ones. The "physical act of murder" begins with a "hateful thought" in the heart [Matt.5:21-22]. The physical act of "adultery" and others of the Commandments begins with a "lustful" thought in the heart[verses 27-28].

But, what's in a "name?"

Our audible "curses" and irreverence for our Creator's name is the result of man's "general disregard for Him in his heart."

The first Commandment is to have no other gods before Him. That entails having His name first and foremost in your mind at all times. Which is in truth kind of impractical in the course of an average day full of distractions... but the idea is to never forget His Authority and Sovereignty over His creation and one's personal life.

Taking the Lord's name in a vain manner is more than "speaking it aloud disrespectfully"... but also, giving it such a hallowed place in one's heart and mind, that one thinks twice about how they use it in their thoughts.

This Commandment is virtually nonexistent to most men's hearts. Some wonder why it's a Commandment at all.

But the Ten Commandments are what "defines sin." [Sin is the transgression of the law - I John 3:4] And the "wages of sin is death."

With God, the breaking of these laws [including our spiritual disregard for His name] is a "capital crime" that carries with it "capital punishment" -- DEATH.

In spite of what carnal minded men may think... God tells us that His name is vitally important for us to respect. Our Eternal Life depends on it.

God is invisible to the human eye and undetectable through the other physical human senses, unless He manifests and reveals Himself. And because of this... and because the world is filled with so many visible things to distract the human eye and the other senses -- the human heart and mind tends to follow the distractions.

The Sovereign Lord is forgotten among the untold thousands of graven images... and the sanctity of His Supreme name is lost on the human heart.

Taking the Lord's name in vain is much more than "uttering it aloud disrespectfully." It's "holding it with disregard or disdain... or not at all" in one's heart and mind.

It's more than our disrespectful external use of it... it's also [and perhaps most importantly] the absence of respect for it internally.

Answer 2

This means using God's name in an improper or sacrilegious way. For example, if you say "Jesus Christ!" as a swear word, or "Oh for God's sake!" as another expletive, then these phrases are disrespectful to God and should therefore not be said. For many Christians, they find those sorts of phrases even more offensive than the usual 'Anglo saxon' four-letter words used as swear words in normal life.

Answer 3

Using His name in a profane manner. Swearing upon the bible as you would do in court. His name is sacred and should be respected by using it as little as possible.

Answer 4

Mabey because they know its bad and when they say it when they mess up (like droping a vase)they think it makes what they did not that bad....idk