Using God’s Name in Vain
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) | Categories: Choices, Fidelity, Exodus, Matthew
What does this mean and is it really all that serious?
I don’t know about you, but I am utterly disgusted by how commonly some today utter God’s name. It is not as if they are crying out to Him in prayer or even beseeching His favor. Instead, “Oh my God!” or “Oh God!” or just “God!” is something that has become an all-to-common expression that is utilized to convey shock, surprise, amazement, or even disgust by those who give little or no true thought, let alone obedience, to God otherwise. It is sickening to hear so many utter the most holy name known to mankind in such common and cursory ways.
Exactly what did Exodus 20:7 prohibit with the injunction against taking “the name of the Lord God in vain”? The word vain (the Hebrew word shav) refers to something which is empty, worthless, or nothingness. The last part of Ex.20:7 continues, “for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who take His name in vain.” This makes it serious business to flippantly use the name of God! It is to be used only with holiness and reverence, not as some sort of common expression utilized when our limited vocabularies can’t come up with anything better with which to express ourselves!
Look, I’m not trying to make a “big deal” out of this….IT IS A BIG DEAL! The name “God” is the proper name of the Creator of the Universe, the Sustainer of Life, and the Savior and Judge of the World! When you utter this name it had better be with respect in tone, purpose, and context. Jesus further emphasized the seriousness of how we utilize the gift of language when He said, “that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.” Matthew 12:36.
I don’t care if Paris Hilton made it popular to say “Oh my God!,” it’s still dead wrong to use the name of God in a careless, flippant way! Millions of young girls (and plenty of other folks who are neither young nor female) are taking in vain the name of the Lord God through this kind of influence and will ultimately be held accountable eternally for it. Certainly, this is no joking matter. Furthermore, look up the word “gosh” in the dictionary and you’ll find that it is simply a euphemism for “God.” So, saying “Oh my Gosh!” is no better and is in fact, just as sinful. Some may object by saying they didn’t know this or that it wasn’t the way or meaning that they intended. Look, words mean things. If we don’t know what they mean, we shouldn’t be using them. Such would certainly make them the kind of “careless words” which Jesus clearly condemned.
People who manifest no regard for God’s ways in their lives, ought not to be using God’s name at all– unless of course to cry out for mercy and forgiveness in repentance. But even people who do believe in God, and strive earnestly to live according to His principles, should be careful how, why, and in what context we utter His name.
I once saw a statement which said, if effect, “Rest assured that if you aren’t paying particular attention to what you are saying, your children will!” How much more so with God. Even when we aren’t paying close attention to the words we use and how we use them, God is and does. So be sure that when you utter the name of the Most High, you intend to and do so with the proper respect, fear, and trembling. In Matthew 12:37 Jesus added to the statement quoted above, "For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned." Let’s remove “Oh my God” and it’s equivalents from our speech so that our careless words don’t condemn us before our God in the day of judgment. Think about it seriously, won’t you?