TAKING THE LORD’S NAME IN VAIN
Exodus 20:7
INTRODUCTION
The Third Commandment tells us to reverence His name.
Matthew 5:34-37; James 1:26; James 5:12
THEME: WHEN WE TAKE THE NAME OF THE LORD OUR GOD IN VAIN:
I. WE GIVE A NEGATIVE TESTIMONY
A. We Must Separate Ourselves From Our Vain Past
NOTE: Some Biblical meanings of “vain”
a. Lack of:
1) Truth
2) Success
b. Discussions of vain and useless matters
c. Empty pride
d. Empty talk
e. Endeavors, labors, acts, which result in nothing
f. Self esteem
g. Useless, of no purpose
h. Vessels that contain nothing
i. Without purpose
j. Without success
1. I Peter 1:18
2. Ephesians 5:6
3. I Timothy 6:20
B. We Must Separate Ourselves From Exalting Ourselves
1. Galatians 5:26
2. Ephesians 4:17-19
B. We Must Never Exclude God From Our Thought Process
1. Psalm 119:37
2. Proverbs 23:7
3. Acts 4:25-26
C. We Must Not Cast Any Bad Reflections And Dishonor On His Name
1. Take
a. To lift up
b. To carry
c. To support
2. Name
a. Reputation
b. Fame
c. Glory
II. WE DO NOT RESPECT HIM
A. Actions Of Worship
1. Matthew 15:9
2. Mark 7:7
B. Actions of Service
1. Malachi 3:1
2. Psalm 60:11
C. Actions Of Faithlessness
1. Titus 3:9
2. Philippians 3:2
NOTE: We must reverence and honor the name of God Matthew 6:9
NOTE: This is a commandment to bridle the tongue James 3:1-8
D. Ways of Taking His Name in Vain
1. To speak lightly and irreverently of His name Deuteronomy 28:58
a. David reverenced the name of God Psalm 50:1, 83:18
b. The disciples honored the name of Jesus Luke 24:19
2. When we speak lightly of God or His works:
a. He interprets it as contempt
b. He interprets it as taking His name in vain
NOTE: To profess God’s name, yet live denying it Titus 1:16
NOTE: Pretended holiness is double wickedness Romans 2:24
3. To use God’s name in idle conversation
a. Slang use of His name – i.e. “Jesus Christ!”
b. This is to have God in the mouth and the devil in the heart
c. God does not consume us Leviticus 5:2
d. To worship Him with our lips and not our heart
4. God calls for our heart Proverbs 23:26
a. The heart is the chief thing in worship
1) It draws the will and affections after it
2) It is the altar that sanctified the offering
b. To withdraw the heart from Him is to take His name in vain Isaiah 29:13
5. When worship is a lie
a. We “seem” to honor God, but we do not love Him
b. Our hearts go after lusts Hosea 4:8
c. We lift our eyes to heaven, but our heart is on earth Ezekiel 33:31
d. We pray to Him, but not believe Him
6. Faith honors God Romans 4:20
a. To disbelieve God is serious I John 5:10
b. To pray and not believe dishonors God Psalms 86:5
III. WE PERVERT HIS WORD
A. To Profane And Abuse His Word
1. How can wicked people talk of holy things?
2. Satan even said, “It is written”
3. Those who scorn His word II Peter 3:4
NOTE: Something awaits the scorners Proverbs 19:29
4. Those who joke about His Word
5. Those who mock God Proverbs 1:26
6. Those who endeavor to make His word justify their sin
7. Making Scripture endorse sin
NOTE: The covetous individual will misquote Scripture
8. Those who pervert His word
9. Those who swear by His name
a. Vain swearing Matthew 5:34
b. Perjury Leviticus 19:12, Zechariah 5:4
B. The Sin Of Mixing God’s Name With Wickedness II Samuel 15:7
1. Absalom pretended to pay his vow to God only as a cover-up of his treason II Samuel 15:10
2. Those who use their tongues anyway to the dishonoring of the name of God
a. Making rash and vows Psalms 66:13-14
NOTE: Jephthah’s vow Judges 11:31
b. Speaking evil against God Numbers 21-5
1) Murmuring accuses God’s justice Genesis 18:25
2) Murmuring criticizes God Numbers 14:27
c. Those who make a promise they know they will not keep
1) “If God spares me, I will do such and such”
2) To make a promise, mentioning God’s name, but we never intend to keep it – it is a double sin
a) It is telling a lie
b) It is using His name in vain
C. The LORD Will Not Hold Us Guiltless
1. Guiltless
a. Unpunished
b. Innocent
c. Pure
2. Sometimes God punishes swearing and blasphemy in this life Leviticus 24:11, 23
3. If God does not punish us in this life, we cannot escape His judgment and wrath to come Hebrews 10:31
CONCLUSION
Sermons And Lessons From The Old Testament 