THE THIRD COMMANDMENT by W. N. Glenn

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Mar 10, 1890

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 16, No. 10.

THE THIRD COMMANDMENT.

By W. N. Glenn

THE name of God is sacred. He says of himself, "I am a jealous God" (Ex. 20:5); "My glory will I not give to another" (Isa. 42:8). He will not sanction with any degree of allowance the worship of any other god, nor will he tolerate any irreverent use of his name. The ancient Hebrews were very particular in this respect; it is said they would not at all pronounce the name of the Creator, and approached even the writing of it in a very solemn manner. In their journeyings in the wilderness God cautioned them particularly in regard to his Angel which should go before them, saying, "Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions; for my name is in him." Ex. 23:20, 21.

So great is God's regard for his name that he made it the subject of a special commandment in his perfect, unalterable law, the transgression of which is sin. "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." In the general carelessness regarding the law of the Lord, which the Son of God obeyed implicitly (John 15:10), which he magnified beyond any former comprehension of its boundless scope, it is no wonder there is so little idea of what would constitute a breach of its terms. The most common conception of this command, even by the majority of those who acknowledge its binding force, is a very narrow construction of the letter, to say nothing of the much broader spirit.

In general, the idea of what would be deemed a transgression of the third commandment is limited to what is commonly called profane swearing, or cursing. While those who so daringly use the name of Deity in this manner do most flagrantly violate the holy law, that habit so universally indulged is by no means the only very common manner of taking the name of the Lord in vain.

The name of God is often used in vain in what purports to be worship, especially in public worship, though private worship is by no means free from this species of sin. The formal, faithless prayer to God is taking his name in vain. The Scripture warning is, "Use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do;" then the meaningless repetition of the name of the Lord in prayer is taking his name in vain. Prayers preceding and in behalf of exercises and objects which are contrary to God's word and law, or conducted in a spirit of lust and levity, are examples of taking his name in vain. They are not simply of no avail, they are sinful.

Much that passes popularly for praise is nothing but taking the name of the Lord in vain. Singing praises to God merely for display, or for the purpose only of adding entertainment to any occasion, is only taking the name of God in vain. The use of sacred songs for pastime or pleasure is mockery to him whom only the lips honor, while the heart is far away (Isa. 29:13, 14). It is flagrant violation of this commandment for companies to sing songs of praise in a thoughtless, trifling vein, interspersing jokes and laughter at every interval of the song. This custom is so common that special attention seems imperative. Listless, careless singing of praise to God, with eyes and mind wandering everywhere but on the words and sentiment of the song, is taking his name in vain.

The use of God's name in a spirit of levity, or in any unnecessary manner, is vain and sinful. Many have read the word of God and searched its pages for the sole purpose of finding curious expressions, making light of its facts and teachings, and perpetrating jokes. Such uses, especially on the part of those who profess to serve the Lord, are blasphemous and vain. When we reflect that all insincere profession of Christianity, or insincere or ignorant worship of God, is in direct violation of the command, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," it is plain that the transgression of this clause of the decalogue is far beyond the general conception of the evil.

It is also a marked transgression to display the name of God in unwarranted places, or to make any illegitimate use of it whatever. There is a growing demand in this country that God's name and authority should be recognized in the national Constitution, and his worship enforced by the civil enactment of his law and so-called Christian institutions. This, too, in face of the admission (which is given as a reason) that the general tendency of the people, not excepting the nominal church, is to estrangement from the word and worship of God. "Wherefore the Lord said, For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid." Isa. 29:13, 14. "Also, thou son of man, the children of thy people still are talking against thee by the walls and in the doors of the houses, and speak one to another, everyone to his brother, saying, Come, I pray you, and hear what is the word that cometh forth from the Lord. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not. And when this cometh to pass (lo, it will come), then shall they know that a prophet hath been among them." Eze. 33:30-33.

Those who seek such a pretended recognition of God at the hands of a people charged by the advocates of the measure as being given over to the world, squarely demand that the government shall, in the name of its subjects, take the name of the Lord in vain. Should Christian people, to say nothing of others, be a party to such transgression of God's law? W. N. GLENN.