His Name in Vain

Ever seen a book or a movie marked clean or family-friendly?  "No bad language!"  "No scene-skipping necessary!"  You breathe a sigh of relief and settle down with a snack to enjoy the film or novel, and then...

*something surprising happens*

Character: OMG!

Yup.  No bad language indeed.  Just a blatant misuse of our Lord's Name.

It's heard everywhere.  People use His Name all the time.  Sometimes they are reverent about it, whispering a quick prayer when something disturbs them or they need comfort.  Sometimes it's a completely thoughtless exclamation that just rolls off the lips.  Sometimes it's hard to tell whether it's meant in earnest or just as a swear word.

There are lots of ways, frankly that God's name is misused.  Just check out the Westminster Larger Catechism.

Q. 111. Which is the third commandment?

A. The third commandment is, 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.

Q. 112. What is required in the third commandment?

A. The third commandment requires, that the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and whatsoever else there is whereby he makes himself known, be holily and reverently used in thought, meditation, word, and writing; by an holy profession, and answerable conversation, to the glory of God, and the good of ourselves, and others.

Q. 113. What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?

A. The sins forbidden in the third commandment are, the not using of God’s name as is required; and the abuse of it in an ignorant, vain, irreverent, profane, superstitious, or wicked mentioning or otherwise using his titles, attributes, ordinances, or works, by blasphemy, perjury; all sinful cursings, oaths, vows, and lots; violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful; and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; murmuring and quarreling at, curious prying into, and misapplying of God’s decrees and providences; misinterpreting, misapplying, or any way perverting the word, or any part of it, to profane jests, curious or unprofitable questions, vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines; abusing it, the creatures, or anything contained under the name of God, to charms, or sinful lusts and practices; the maligning, scorning, reviling, or any wise opposing of God’s truth, grace, and ways; making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends; being ashamed of it, or a shame to it, by unconformable, unwise, unfruitful, and offensive walking, or backsliding from it.

Like, wow.

But I'm not really going that in depth today.  I'm just saying that there is an actual command about not taking God's name in vain.  Other swear words just...mean nasty things.  Things I don't want to repeat.  Ultimately, those words just are hurtful to people, or mean not-so-polite things.  When considered under their rightful meaning and applied to the situation they were uttered in, they don't make sense.

Person:  *accidentally hits their finger while hammering a nail*  "Damn."

Me:  Well....okay...that just means "go to hell."  So why send a hammer to Hell?  Or your finger?  Or yourself?  Just say "ouch!" and move on!

But a simple "Oh my God" or "Jesus" is toying with the name of an all-powerful, all-seeing, all-hearing God who has told us not to make light of His name.  There is an actual commandment that says "Don't take the name of the LORD thy God in vain."  There is a COMMAND.  A LAW.  A RULE.

This is my "rebellious writing" post (okay, not officially)(but it is my rant).  Yes, it's great that we're rebelling against the sex and drugs and dark magic that's popular in literature today.  But this is important, too.  And not just for readers.  We are accountable for every word we speak, and every word we write.