Third Commandment
Exodus 20:7 “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”
David Kupelian says in his book Snapping of the American Mind: “It’s not much of an exaggeration to say that in today’s America, tens of millions of people are living in a delusional dream state.” He goes on to say: “In politics and culture we speak casually of “the left” and “the right,” as though these were two morally equivalent camps or worldviews. In reality the socialist/Marxist ideology that has captivated today’s Democrat Party is at war with reason, human nature, common sense, history and truth – indeed, at war with God and His laws.”
This third Commandment reveals the negative aspect of the law which is important for us to understand. This negativism is not bad but in reality of a great benefit, because it limits the power of the state and insures liberty. For example, the eighth Commandment: “You shall not steal,” limits the state from stealing and taking over private property. So when the law prohibits blasphemy and false witness it is also guaranteeing that all other forms of speech have their liberty.
For example, Roman Law was based upon the positive concept of the Law that “the health of the people is the highest law.” However, all aspects of life can come under the well-being of man and society and so a law like this becomes unlimited and the state then can control all life and the result is a loss of liberty.
We see in the Bible that some cursing is biblical as we see God pronouncing curses on people and nations as well as the prophets and others on certain occasions that God called to invoke judgment on evil doers.
Stephen McDowell says about profane speech: “Profane means ‘outside the temple’ and thus all speech, action, and living which is outside God.”
This third Commandment is not just talking about taking the name of God in vain but a wicked and rebellious language that is directed against God. It shows a disregard and lack of reverence to the Supreme Being. This lack of reverence to God leads to a disregard of His Word as well as His Law. Isn’t this what we see today in our society? When there is a lack of reverence and fear of God there is really no effectual restraint of human passions, lusts, ambitions, anger, profanity, hostility, etc.
We know that the Name of the Lord represents all the ways that God makes Himself known to us and so by taking His name in vain also represents degrading who He is. In 1 Corinthians 11:28 and 29, regarding the Lord’s Supper says: “A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” This sacrament of bread and wine represents not only who Jesus is but what He has done. Therefore, the one that “eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.” (verse 27) In this sacrament the Lord is making His sacrifice for us known and we are not to partake of it vainly or profanely.
This third Commandment deals with speech, but also at the heart of it deals with the foundation of a legal system. We have what is known as the oath of office, oath of the courts, the oath of husbands and wives in marriage as well as the oath (vows) of ministers, and all of this is vital for having a proper functioning society.
We also see the profanity in our culture as a barometer of our society. As profanity increases it shows a profane action by society against God. When we see more and more profanity working its way into our arts, TV, music, movies, entertainment, it shows a moral decline occurring in our society. We know that words eventually lead to actions and we see this in our entertainment today.
When we stop and think about it, what use is profanity? Is any man or woman wiser or happier because they use God’s Name in vain and in a profane way? Often it indicates a person’s lack of vocabulary and being able to properly express his/her emotions. Why is it that because a person does not know a proper word to use, he inserts a blasphemous word against God? “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” and so we see a desperate need for the gospel of Christ that can reach into the human heart and begin to change it. God says that He will write His laws on our heart.