“You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. - Exodus 20:7 (ESV)
I was seven when I first tasted Fels Naphtha soap!
As a pastor’s son, I had been taught: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” Some of my friends also knew that cursing was wrong, but they chose to curse anyway. Not wanting to be “left out,” I quickly added new words to my vocabulary and decided to misuse God’s name.
One day my mother overheard me talking with my friends. I had just used God’s name to emphasize a point and elevate my standing among my friends. “Richard! I need to see you, NOW!”
Mom was four-foot-eleven inches, but despite her small stature, I knew better than to say, “In a minute, mom.” Immediately leaving my friends, I walked into the kitchen, where mom was washing her hands at the sink. “I’m surprised at the language I heard coming from your mouth. We do not misuse God’s name, and cursing is inappropriate. Stick out your tongue.”
Obeying mom, I stuck my tongue out. She held my tongue with one hand while coating it with the slimy bar of Fels Naphtha with the other hand.
I’ve never forgotten the lesson — or the taste!
But is the purpose of this commandment solely to prohibit us from using God’s name as a swear word? When we make a promise, we must fulfill it. Our pledge must be honored. Jesus warns us about taking oaths frivolously (Matthew 5:33-37). We are not to “swear falsely, but perform to the Lord what [we] have sworn.” Jesus tells us, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”
When Jesus addressed the issue of promise-keeping, many Jews were masters of evasion. To avoid being guilty of violating God’s commandment prohibiting using God’s name vainly, they would often swear their oath by heaven, earth, Jerusalem, or their heads. They were careful not to invoke God’s name while making their promise. It was a sneaky way to give them a window of escape from keeping their promise while not violating God’s Commandment.
Jesus doesn’t buy it, nor can we.
The point Jesus makes is: You cannot possibly keep God out of any transaction because God is present, everywhere. Whether we mention his name or not, he knows our promise and holds us accountable.
We are more familiar with some vows. Pledges between husband, wife, and God, establish the marriage covenant. Parents and congregants make baptismal vows to bring up a child in the knowledge, love, and fear of God. These are more than words. They are promises we make to each other — and to God.
However, we also make promises in everyday life. We promise to do this, to see that, or stop doing something. The question is: Do our promises mean anything? It’s easy (and more convenient) for us to agree to something without considering the cost or remembering God is aware of our pledge.
We may forget our promises or find excuses to avoid fulfilling our vows, but God doesn’t. Taking the name of God in vain goes beyond cursing.
Are you looking for a place to receive spiritual direction and encouragement in these challenging times? Please consider joining my mailing list. Each Wednesday you’ll receive my latest blog posts with practical content designed to support you in your life and faith.