UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES
On the surface, the 3rd Commandment seems easy to understand. Do not swear using God’s name seems straightforward enough, but unfortunately it is a wrong interpretation of what God really means to convey. The way we see it, the 3rd Commandment is the hardest commandment to understand and apply. It is deep, complex and difficult to explain — but we shall try to explain it anyway because it is exceedingly important to God and his people that they do understand.

Here are the key facts that must be considered when coming to a good understanding of the 3rd Commandment:

• • Looking at the definition of the Hebrew word translated as “vain”, we see that it essentially means empty, or worthless conduct or speech.
  • And finally, looking at the definition of the Hebrew word translated as “take” or “use”, we see that it essentially means “to carry” or “lift up.” People who call themselves “Christian” therefore “carry” the name of Christ in a literal sense. To be a true Christian, they should also “carry” (i.e. embody, lift up, represent) the true character of Christ (which is also the character of God) in everything they do.

Tying it all together, we get a sense of meaning that is much different than the common understanding of the Third Commandment which is that we should not use God’s name in swearing or verbal profanity. Indeed, use of God’s name in profanity is not a good thing, but we miss the point of what God is saying in the scripture if that is the extent of our understanding.

The way we see it, the simplest and clearest interpretation of the 3rd Commandment is this:
Do not misrepresent God’s character in word or deed. God will punish people who misrepresent him.
Here is the logic by which we come to this understanding:

1. When people (whether individuals or corporate entitiies) choose to call themselves Jew or Christian, they boldly and proudly announce to the world that they are people chosen by God. Such announcements are made by publicly applying to themselves titles, degrees and labels that cause others to closely associate them with God. When they do this, they signal to the world that their behaviors will be consistent with God’s character.
2. After such an announcement is made, people in the world expect individuals and organizations that have labeled themselves as Godly will behave in ways that are always consistent with God’s character. Their expectations may be ill informed if they have not studied the Bible, but even in their ignorance they will still expect such religious people and religious organizations to live up to certain standards of behavior that are more or less consistent with universal understandings about God’s character: Merciful, slow to anger, faithful and loving. Another aspect of God’s character that is generally recognized is justice. People who are disadvantaged and oppressed in one way or another are very sensitive to people who do not practice justice which is often equated with righteousness.
3. When people and organizations that are labeled as Godly do good things that are fully consistent with God’s character, both they and God receive the praise of men. When people and organizations labeled as Godly do bad things that are not consistent with the world’s impression of what God or Jesus would do, both they and God are discredited (profaned) in the eyes of those who observe the wrong behavior.
4. When people and organizations that identify themselves with God and Jesus behave in ways that are perceived to be inconsistent with the character of God or Jesus, worldly people will call them hypocrites. Being called a hypocrite diminishes the credibility and reputation of those who are found to be something less than Godly especially if the have otherwise represented themselves as being close to God. Being found lacking for integrity, people and organizations may be publicly and privately rejected, shamed and chastised — even by people who do not otherwise claim to believe in or follow God or Jesus. From that point forward, they will be treated with suspicion and caution in all kinds of relationships.
5. When people and organizations are found to behave in ways that are inconsistent with God’s behavior, God’s reputation is adversely affected also. People who observe bad behaviors not only reject the individuals and organizations that did the ungodly thing, they will also tend to reject God. God’s credibility and reputation is therefore effectively diminshed or reduced in the eyes of the world. When unbelievers observe Chistians doing ungoldly things, they may say something like, “If that is what it means to be a Christian, I want no part of religion.” Ungodly behavior makes God less attractive to lost and hurting people who need to be delivered from bondage and injustice. This all detracts from, and does not add to, God’s glory.
6. While God’s character never changes, his reputation is vulnerable to change depending on how the people who are identified with him behave. When their behaviors are good, God’s reputation for being “holy” is maintained and God is effectively “sanctified” or made “holy” in the eyes of the world. When the behaviors are bad, God becomes less “holy” in the eyes of the world.
7. When Moses struck the rock the second time, he diminished God’s reputation in the eyes of the people. He was not consistently faithful (obedient) like God is consistently faithful. In God’s eyes, Moses diminished God’s character instead of enhancing it through faithfulness and obedience. Hence, Moses failed to “sanctify” God. Both Moses and God became a little less “holy” or set apart when Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it. As it turned out, God redeemed the situation by bringing forth water for the people anyway, so that the people would continue to see him as a faithful provider. Nevertheless, God still punished Moses for his unfaithfulness and his failure to sanctify God (i.e, make God look good, holy) in the eyes of the people.
8. The same situation exists in the story of Nadab and Abihu in Leviticus 10:1-7. Here we have two anointed servant priests who brought an unholy fire (i.e. type of worship that God had not commanded them to bring) before God. The exact nature of this unholy fire is unclear, but we know that God rejected it and immediately and publicly punished Nadab and Abihu for practicing a type of worship that displeased God. To justify and explain his quick and harsh response, God said: ‘I will show myself holy among those who are near me, and before all the people I will be glorified.’ This statement is a message to all who claim that they are near (i.e. close to, strongly associated with) God as evidenced by the titles and labels that they use to identify their relationship with God. And the message is this: Make me look good (i.e. holy, set apart, different in a good way) in the eyes of the people or I will punish you.

AUTHORS’ NOTE: For a detailed discussion about the many ways religious people present themselves to the world as godly, visit RELIGIOUS ORNAMENTS AND LABELS. . For further discussion about a particular contemporary personality that is well known for his public religious behaviors, visit TEBOW’S BROAD PHYLACTERIES.