In the giving of the Ten Commandments in Mt. Sinai, the LORD God declared the third commandment,
“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." (Ex 20:7)
People, including most professing Christians, live in guilt over this passage of Scripture (amongst a tremendous amount of other Scripture), a passage that is about much more than just cussing using the Lords name, the vocabulary of most people in this ungodly generation (Pr 30:11-14). The text does condemn swearing, but you can break the third commandment without ever uttering a word. God is declaring here that you shall not lift the name of the LORD your God up to vanity or worthlessness. This passage reflects the lifting up, or bearing, or carrying the name of the LORD, but its not refraining people from speaking the divine name of God, as some orthodox Jews take it (hence the wording of God's name by these as "G-d" for example).
Most religious people, many of which profess to be Christian, are consistently lifting God's name up to ridicule — using the LORD’s name like a rubber stamp on whatever they want to do, even behaviour that appears pious. The third commandment is an Almighty “Not in my name!” It reproves many of the heresies and errors and sinful behaviours of Neo-evangelicals, Protestants, Reformed Calvinists, Catholics and others in our day.
In the picture above, Moses is depicted slamming down the tablets of stone where upon God had written His Ten Commandments. The people Moses was dealing with, the children of Israel, were professing believers, but almost entirely unsaved. (Besides Moses, we are only told of two other true born again believers amongst the millions of Israelites sojourning in the wilderness.) They were taking the Lords name in vain through their golden calf worship, which led to Moses breaking the tablets in his rage.
God is even much more angry than Moses with those who blaspheme His Holy Name. Consider Lev 24:10-16:
"And the son of an Israelitish woman, whose father was an Egyptian, went out among the children of Israel: and this son of the Israelitish woman and a man of Israel strove together in the camp; And the Israelitish woman's son blasphemed the name of the LORD, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:) And they put him in ward, that the mind of the LORD might be shewed them. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin. And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the LORD, shall be put to death."
In OT theocracy, God established that violating the third commandment was a capital crime. God does not tolerate His name being blasphemed. Though we aren't in a theocracy today (we will be soon, in the Millennial Kingdom when God the Son rules the world from Jerusalem with a rod of iron), God still can't stand it when His name is blasphemed. "The LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain."
The following are some of the ways people use God's name in vain, shamefully also by professing Christians, without considering the ramifications of their ungodly and untamed tongue, or unBiblical behaviour. First, let's consider some of the worlds ways of expression, adopted by most professing Christian's.
1. “OMG.” Using the abbreviation OMG, or the words for what its stands, “O my God,” is blasphemy; it’s taking His name in vain (to be treated as useless or with vanity). Though those very words, and in that order, are found in Scripture, the way they are used today in a sacrilegious and vain manner, is blasphemous which is evil. Using these words in a prayer with godly reverence is different than how people use it today. In Scripture we find this phrase used in 21 verses, over half in Psalms, all of which are prayers or pleas to the Lord. But that is not how the ungodly use this phrase. It is a common way that the wicked seek to profane God's Name today, saying "Oh my" and "God" when they do not have the slightest thought of Him, of praying to Him, of reverence for Him, of fear of Him, of love to Him, or anything else whatever to do with Him. Such wicked speech, including usage of the abbreviation, is a plain, blatant violation of the third commandment.
As our text indicates, the third Commandment, we are warned not to use God’s name in a blasphemous way. God Name is to be revered and feared as High and Holy. Stating or writing "OMG" is a breach of this commandment.
2. “Gosh.” The word “gosh” is a euphemism for God, stated frequently as “Oh my gosh” and thus a replacement for "OMG" (previous point), so it likewise is an expression of blasphemy, just watered down a bit. It’s noticeable that no one ever says, “Oh my Satan,” or the watered-down version of that: “Oh my Santa.” Or, for that matter, “Oh my spaghetti” or “Oh my computer.” Why is it the ungodly always use “Oh my God/Gosh”? Well, we actually know why — the god of this world is influencing them to use words that diminish reverence towards Almighty God and to blaspheme His Holy Name, to reflect his Satanic attitude towards God, Who cast him out of heaven because of his rebellion.
God will not hold them guiltless that take His name in vain:
“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.” (Ex 20:7)
“Vain” means useless, or empty. This verse, one of the Ten Commandments, tells us to not use God’s name in an empty or useless way. God is to be respected as high and holy. This isn’t optional.
3. “Keep your fingers crossed.” The phrase or some form of it, or the symbol 🤞🏻, is used rather frequently today. This pagan symbol is used as a good luck charm. There is no "luck" in truth. "Luck" is fully pagan and ungodly. Professing Christian’s which are mostly unsaved, adopt this pagan tactic to give "hope" in unknown situations (for things to turn out the way they "hope" them to be), instead of praying and trusting in the Lord's provision and most importantly, obeying His Word, since they actually do not know the God of the Bible. For example, "I'm just going to cross my fingers and hope it works." This is an expression of distrust in God and His Word.
"Children are a big proponent of this gesture, though they usually use it when telling white lies, believing that having the fingers crossed behind the back makes it okay to fib." (Field Guide to Gestures, Quirk Books. 2003. p. 201).
Lies are lies whether they are white or black. There is even a blasphemous painting by Francesc Ribalta (1604) of “Jesus” and the last supper —which (painting) is idolatrous on its own—with the Lord crossing His fingers! This is simply wicked and evil!
Not only is crossing fingers wicked because it replaces prayer and trust in the Lord with a 'good luck charm', it is also considered superstition which is witchcraft, and “witchcraft” is a “work of the flesh” of them who are unsaved and “shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (Gal 5:19-21). 1 Sam 15:23a warns that “rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” and those who believe/practice this have “rejected the word of the Lord,” and He in turn “hath also rejected thee”.
If you utilize this phrase or the gesture, a superstitious act comparable to witchcraft, you don't actually trust in the Lord, because you aren't born again. You might be able to fool some of the people around you, but your words or actions condemn your unregenerate estate, regardless of your intentions with the gesture or desperate backtracking now:
“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matt 12:36-37)
4. “Knocking on wood.” This superstitious act is also related to "luck," a supposed means to chase away evil spirits that effect a persons luck.
"The first possible origin of knocking on wood is that it's a much more laid-back version of the ruckus that pagan Europeans raised to chase away evil spirits from their homes and trees or to prevent them from hearing about, and ruining, a person's good luck."
Well "luck" is a product of infidelity and superstition, which is a form of witchcraft (1 Sam 15:23).
The following promotion of this pagan witchcraft, provides a good understanding of "knocking on wood":
"Traditionally, when you speak of your own good fortune, you follow up with a quick knock on a piece of wood to keep your luck from going bad. More recently, simply saying the phrase “knock on wood”—or “touch wood” in the UK—has replaced actually knocking. . . . Before Christianity . . . came around to spoil the party with their rules about idolatry, many pagan groups and other cultures—from Ireland to India to elsewhere in the world—worshipped or mythologized trees. Some peoples used trees as oracles, some incorporated them into worship rituals and some, like the ancient Celts, regarded them as the homes of certain spirits and gods. Authors Stefan Bechtel and Deborah Aaronson both suggest two connections between knocking on wood and these spirits in their respective books, The Good Luck Book and Luck: The Essential Guide. The first possible origin of knocking on wood is that it's a much more laid-back version of the ruckus that pagan Europeans raised to chase away evil spirits from their homes and trees or to prevent them from hearing about, and ruining, a person’s good luck. The other origin they suggest is that some of these tree worshippers laid their hands on a tree when asking for favor from the spirits/gods that lived inside it, or did it after a run of good luck as a show of gratitude to the supernatural powers. Over the centuries, the religious rite may have morphed into the superstitious knock that acknowledges luck and keeps it going. “In either case, you are seeking protection against envy and anger,” Bechtel and co-author Laurence R. Stains* write. “The envy of evil spirits and the anger of the gods, who take a dim view on mortals bearing too much pride and who get especially annoyed when they're responsible for your run of good luck and you're not grateful.”" (Source)
It certainly is idolatry. Instead of trusting in the LORD God, they trust in evil spirits, even if done in the absence of that knowledge. But the Bible commands “no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." (Eph. 5:11).
Not only is it darkness and wicked because it replaces prayer and trust in the Lord with a 'good luck charm', it is further utilized for other evil behaviour like lying. The tell-tale gesture for a wicked and adulterous generation!
5. “Karma.” In describing some form of retribution, the word “karma” is used. It is however a Hindu/Buddhist term that has everything to do with the afterlife, reincarnation, punishment in a next physical life, which is how the term is used (‘he got what he had coming’) whereas true Christianity does not teach any form of vengeance or reincarnation. We die once and then judgment (Heb 9:27). There’s no coming back and fixing our bad deeds, or our good deeds outweighing our bad ones, and the winner determines our eternal destiny. Matt. 25:46 puts karma in its place:
“And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”
It’s also ungodly to hope for or pursue after vengeance, which is how the term is frequently used.
“Vengeance belongeth unto the Lord.” (Heb 10:30)
The Bible is full of examples of reaping what we sow; cast your bread on the waters and it will come back to you, especially noted in Pr 11:27; 26:27; Ps 7:16, but this is not karma; these are life lessons and ways of conduct; truisms, God’s laws, either spiritual or natural. Gal. 6:7 is a karma favourite, but it simply teaches that we live and reap according to what state we live in: flesh (lost) or Spirit (saved). There is no getting around that. We are either of the flesh or of the Spirit, but never both. And we reap according to what we sow.
“For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” (Gal. 6:8).
Hence the warning not to be deceived for God is not mocked (Gal. 6:7). He knows exactly which group we belong to; you can’t fool Him. Be sure to be sowing to the Spirit!
Karma, according to those who believe in it, is something that one cannot escape from. Jesus, as Saviour, made it possible for us to escape his wrath by becoming born-again, becoming part of his family and never under His curse or condemnation again, for there is no more condemnation for him or her who is in Christ Jesus:
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Rom. 8:1).
In conclusion to this first section, irregardless of the “innocency” of their use, all these expressions are unBiblical and ungodly, and reveals the nature of the heart behind its usage.
“For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” (Pr 23:7a).
Again,
“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Matt 12:35-37).
If you are guilty of these things, your response should be: “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21), for this is only cure for the sinful sick and wicked soul, "For the wages of sin is death [eternal hell fire]; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23).
The following are blasphemies through the egregious utilization of Scriptural truths.
1. “In Jesus’ Name, Amen” While Praying Vainly or Not According to God's Will. We are commanded to pray in Jesus’ name, so definitely NOT saying people shouldn't pray in Jesus’ name. He told us to. The point of praying in Jesus’ name is to pray as Jesus’ representative, and that means praying as He would have us pray. It is not a magic spell to make our wish list come true, or vain repetition stuck at the end of our prayers.
It is intended to cause us to think about whether we are praying for things that we can and should appropriately ask in His name. It is to remind born again believers of the glorious privilege given to us as His servants.
Biblical prayer is in line with God's will, which is outlined in His Word, which is praying "In Jesus Name."
"And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him." (1 Jn 5:14-15)
At the same time, it is crucial for the unsaved including false professors to understand that their prayers aren't heard at all:
“Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.” (Jn 9:31).
One must firstly be born again before God hears ones prayers. Until then one is a sinner and God doesn’t hear sinners, except if they pray to be pardoned of their sin through repentance and faith.
2. “I’ll Pray For You” If you say you are going to pray for someone, you speak as a Christian who can speak directly to God. You are giving a promise to speak to Him, to petition Him on the behalf of someone. If you then don’t do it when you said you would, you took God’s name in vain. You talked about communication with Him in an empty and meaningless way.
When we tell people that we will pray for them, if we say that, we then must mean it and do it. It is a good practice to do so immediately, so forgetfulness isn't an excuse.
3. “God Told Me.” Frequently one hears professing Christians claim that “God told me” to do this and that or something else. Unless it is written in God’s Word, God doesn’t tell me to believe your statement (even if you deceptively believe it). If there is no reason I should believe that God told you, then there is no reason for you to say it. The Bible doesn’t tell us to go around saying “God told me,” and if you do this, you are likely putting emphasis on extra-biblical revelation.
If you make a statement the Bible didn’t tell you to make, and I should examine what you say (rather than take your word for it), then to claim God’s authority is to claim it vainly. “God told me” in any context other than what the Scriptures have clearly said is taking God’s name in vain.
4. “God Gave me Peace.” It’s amazing how many times God “gives peace” to people who are doing the opposite of what He said in Scripture. Just because you feel "comfortable" about your decision doesn’t mean God has given you "peace." Perhaps all it means is that you’ve ignored what the Scriptures say and have embraced the teachings instead of some popular or otherwise Christian guru. Perhaps it means you’ve seared your conscience so badly that it isn’t functioning anymore.
God does give peace, the Scriptures say so, but it firstly comes through salvation and then walking in the truth. But nowhere does the Scriptures say we should make decisions by checking our “peace-meter” to see if it is measuring high enough. The Word of God is clear in what it means, both in direct command and principle, so no "peace-meter" is required. “Peace-meters” regardless are often inaccurate — God’s Word however is not. Many times, when people say “God gave me peace,” they are merely taking God’s name in vain, speaking it meaninglessly, claiming some kind of God-authority for decisions or behaviour that He does not approve.
5. Contemporary "Praise and Worship." Churches and professing Christians the world over are claiming to offer God "praise and worship" when in reality it is praise and worship of self, the flesh and their golden calf. They are certainly not worshipping or praising the God of the Bible. The main issue here is that these are almost entirely unsaved, unregenerate charlatans playing Church and Christianity. They have never genuinely reversed their love and hates, only whoringly intermixed the two like a prostitute. They do not genuinly understand what it means to "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." (Rom 12:9).
The Bible on the other hand tells us to “hate every false way” (Ps. 119:104) and to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Eph. 5:11). That means to hate this contemporary "praise and worship" rock music stuff and other worldly ungodly music and to reject professing “Christians” and “Churches” that compromise and apostatize with it. We must hate what they do and the way they do it because it blasphemies God's name. We must hate the philosophy of ministry that it represents and the way it misrepresents the God of the Bible. We must hate the way it deceives the people with whom it is involved and what it does to churches. We must hate the way that it harms and even ruins discernment and the way that it perverts a biblical or true understanding of spirituality and love. We must hate the way that it endorses false worship for churches. We must not tolerate it or have anything to do with it. It's disgusting. It's nauseating of the face-in-palm kind. The true direction of love and hate is expressed in Ps 119:127-128,
“Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.”
This antithetical position of misplaced affections does point to certain things, such as an absence of the love of God (1 Jn 2:15) and a rambling after the lusts of the flesh and the world rather than after the will of God (1 Jn 2:16-17) and after holiness and godliness, which is what the grace of God teaches (Ti 2:11-14), whilst we know those who do gravitate towards the world like the dog after its vomit, and not after the will of God, are in fact unsaved hypocrites (Matt 7:21; 1 Jn 5:1-3; Lk 6:46-49). Those that love the world, even if duplicitously, are the “enemies of God” (Jam 4:4) which is certainly not a saved person (“echthros” in fact describes Gods greatest adversary, Satan, and all unsaved people are the children of the devil, Eph 2:1-3; Jn 8:44, illustrated here by their love of the world). While on the other hand, Jesus speaking to saved people (He was now in the company of only saved people, Judas having left them), declared how they are not of the world and are hated by the world,
“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. . . . They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (Jn 17:14, 16).
Read the following reports for further information on contemporary praise and worship music:
I am sure there are other ways in which people do not honour our Lord’s name as they ought to. Saved people must take God’s holiness seriously, and give Him due reverence and fear. The wise fear the Lord. They live and walk after the Spirit, not the flesh.
Conclusion
Born again believers should absolutely abhor the sounds and actions of blasphemy. What was the attitude of the godly in Scripture when hearing someone blaspheme God's name, either by cussing or some other behaviour? They would rend or tear their clothes as an expression of great sorrow and horror (2 Ki 18:37; 19:1 — context: 2 Ki 18:28-35; 19:3-6). So what should your attitude be about this crass defiance of God as you get exposed to it either audibly or visually? You should be horrified and hate it. Be outraged.
A few times in Scripture the Lord complains about the people that claim to belong to Him,
“For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.” (Rom 2:24)
The ones to blame are the hypocritical "believers." False pretenders. Actors. Fakes. Imitators. Because of their hypocrisy, thus lifting up His name to shame, in such manners as detailed above (amongst many other reasons).
True believers lift up God's name to glory and honour, they wear it as a crown, just like a truly born again wife does to her husbands name. "A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband: but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones." (Pr 12:4).
"Whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father by him." (Col 3:17)
"I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way. O when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me." (Psalm 101:2-3)
Most people reading here and guilty of one or more of these things, are very likely unsaved. I would bet on it, if I was a betting man (betting is unbiblical). Now, your tendency may well be to get some makeup and pretty clothes and dress up the pig. Reformation, even with the best of intentions, still leads to hell.
If you want to be delivered from your sinful tongue or behaviour and bring honour to the name of the LORD God, ye must be born again. Click on the link to find out how this is possible.
"And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever." (Rev 5:11-14)