Take It, But Not in Vain – The Third Commandment

Take It, But Not in Vain

Exodus 20:7

“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.”

Don’t miss the great privilege implied here: God invites us to take His Name!

How incredible is that?  Just as parents bestow their name on their children, entitling them to all the benefits and privileges of membership in their family, so God bestows His Name on us.  We are His chosen generation, His royal priesthood, His holy nation, a people for His possession (1 Peter 2:9, 10).  He is our Father; we are His children!  He invites us to take His Name, enter into His promises, enjoy the presence of His company, and prepare for our future home in eternity with Him.

Every day, therefore, let us go forth with the Name of the Lord upon us, happy bearers of His glorious covenant, glad possessors of His exceeding great and precious promises!

What does it mean to you to have the Name of God upon you?  How does it appear to others that God has invited you to take His Name?

I go forth this day with Your Name upon me, O Lord. Help me to…

Daily meditation in the Law of God helps us along the path of holiness, righteousness, and goodness (Rom. 7:12). Order your copy of The Law of God, a compilation of the Mosaic Law for contemporary believers, by going to www.MyParuchia.com, point your browser to “Publications,” then click on the drop-down option, “Waxed Tablet Publications.”

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In the Gates is a devotional series on the Law of God by Rev. T.M. Moore.

T.M. Moore is editor of the Worldview Church. He serves as dean of the Centurions Program of the Wilberforce Forum and principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He is the author or editor of twenty books, and has contributed chapters to four others. His essays, reviews, articles, papers, and poetry have appeared in dozens of national and international journals, and on a wide range of websites. His most recent books are The Ailbe Psalter and The Ground for Christian Ethics (Waxed Tablet).

Scripture quotations in this article are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (c) copyright 2001, 2007 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: The use of a translation other than the Authorised Version in an article does not constitute an endorsement in whole or in part by The Christian Observer.