“This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” – Mark 7:7
When I was a little girl and was first taught the Ten Commandments, it was suggested that “Thou shall not take the Lord’s name in vain” (Exodus 20:7) merely meant that a believer should never swear or use a curse word that contained the name of God or Jesus.
And while this is one of the implications of the Third Commandment, it was not until I matured in my walk that I learned its meaning runs much deeper.
One of the definitions of “vain” is “producing no results.”
Otherwise implying, “Thou shall not do something in the name of the Lord that does not produce Godly results.”
Someone can claim that their thoughts or actions are driven by a relationship with God, but in reality, they are merely putting on a show to appear righteous or to please people.
As an example, I dare assert that we all have that one extended family member who frequently posts Scripture and faith-related material on their social media page. But when we have an opportunity to socialize with them in person, their words towards and about others are often rude, angry, bitter, or full of hatred.
Using the Lord’s name in vain means claiming something as righteous or holy when in fact it is empty, devoid of goodness, or wicked.
We will be held accountable for the words we say to others – whether giving unethical advice under the guise of Godly wisdom, whether by giving false testimony, or whether by claiming we sought God’s counsel before taking action when we did not do so. Matthew 12:36-37 says, “You can be sure of this: when the day of judgment comes, everyone will be held accountable for every careless word he has spoken. Your very words will be used as evidence, and your words will declare you either innocent or guilty.”
Our advice towards others is poisonous if our insight and intentions are not backed by the Truth found in Scripture.
“This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.“
Even the demons know who Jesus is.
What sets us apart as followers of Christ is that how we live, how we love, how we speak, and how we think aligns with God’s Word and God’s Will.
In many situations in life, we may be tempted to casually use the name of God to relate to others. Let us remember that not seeking God with all of our heart, soul, and mind before doing so is using the Lord’s name in vain.
May we remember that, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart…
…For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45).
