what does it mean to believe in vain
The answer to this question might seem self-evident, especially to those of us who grew up in a western Judeo-Christian society.
Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:xi – You shall not take the proper noun of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Please exist warned, I'm going to utilize a phrase that is offensive to many.
For most, the ultimate violation of the third commandment is to say "God damn it." You can apply but nearly every other discussion or phrase, no affair how bad, just when your vulgarity includes the utilization of this phrase, many believe y'all've crossed the line. You might fifty-fifty be charged with blasphemy confronting the Holy Spirit.
In fact, more people would confidently answer this question than could listing the X Commandments, name the gospels, or explain the divergence between the New and Sometime Testaments.
At Odds with the Third Commandment (As Some Define It)
I'm going to accept a stand up that'south at odds with the most popular agreement of the tertiary commandment. That'south why I used the word "actually" in the title of this article. With all the talk almost cursing pastors, the development of swearing in the blogosphere, and the general defoliation around this event (even in Christian circles), I thought I'd have a stab at explaining what it really means to take the Lord's proper noun in vain.
If I'm right virtually the third-commandment, we have a serious issue of folk theology that's damaging the character of God by misrepresenting what Christian spoken communication is.
The question that must bulldoze the understanding of any biblical passage is:
What did the writer intend for his audience to empathize by his writing?
The third commandment was given to a specific people, at a specific time, in a specific identify, with a specific purpose. We'll never know what it means today if we don't first know what it originally meant.
What About the F-Flop, Southward-Discussion, etc?
The third commandment has nix to do with what nosotros commonly call cursing. Use of the F-word, Due south-word, etc. is a split up upshot. The Bible certainly has a lot to say about speech:
Proverbs 10:32 – The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, merely the oral cavity of the wicked, what is perverse.
Colossians 3:8 – But now yous must put them all away: acrimony, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Ephesians iv:29 – Permit no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, just merely such as is good for edifice upwards, equally fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
The third commandment is specifically addressing the apply of God'due south name. It isn't meant to address the use of words, phrases, and even gestures that may exist socially uncouth or vulgar.
When Calling on God to Damn Someone Is Biblical
Nosotros have this wrong. In fact, from a purely objective standpoint, I don't believe that this phrase causes God to even bat an eye. Why would calling on God to damn something exist and so bad? What does the verb "damn" mean? The American Heritage Lexicon defines the verb "to damn" every bit "the act of pronouncing an agin judgement upon."
To call upon God to damn something is neither sinful nor unbiblical. In fact, you can find people throughout Scripture, especially in the Psalms, who call upon God to bring judgment on their enemies. In other words, they are asking for God to damn those whom they experience are ripe for His judgment. In this sense, saying "God damn _____" is as biblical as saying "God bless _____."
Some say the reason this is a violation of the third commandment is because people are using God's name in a "vain", "worthless", or "empty" manner. In this example, to say, "God damn it!" in our colloquial tongue is not the same as seriously calling upon God to damn something or someone. For those making this claim, if you say information technology seriously, fine. If however, yous say it casually, you lot've used His name in an empty mode and cleaved the third commandment.
Don't become me wrong. I'm non advocating that we should take the Lord's name in vain, but that our agreement of what this commandment means is mistaken. There are 3 major critiques I'd offer to our common agreement:
1) "God" is Not the Name of God
"God" is a term used to refer to deities in general. A generic classification tin can't be considered a formal name. It would be similar you maxim that my proper name is "person". God gives His name to Moses in the book of Exodus. His name is Yahweh. Would you have the same offense if someone were to stub their toe and say "Yahweh damn information technology!" I doubt it.
When Christians utilise words like "God" or "Lord" nosotros're typically referring to the God of the Bible, Yahweh. And after all, if yous're not calling on the God of the Bible to damn something, whom are you calling on? Therefore, although the word God isn't a formal name, because we apply it as such, saying G-D may test the limits of what many consider taking God's name in vain.
2) Selective Outrage at the Use of "God"
If the principle in question is that we're non to apply God's name unless nosotros really mean it, then nosotros're pretty inconsistent in our outrage. Why don't people go offended when others say "God bless you lot?" Practise you recollect that every time someone says this that they really mean it? Exercise you lot think that in their heed they are talking to God, beseeching Him on your behalf?
Just nearly every email I get ends with the phrase, "God bless."
But about every electronic mail I go ends with the phrase, "God bless." I seriously doubt that that person actually said a prayer for me before he or she hit ship. If this is the case, why is proverb, "God bless you" not just as much a violation of the third commandment every bit saying "God damn you?"
Is it more biblical to ask for God'southward kindness or judgment? I don't think most anyone who is honest with themselves can say they're consistent in this regard. Saying "God damn it" and not meaning it should be just as bad as saying "God bless y'all" and non meaning information technology.
Information technology true that both uses of "God" could be wrong, or both could be right. Merely, without modifying our principle (i.e. non using God's name unless we really mean information technology) we can't differentiate between the ii.
3) What Does "In Vain" Hateful?
I've saved this signal for last because it's the most important. In fact, if I'm right, the commencement two points don't actually make a difference. The question is this:
What does information technology mean to use God's proper name in an empty or vain way?
What does the third commandment really hateful? It's difficult to tell from a simple word study on the Hebrew term שָׁוְא (vain). Likewise, our understanding of a "name" and what it signifies is much different than what information technology meant in the context in which this commandment was given. First, nosotros must try to sympathize what it meant when information technology was written. Second, we can then work out how that applies to u.s.a..
It does us no practiced to anachronistically impose our understanding upon an aboriginal text. This is eisegesis (reading into the text what we presuppose), not exegesis (letting the text speak on its own terms).
How the Canaanite Nations Invoked Their Deities
Briefly, this is what I believe your studies will prove. The nations to which the Israelites were going (in Canaan) had many gods. They were highly superstitious. Their prophets used the name of their god in pronouncements all the fourth dimension. The usage could be in a expletive, hex, or even a approval. They used the name of their god to give their statements, whatever they may be, authority.
To pronounce something in the name of a god meant that people would mind and fearfulness. They may have said, "In the name of Baal, there volition be no pelting for forty days." Or "In the name of Marduk, I say that you volition win this battle." This gave the prophet much power and authority.
Merely, as we know, at that place is no Baal or Marduk. Those gods couldn't have made such pronouncements. Thus the words of the prophet had no authorisation and didn't need to exist praised or feared.
Israel'due south God Instructed the Proper Apply of His Name
God was commanding the Israelites non to do the same affair. God instructed them not to use His proper noun like the nations around them used the names of their gods. He did not desire them to use His name falsely to invoke dominance. This can be seen fifty-fifty today as the name Jesus means very trivial considering of its constant misuse.
In essence, God didn't want the Israelites to say that He'd said something that He, in fact, had not. This makes sense. God has a reputation to protect. He doesn't want anyone maxim, "Thus saith the Lord", if the Lord has non spoken.
We've all experienced this. We've had someone say we said something we didn't. This can exist very damaging to our character and destructive to our reputation. Why? Considering it makes us out to be something we're not. How much more important is it for God to protect His character?
Application of the 3rd Commandment Today
What does this hateful for us? Well, for starters nosotros understand that the tertiary commandment is focused on something more than foundational than just saying "God damn it!"
While some people may never think of using that phrase, people all over the Christian religious landscape are breaking the tertiary commandment every day, dissentious the Lord'southward reputation:
- "Thus saith the Lord…"
- "God told me to tell you lot…"
- "I take a word from the Lord…"
- "God says that if you lot send in this much money, you will exist blest."
I could proceed and on, but y'all get the bespeak.
If all one needed to do to proceed the third commandment was to avert saying certain socially unacceptable words or phrases, it would be the easiest of the Ten Commandments to keep!
Using the name of the Lord in vain is a serious matter. Information technology amercement His reputation and graphic symbol through false and unsure claims. Earlier you say "God said…" make sure He really said it.
If you are unsure, make your statement reflect your dubiousness. Saying "I think God is telling you to…" rather than "God is telling you to…" may not be as authoritative, just it will keep God's reputation safety and keep you from breaking the third commandment.
If I were Satan, I couldn't think of a better way to trivialize such an important commandment.
Every bit an aside, I think that this misunderstanding of the third commandment is both sad and tragic. If I were Satan, I couldn't call up of a improve style to trivialize such an important commandment than to fool people into thinking it's focus is on the phrase, "God damn information technology."
A Final Circumspection
Does this mean that I believe that we tin at present say this phrase and non worry virtually information technology? No. Using this phrase in a colloquial way is offensive in many (if not most) contexts. It all comes back to being intentional with everything nosotros say. While it is not a violation of the third commandment necessarily, it is offensive oral communication that must be used with wisdom and discretion.
Objections and Q&A
Shouldn't Christians Avoid Every Form (Appearance) of Evil?
Because, in our culture, saying sure words is considered offensive, rough, or crass, Christians should avert using them so as in gild not to violate 1 Thessalonians 5:22. Dan Wallace'southward article Avoid Every Advent of Evil, addresses this very topic.
But What If Cursing Violates My Conscience or Someone Else's?
No ane should violate their censor. Who would deny that nosotros must practise what nosotros think is correct? While information technology'south true that we could follow our censor and be incorrect, we tin can never violate our conscience and be right. Going against what we think is right (even if we're incorrect) is always wrong. We would be a law unto ourselves mayhap even antinomian (against the moral law).
That being said, we should beware of professional weaker brethren who utilise their scruples to boss others.
Then I Should Start Swearing, Correct?
No. Non if you hateful "swear" in the sense of cursing left and correct. Don't imagine this article is a license to use vulgarities in the name of Christian liberty. The gospel frees us from the chains to sin so we tin alive righteous lives not so nosotros can be rude.
You're But Looking for Loopholes!
Information technology's true that scriptures take been used to alibi the pet sins of many people.
Wonderful things in the Bible I see. Most of them put in that location by you and by me.
However, the conclusions we come to must rest upon textual exegesis. If the Bible calls something sinful, let God be truthful and every man a liar. Merely if information technology doesn't, we dare non heap upon others a yoke of bondage.
Source: https://credohouse.org/blog/taking-the-lords-name-in-vain-what-does-it-really-mean
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