The third of the Ten Commandments is: "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." (Exodus 20:7, Mosiah 13:15, Deuteronomy 5:11)
Affirming an Oath in the Name of God
In Biblical times, among the Hebrews, the law required multiple witnesses to establish any truth based on witness accounts only. But if you were asked to bear witness in a court of law and there were no other witnesses, you could proclaim your testimony and swear it in the name of God, and it would hold unless the court found something to discredit it.
Using the Name of God With Reverence
Much more than prohibiting lying, this commandment promotes boy-scout-like honesty and truthfulness in all things. Obedience to this commandment is about loving God enough to never associate His name and glory with falsehood or evil of any kind. I believe it is for this same reason that in our time, this commandment has also been taken as prohibitive of profanity. One cannot love God and use His name for other than the purposes which He has authorized at the same time. No mind or heart can claim to love God and at the same time produce filthy language of any kind. In other words, this commandment really is an injunction that we be loyal to all that is virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy, or of good report in the sight of God and seek to keep a mind that treasures these things as Paul taught the Phillipians:
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Phillipians 4:8)
I suppose this is easier said than done for most of us - myself included, but we really do have to try. Loving God enough to keep this commandment is a great start at learning how to be pure in heart. Having attained that, we begin to see the Lord work in our lives at a new level. We begin to see Him do for us things we never thought He could or would do for mere mortals. To put it in the words of the Savior:
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)
Honoring and Keeping Priesthood Covenants
We need to remember that when we receive saving ordinances, those things are given in the name of Jesus Christ. We cannot receive those ordinances, or in other words, make those covenants, and then forget them. To do so is to take the name of the Lord our God in vain. As we perform these ordinances, we should remember that "God will not be mocked!"
Such is the importance of genuinely taking the name of God upon us.
Affirming an Oath in the Name of God
In Biblical times, among the Hebrews, the law required multiple witnesses to establish any truth based on witness accounts only. But if you were asked to bear witness in a court of law and there were no other witnesses, you could proclaim your testimony and swear it in the name of God, and it would hold unless the court found something to discredit it.
Using the Name of God With Reverence
Much more than prohibiting lying, this commandment promotes boy-scout-like honesty and truthfulness in all things. Obedience to this commandment is about loving God enough to never associate His name and glory with falsehood or evil of any kind. I believe it is for this same reason that in our time, this commandment has also been taken as prohibitive of profanity. One cannot love God and use His name for other than the purposes which He has authorized at the same time. No mind or heart can claim to love God and at the same time produce filthy language of any kind. In other words, this commandment really is an injunction that we be loyal to all that is virtuous, lovely, praiseworthy, or of good report in the sight of God and seek to keep a mind that treasures these things as Paul taught the Phillipians:
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Phillipians 4:8)
I suppose this is easier said than done for most of us - myself included, but we really do have to try. Loving God enough to keep this commandment is a great start at learning how to be pure in heart. Having attained that, we begin to see the Lord work in our lives at a new level. We begin to see Him do for us things we never thought He could or would do for mere mortals. To put it in the words of the Savior:
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." (Matthew 5:8)
Honoring and Keeping Priesthood Covenants
We need to remember that when we receive saving ordinances, those things are given in the name of Jesus Christ. We cannot receive those ordinances, or in other words, make those covenants, and then forget them. To do so is to take the name of the Lord our God in vain. As we perform these ordinances, we should remember that "God will not be mocked!"
Such is the importance of genuinely taking the name of God upon us.
No comments:
Post a Comment