“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” Exodus 20:7 (NIV)
The first thing that typically comes to mind when we hear the third commandment is the issue of swearing.
The way you use a person’s name says a great deal about what you think of them. And if you look up the name Jesus in your Concise Oxford English Dictionary, there are two definitions. Notice the order:
Jesus: (vulg.) excl. expr. surprise, impatience, etc.
[name of founder of Christian religion d. c. A.D. 30]
The dictionary tells us that the name Jesus is a vulgarity. It is an exclamation expressing surprise, impatience, etc. That, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is its most common use. But the name Jesus can also be used to refer to the founder of Christianity.
It shouldn’t surprise us that those who don’t know the Lord commonly use the name of God or Jesus as an expletive. But the same pattern of speech is too often found among believers.
If you happen to be in middle school or in high school, listen to how the name God is used by your friends this week. It will astonish you. Don’t copy that habit. It comes naturally for people who don’t know God. But not for you.
Reflect on how you are using God’s name. Have you spoken about Jesus in ways that dishonored Him? How about in ways that honored Him?
