Hearing God’s name spoken thoughtlessly is something we see and hear a lot of these days; it seems to be everywhere. Most Christians are appalled and deeply offended by misuse of the names “God” and “Jesus Christ”. Most of us believe that to use the name of God or Jesus Christ when not referring to Him (as an expletive) is taking God’s name in vain; breaking the third commandment.

The third commandment, however, is not talking about just what comes out of your mouth. It says, “You shall not take up, carry, or bear the name, character, authority and reputation of the I AM, your God, falsely, worthlessly, with emptiness (without effect) because surely God will consider them not guiltless or innocent…” (Deut. 5:11).

Evidently the name “God” in that verse in the Hebrew means far more than just a word made up of three letters! The name carries with it all that the name represents: God’s character, authority, reputation, honour, power, love, grace, mercy, holiness and so much more.

So if we are known as one of Christ’s lovers and followers (bearing His name) and yet His character and heart are not evident in our lives, then we are taking His name in vain; the name is being taken up and used without effect.

The word translated from the Hebrew as “vain” means: unsuccessful, fruitless, lacking substance or worth – without effect.

Insisting that God agrees with you and your cause or your beliefs when He does not, is using God’s name in vain.

Proclaiming that your nation, your church, or your leaders are doing God’s work and are “blessed” by God when they are not, is using God’s name in vain.

Using God’s name to forward your own agenda for what you want, whether that is in prayer (trying to make something happen), or in any other way, is using God’s name in vain.

Being prejudiced and preferring some people over others in the name of God, is using God’s name in vain.

Claiming that God has spoken to you or shown you something when He has not, is taking God’s name in vain.

Listening to and believing someone who says that God has spoken to them when He has not, is accepting and condoning someone taking God’s name in vain.

So often we are just not aware of this. A friend recently wrote this about Tony Campolo:

He would often begin his talk with a statistic about how many children died the night before from malnutrition and related diseases around the world, numbering in the thousands. Letting it sink in, he would then add, “And most of you don’t give a sh*t.”

Of course, the room would be scandalized at such a coarse word in their imagined holy place.

When the room settled, he would point to the heart of the problem. “What’s worse is that you’re more upset with the fact that I said ‘sh*t’ than the fact that thousands of kids died last night.”

He wasn’t always invited back.

The words we use do matter, but often we are so busy being offended by how others use them, that we are totally blind to our own profanity and hypocrisy!

All of us who claim to know God and bear His name as His children are taking His name in vain, without effect, whenever we do not exhibit our Father’s heart of Love, Life, and Light. Claiming to be followers of Christ and yet not having His heart seen and heard through us, is not only hypocritical, but dishonouring and profaning the name we bear.

The name “Jesus” when used in His time and His way, is powerful; no doubt about it. However, saying, “in Jesus name” as just a habit or a formula as a means to achieve something, like an incantation, is not only ineffective, it can also profane and discredit His name.

Our name speaks of who we are. How would you feel if a family member stole something valuable and said that you had told them to, that it was done for you, in your name? Or if they told outright lies, saying that you had said those things when you had not, thus misrepresenting you? I daresay you would be upset.

And yet… people all over the world do this every day with Jesus Christ. “In Jesus’ name” is tacked onto most prayers, for instance. Was what we asked for really in Jesus’ name? Was it really what He wants? Were we honouring His name, as Jesus taught? “You should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, help us to honour Your name…” (Matt. 6:9).

There is far more to this than simply saying the right things or doing things in His name. Jesus said, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matt. 7:22,23).

He called this indiscriminate use of His name, even prophesying and doing wonders in His name: practicing lawlessness! In the Greek those words mean doing work, business, or ministering in violation and contempt of the law. What is the highest law? The law of love (Matt. 5:43,44; Jn. 13:34, 15:12). Love is the fulfilment of the law (Rom. 13:8,10). You can prophesy, cast out demons, and do wonders in His name, all without love and so violate the law of love. Jesus warned, “Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matt. 24:11,12). 

Jesus said He did not know them, and it follows that they did not know Him or His heart of love. “If anyone loves God, this one is known by Him” (1 Cor. 8:3). In our own strength, try as we might, we do not have this supernatural Love, not even to love God! We can do and say all the right things, and still be taking the name of God in vain. Reformation is not sufficient, we need resurrection, and for resurrection, there must first be a death. Our DNA with the nature of Adam in it must die so that the DNA with the nature and heart of the Last Adam lives in us!

In the case of Jesus Christ, His name is not only who He is, but also represents all He has done. One of the reasons His Name is used in vain so much is simply because so many people do not have a new heart with a heart revelation of who He really is and all that He has done. Note I said heart revelation, not mind knowledge! Heart revelation radically transforms, mind knowledge merely conforms. There is no comparison between the two, they are as different as night and day. Religion results in mind knowledge and outward conformation, while relationship results in heart knowledge and inner knowing that results in transformation.

His name includes the mighty everything that He is and has done and we bear His name as His new creation, His seed, His representatives, His family members, His very own body! Such a privilege and such a responsibility…. May we be those who carry His name with honour and with powerful effect!

“I have made Your name known to them,  and revealed Your character and Your very Self, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them” (John 17:26).