Taking the name of the LORD in vain
In finishing a recent book read (which I highly recommend - Not God Enough by JD Greear), I ran across a thought that I want share, as well as noodle on it's implications for my life. It's a thought about the third commandment. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." - Exodus 20:7 Many of us have been taught that this command (the third) is basically the "do not cuss" or use God's name as a cuss word command. While I do believe that application applies (although I think that is actually a more serious thing), it's not the totality of this command. "The name" of the Lord, in the ancient Hebrew context, reflects God's character and how we associate ourselves to Him. In the book I've been reading, the author points out that we as Christians can take the Lord's name in vain by the way that many of us live. As an illustration