SR • July/August 2015
11
What is it we are NOT supposed to do regarding the name? This
word “in vain” is translated variously: emptiness, ineffective,
without effect, deceitful, for wrong purposes. So which one is
it? Yes. Let’s just take the whole bunch.
When Dylan used my “name in vain” it was an empty claim. As
soon as my neighbor asked me, it was clear there actually was
no power or authority behind it…because it was false. It was
claimed deceitfully, being untrue, and it was used for wrong
purposes: to achieve something that he was not allowed in that
moment. This then serves as an excellent model for using God’s
name in vain. It isn’t that you cannot accomplish anything by
using God’s name, and so we are only talking about frivolous
swearing. It is that you
hijack
God’s name for something that
actually is not in God’s interest, from God’s word, for God’s
purposes. You then create the illusion or impression that God is
behind your words…when in fact He is not. We still use the
phrase “hollow speech” or “hollow words” to describe lies and
deception.
Guiltless
There is the sense in which the futility of this could be kind of
cute. In a Dylan sort of way:
“Ahhh... look at the little human trying to hijack the name of
God, flailing around like a wee little baby.”
This is not the perspective God has. Instead, we have a
Godfather-esque, subtle sort of threat.
“Let’s just say… I will not hold you guiltless.”
To see why God might take a dim look — in fact He really hates
this — let’s see how this has been violated in history.
God’s Name in Vain — A Historical Survey
Super (perhaps most) straightforward taking of God’s name in
vain:
false prophets
. Someone literally says “Yahweh says this...”
and he is lying. “Yahweh says everyone is going to be fine!” No,
actually Jerusalem is going to be conquered and exiled because
of their immorality — and you helped keep them from repent-
ing by telling them what they wanted to hear. That is not going
to end well for you…
“you will not be held guiltless…”
In fact,
you’ll be stoned.
The other straightforward violation of this verse:
oath taking
.
It was common to invoke higher powers in oaths. The implica-
tion was that the power was behind your words. The idea was
that the higher power would punish those who lied in this way.
Both of these are on the same spectrum: attempting to manipu-
late others into believing and doing what they would otherwise
not believe and do by invoking the name of God.
Hijacking the name of God to manipulate others.
If they
thought God really would back up whatever they happened to
claim — that’s actually worse. That is
attempting to manipulate
God by invoking His name.
People at the time of Jesus tried to get around this. Clearly we
can’t actually say “in the name of Yahweh…” But we can get all
the same advantages and avoid the literal use of the “name” by
saying something like “we swear by heaven.” Well, what am I
really doing with an oath? I am attempting to manipulate you
into believing me when you normally would not. My simple
Yes
or
No
isn’t good enough, probably because you are skeptical of
my character. So I will hijack the character and reputation of
God (or heaven) so that you will now believe me. Jesus calls
this sinful and calls people of the Kingdom to simple integrity:
“Let your yes be yes, and your no be no.”
When we say “name of God” we encompass the character,
power and reputation — even the person of God. So this can
get pretty subtle. How about a medieval priest who uses the
respect for and worship of Christ to amass personal power
and wealth? How about the Catholic church at the time of the
Reformation, when priests would say things like “
When the coin
in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs,”
essentially
holding your ancestors’ souls ransom in the name of God?
Without ever saying the “name,” is this still taking the Lord’s
name in vain?
Hijacking the name, character, power and
authority of God to manipulate?
Yes it is.
How about a politician who calls himself a Christian only because
it means a jump in the polls — no one who doesn’t say “Jesus”
can get elected President in America. For now. How about the
“Christian Business Directory.” Now probably most are loving
brothers and sisters who just see another opportunity to help
their business grow. But…if anyone simply adopts the name of
“Christ” to capture a little Christian bubble market share...
That’s gross.
Where is my heart?
But how would you go about taking God’s name in vain if you
wanted to? How do I do it?
Do I hijack the name, character, reputation or word of God for
my gain or glory?
I am not a false-prophet, a Pharisaic oath taker, a medieval
priest or a politician. Where are my opportunities to hijack the
name of God?
You and I wear the name of Christ.
We announce it to the world.
We share it with our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers. I
hope we do. If, at any moment, we play upon any trust or respect
that comes with that for our gain; if we do anything under the
mantle or name of God that is not in line with His purpose…we
speak in vain. If you speak on God’s behalf to impress others, you
hijack the name of God. If you tell people
“I’m a Christian”
so
that they’ll trust you…you hijack the name of God. (A realtor
once told me that this was taught to him as a strategy: join a
church, best place to get clients.)
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