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 KJV)

We all agree that cursing with God’s or Jesus’ name in the midst of the curse is wrong.  I do not believe God mainly deals with that in this third of the Ten Commandments.   No, this prohibition deals with something far more insidious, far more evil.

Today, for the first time in history we see men and women approved for the Christian ministry who literally teach that God accepts and blesses people in their continuing sins and sinfulness.  Many of these ministers continue on in their own sins while they teach others to do the same.  This week, for example, we learned that the Episcopal Divinity School in Cambridge  unanimously elected a new dean, Dr. Katherine Ragsdale.  An article regarding her, on Via Media, quotes her as saying,

And when a woman becomes pregnant within a loving, supportive, respectful relationship; has every option open to her; decides she does not wish to bear a child; and has access to a safe, affordable abortion – there is not a tragedy in sight — only blessing. The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call is simply blessing.

These are the two things I want you, please, to remember – abortion is a blessing and our work is not done.”

Here we see a perfect example of using God’s name in vain.  Dr. Ragsdale says, “The ability to enjoy God’s good gift of sexuality without compromising one’s education, life’s work, or ability to put to use God’s gifts and call [by having an abortion so that it does not interfere with your perceived work and call] is simply blessing.”  Such thinking, such teaching, such a view of our Most Holy God is perverse to the extreme. 

Practicing homosexuals who preach, teach, and oversee other Christians, as well as all pastors, elders, teachers and other Christian officials who approve of homosexuals doing so make up the other blatant example of this type of perversity so common in the Christian world today.  Anyone who teaches others in the Name of Christ and/or God that Christ and God approve of and bless them in their continuing unrepentant sin take the LORD’s name in vain.

God says that he “will not hold them guiltless.”  What does this mean?  Make no mistake, some of these perverted souls who preach rebellion in the name of Jesus actually do believe in him.  They believe they will be saved by him.  But, he says, “No, no, no! I will not hold you guiltless for preaching rebellion in my Name and for taking my Name in vain.  For outside of my Kingdom are and will remain the dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”  See Revelation 22:15.

Their judgment will be no simple, “Oh, you were naughty!”  NO!  “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”  (Isaiah 5:20-21 KJV)

Let us humbly repent of our many sins and seek God’s grace that we would not ever take his holy Name in vain!