“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” (Exodus 20: 7).
The Jews practiced or adhered to this commandment in its literal sense. Since the Lord (Jehovah) is known to them as the man of war, they did not call his name mundanely, because whenever they called his name he acted (Exodus 15:3). But looking at this Commandment with a New Testament view, we will discover God’s intention was not what the Jews practiced, but it was a symbol of the reality in the New Testament.
Not “taking the name of the Lord in vain…” means to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and saviour (John 3:8, 18). “In his name the nations will put their trust.” (Matthew 12:21) “Jesus name had become well known…” (Mark 6:14) “Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mark 11:9-10) (See also John 8:18, John 5: 43, John 10:25, John 12: 28, John 14:13, 14, 26, John 20: 31, John15:16, John 16:23-24, 26, Acts 2:21, Acts 17:26)
When a sinner believes in his name he stands justified and God is glorified. Taking the name of the Lord in vain means calling the name without believing in it. A sinner who called on the name of the Jesus seven times everyday and does not believe in the name for the salvation of his soul, is in vain because the name does not mean anything to him, it does not transform his life. “For the Lord will not hold him guiltless…” means if you keep calling the name without believing in him, in your death you will remain guilty before God.
Such a person will be guilty because he did not believe in Jesus Christ as the Lord and saviour. Compare Exodus 20:7 and Philippians 2:9-11. No matter the nation one belongs to and how sweet the name sounds to them if he or she did not believe in the name of Jesus he stands condemned before God (Proverbs 18: 10).
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