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I. WHAT IS REQUIRED. The holy and reverent use of God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works.

II. WHAT IS FORBIDDEN. All profaning or abusing of anything whereby God makes Himself known. This command is broken two ways —

1. By not using the name of God as is required (Malachi 2:2). So as many duties as are required, so many sins there are in omitting these duties. Hence this command is broken by our not hallowing and glorifying God's name, by not taking up the name of God into our minds, lips, and lives.

2. By profaning or abusing of the name of God; that is, anything whereby God makes Himself known.

1. When it is used ignorantly, as it was by the Athenians, whom the apostle Paul charges with worshipping God ignorantly (Acts 18:23).

2. When it is used vainly and irreverently, that is, lightly and rashly.

3. When the name of God is used superstitiously.

4. When it is used profanely and wickedly.

(1) Profane swearing.

(2) Sinful imprecations or cursings, whereby people pray for some evil against themselves or others, whether absolutely or conditionally.

(3) Perjury is falsehood confirmed with an oath.

(4) Blasphemy, which is a wronging of the majesty of God, by speeches tending to His reproach.Having spoken of the more gross and palpable breaches of this command, I shall now consider other ways how the Lord's name is abused and taken in vain.

1. With respect to His names and titles. They are taken in vain —

(1) When they are not improved for those uses to which they natively attend (see Malachi 1:6).

(2) When we make an ill use of them, either to encourage ourselves in sin by them, or to drive us away from Him by terror, or to any other use dishonourable to God, and contrary to the intent of the revelation of them to us.

2. With respect to His attributes, God's name is abused —

(1) By the working of unbelief against them, doubting of, questioning, and denying them.

(2) By the aversion of the heart unto them, and its rising against them (Romans 8:7).

(3) By using them to wrong ends and purposes. Thus the mercy of God is. abused to encouragement in sin; His patience to continuance in it; His justice to desperation, etc. (Ecclesiastes 8:11; Romans 2:4, 5).

3. With respect to His ordinances. The name of God is abused in ordinances when we do not go about them after the right manner, etc.

4. With respect to His Word, men are guilty of profaning the name of God —

(1) By misimproving and misapplying the Word of God, as the Pharisees did (Matthew 5; Ezekiel 13:19).

(2) Jesting upon it (Jeremiah 23:33).

(3) Using it to the maintenance of erroneous principles, unprofitable questions, and vain janglings (2 Timothy 2:14, 15).

5. With respect to His works, men are guilty of profaning the name of God, when they use the works and creatures of God to sinful lusts and practices.

6. Men profane the name of God, in respect of religion, and the profession of it.

(1) By maligning, scorning, and reviling religion, and the profession of it.

(2) By a hypocritical profession.

(3) By a scandalous walk.

III. THE REASON ANNEXED. This is, that however the breakers of this commandment may escape punishment from men, yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape His righteous judgment.

1. Whence it is that men think so lightly of the profaning of the name of God, so that in effect they hold themselves guiltless.

(1) It proceeds from that wicked and malicious spirit the devil (James 3:6).

(2) it springs from the low and mean thoughts they have of God and His dreadful name (Psalm 36:1, 2).

(3) There are many profanations of the name of God, that untender men will not allow to be such. They are not and will not be convinced of a fault in them, as in obsecrations, appeals to God, adjurations, etc. But a due sense of the majesty of that name would clear people's minds in these things (Matthew 5:37).

(4) There are many profanations of that name which men do not at all observe, as profaning that holy name in duties by formality, and want of faith and fervency.

(5) It proceeds from the passion of anger or malice.

(6) Custom in taking the name of God in vain takes away the sense of it.

(7) Swearing proceeds from unwatchfulness.

(8) In some it proceeds from vanity and hellish bravery.

2. Whence it is that profaners of the name of God escape punishment from men.

(1) Little zeal for God's honour.

(2) Those who ought to put in operation the laws against swearing are themselves often guilty of that sin.

3. I proceed to show how God will not let men escape with it; that He will by no means hold them guiltless. Consider that the profaning of the name of God is a sin —

(1) That brings wrath upon a land (Hosea 4:1, 2; Jeremiah 5:7, 9).

(2) It brings wrath upon families (Zechariah 5:3, 4).

(3) It brings a curse upon particular persons.

4. What is the great evil of this sin, that it is so severely punished?

(1) It is a sin that is directly against God, His glorious greatness and infinite majesty.

(2) It is a direct violation of the law of God, "Swear not at all"; "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." Have you no respect to the authority of God?

(3) It is not only a violation of the law of God, but a breach of men's laws.

(4) It is a sin that has a peculiar contempt of God in it, striking most directly against His honour (Psalm 139:20).

(5) It is most directly contrary to the great end of all Divine revelation. The first petition in the Lord's Prayer is, "Hallowed be Thy name."(6) It has a particular malignity in it, and in a most special manner proceeds from the devil, as it has less to carry us to it than ordinary sins have. What profit or pleasure can be derived from it?

(7) Common swearers and cursers will be found to be men either of consciences already seared, or next door to it. I shall conclude all with a very short word of improvement.

1. How can these lands escape a stroke that have so much of this guilt to answer for?

2. I warn all gross profaners of the name of God to repent and flee to the blood of Christ for pardon; certifying, that if ye do not, ye shall lie under the wrath of God for ever.

3. Let us endeavour not only to reform ourselves, but contribute to the reformation of others in this point.

(T. Boston. D. D.)

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KJV: 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.

WEB: "You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.