The Third Commandment

Most modern church goers that read the Bible teach that using curse words is violating the third commandment. Words like darn, shoot, gee, gosh, and a whole lot stronger words that that, is not a violation of the commandment.

Actually, using God's name in some form of cussing is not what is meant by:
Exo 20:7 Thou shalt not take the name of "the LORD" thy God in vain; for "the LORD" will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.

If using curse words that include God's name is not what the third commandment means, then what does it mean?

The term "taking God's name in vain" comes from Exodus 20, verse 7, and Deuteronomy 5, verse 11, and is the third of ten seperate commandments.  These commandments are a matter of life and death in the eternal sense. This verse has come down to us from the Hebrew at the time of Moses, and was translated by the King James translators in 1611 into English. The English language, and the words they used then are archaic and in many cases do not make much sense to us today in many cases. The word vain is one of them.

In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon has a lot to say about the word vain and vanity. I think we can get a better understanding of what is meant by reading two verses. Solomon says in chapter Ecc 1:2 Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. To illustrate further, he makes an interesting point about what vanity is in the scheme of human life.  This is an amazing statement that almost no bible reader seems to believe. Ecc 3:19-20 For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20 All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. In other words, everything we do in our lifetime will come to nothing. All is forgotten, and none of our works will last.

Dr James Strong in 1890 published his concordance in which he gave every Hebrew and Greek word in the King James a number, and defined the word.  The number for "vain" is Strong's number 7723 in the Hebrew. The definition of H7723 is:  "shav" From the same as H7722 in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin), uselessness (as deceptive): - false (-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.  The Brown Driver's and Briggs Definition agrees with Strong: 1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood 1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity  1b) emptiness of speech, lying.  This is very important that we understand that when we take God's name in vain, we actually are desolating it, destroying it, bringing it to ruin, falsifying it, deceiving, or lying.  Now, lets look at what is commonly called "the Lord's prayer:

In Luke chapter 11, this is what is said:  Luk 11:2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  It is time to ask the question, what is it?

Lets use more proper and descriptive words to state the third commandment in a way we can understand it:  You shall not destroy (by falsifying) the name of Yahweh your God, for Yahweh will hot hold him guiltless that takes his name and brings it to nothing (by falsifying it, destroying it, deceiving by removing it or replacing it with some other). That is what is meant by vain.

So, what is God's name?  It is only found in one verse in the King James, and has been removed and replaced with the two words that are not his name, and they are "the LORD".  Almost eight thousand times that name has been removed from most bible translations.  Some have replaced it improperly with Jehovah (see Strong's #H1943).  That verse that reveals God's name is Psa 68:4 Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.

There was no "J" in the English language until the early 1700s, so you can simply change the "J" to a "Y" as in the phrase we use all the time which is HalelluYah.  Yah is God's name. It is a short form of the name Yahweh. Look this name up in a dictionary, encyclopedia, or on the Internet.  The name Yah occurs four more times in the New Testament in Revelation 19. See if you can find it. Try verse one.

What is interesting is that when we read the third commandment in the King James, or just about any other version, the violation of the third commandment is within the verse itself that you are reading, by changing the glorious true name of Yahweh into a deceptive title called "the LORD".  Just as important, God is not a name either. It also is a title. Paul states: 1Co 8:5 For though there be (those) that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 

There is one God of the bible. His name is Yahweh.  There is one Son of God, and his name, just like "the LORD", has been changed by translation from Yahshua to Jesus. Paul writes:  Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other (name): for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Don't you think it is about time we get these cosmic and glorious names right, and cease violating the third commandment?  Do no murder, do not steal, do not commit adultery, do not desolate Yahweh's name because all of the commandment have the same weight.  The commandments are to be kept today.  (Read the article Paul and the Law)

Here is some good advice from Yahweh:
Deu 4:2 You shall not add to the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish from it, that you may keep the commandments of Yahweh your God which I command you.

Here is some good advice from our savior:
Mat 19:17 He said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." (including the third and fourth)
Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints, those who keep the commandments of Yahweh and the faith of Yahshua."

As we have seen, cursing any one, or any thing is not a violation of "the third commandment".  Removing, changing, or falsifying it, is most definately a violation of the commandment.