Princeton Presbyterian Church (EPC) Sermon # 1739
July 12, 2026
Exodus 20.7 Click here for audio worship.
Dr. Ed Pettus
(This is an extended outline, not a verbatim transcript.)
“Third Commandment – What is Required”
“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.
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The Name
Exodus 3 tells the story of Moses’ encounter with God at Mt. Horeb. While Moses was taking care of his Father-in-law’s flock of sheep and goats, he encountered a burning bush. The bush burned but was not consumed by the flame. As Moses approached to see this very unusual sight, the voice of God spoke, “Moses, Moses, come no closer but remove your sandals for this is holy ground.” God spoke to Moses about the suffering of God’s people and that He would send Moses to set them free. As the conversation progressed, Moses asked God what he is to say if they ask for God’s name. It is at this point that we are given the Name. In fancy scholarship talk it is called the Tetragrammaton, which really just means it has four Hebrew letters – Y-H-W-H. For pronunciation purposes we add vowels to pronounce it as Yahweh. This is the Name God gives to Moses. In the Bible names have meaning. Names have meaning today as well in various languages. Perhaps we have looked up the meaning of our names or when we were contemplating what to name a child we looked up various meanings. Edwin means “wealthy friend”, which I trust has little to do with finances! My middle name, Hoyt, means “stick” and was a nickname for a thin person, which was once true for me.
Yahweh is translated in the English Standard Version as “I am who I am”. It is believed to come from the verb “to be” or “to exist”. Other translations are similar, “I will be who I will be”. This Name, THE Name, reveals to us the God who is, always has been, and always will be. This is the Living God and His Name is Yahweh. All the false gods, little ‘g’, are more like “yahoos”.
In orthodox Judaism the Name Yahweh is never spoken. They so deeply revere the Name that they only use alternate names like Adonai, meaning the Lord. When you read English articles from the orthodox, they do not even spell out the term God, instead it is written as G-d. We can at least appreciate the reverence shown to the Name of God. The Name should be honored and revered and, as the Bible teaches, we are to call on the Name, bless the Name, praise the Name. Psalm 8 is a wonderful example of revering the Name:
Psalm 8.1 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
8.9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
In reading that, you cannot see that “O Lord, our Lord” is written in different fonts. In most English Bibles we will see the Name “Yahweh” distinguished with small caps, L-o-r-d. All other names like Adonai are in lower case, L-o-r-d. We usually read Scripture without ever noticing the difference. That is understandable, but perhaps the next time we are in the Word we can be on the lookout! It will certainly slow down our reading and enable us to see even more.
The Name is important and we should also revere the Name of God. The Name represents God’s character and identity in so far as we can know the unknowable. God has revealed Himself in many ways, through the Name, but also in His actions of deliverance, redemption, protection, love, grace, and mercy. We are taught to pray in the Name of Jesus. We are to hallow the Name in the Lord’s prayer.
We know how we seek to protect our own names, family names in particular. Parents will warn their children not to shame the family name. We have a reputation to keep. The name Hitler is forever shamed, for example. Consider what it means that Jesus will be given a name above every name. Philippians 2.9-11, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Among other things this means that the Name Jesus is given authority, reputation, status, influence, honor, and at the Name every knee should bow.
I do not know exactly what to make of this verse in Ephesians, but it appears that every family has been named by God! Ephesians 3.14-15, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named...” The word for “family” is closely linked to the word for “Father” in verse 14. One possible thought is that all families, all fatherhood, comes from the Creator Father of all things. But the point for this morning is that every family above and below is named from the Father of Heaven! Names matter. Maybe I will market a T-Shirt that states, “Names Matter #3”
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To Take the Name
The Third Commandment requires that we treat the Name of God with holy reverence. We must take the Name of God seriously in how we use the Name. The first requirement in the Larger Catechism is how we take the Name in our thoughts and meditations. Malachi 3.16 speaks to those who fear the Lord and esteem His Name. Psalm 8, as we have already seen, calls us to praise the majesty of His Name. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! God’s Name is majestic. The literal translation of majestic is “wide”, as in great width of power and excellence. It is really really big! Because the Name is wide in the sense of big, weighty, and of great substance, it is to be taken with such care and reverence that we do nothing to dishonor the Name.
Traditionally we have interpreted this Commandment, or at least thought of it solely, in how we speak. To not take the name in vain is to not speak the name in vain. Do not trivialize God’s name. Do not use the Name in any inappropriate manner. No G-D language or the Name of Jesus Christ in a vain manner. This means we are never to empty the Name of its “width” by stripping it of its worth and excellence! The name is vast and encompasses greatness to be revered. This does not mean we have to go as far as an orthodox Jew and never speak the Name, but we certainly do not ever want to rob the Name of its holiness by flippantly tossing it across our lips. The Catechism even restricts our thoughts and meditations to holy reverence at the Name which certainly would help control our speech.
When I first came to believe in Christ, I remember much of what I read used capital letters to refer to pronouns for God. “He or Him” was always capped and we do not see that as often. I started capping my God pronouns a few years ago out of this type of reverence for the Name. Even in this sermon I decided to capitalize the “N” in every reference to God’s Name.
The Third Commandment calls us to revere the Name in our words and our writings. Colossians is used in the Catechism as a text to this end, (3.17), “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Do everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus. Think about the practicality of what that may mean. Can I do this or that in the Name of Jesus? It would be difficult to ask that question in all situations, but we can develop a greater respect and reverence for the Name so that it becomes second nature for us to do all things in the Name of Jesus. Psalm 105 helps us with this point. “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered” (1-5) How might we foster greater reverence for the Name? The Psalm invites us to these things: Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His Name, tell others about what He has done, sing to Him, praise Him, glory in His Name, seek Him, rejoice in Him and remember all that His has done and said. In these things God becomes our life as we give thanks and tell of Him and we are much less likely to break the Third Commandment.
A name is synonymous with the person. When we call someone by name we are calling the person, not just a name. When we call upon the Name of the Lord we are calling upon the Lord Himself. When we glory in the Name, we glory in the Lord. This is how we are to take the Name, not in vain, but in reverence and awe that we may indeed do all things in the Name of Jesus.
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To Carry the Name
Our final point today is rooted in another meaning for the word “take”. The Hebrew word also carries the meaning “to carry”. Do not carry the Name of the Lord your God in vain. In one sense this reflects how we bear the Name in our lives. As we identify ourselves as Christian, we are carrying the identity as someone who believes and professes the Name above all names. We are in Christ and Christ is in us. The Third Commandment speaks to our actions as much as it does about our speech. Perhaps even more so. How damaging is to see those who use the Name in speech but abuse the Name in their evil deeds? Preachers who prey on the elderly through a prosperity gospel, false teachers who use the Name to lead people into cults. These and others carry the Name but carry it in vain.
The Bible often uses the word “walk” to speak about our lives. We walk in the way of God is to say we live in the way of God. Micah 4.5, “For all the peoples walk each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God forever and ever.” In our walk, our life, we carry the Name of the Lord. We represent the Lord Jesus Christ on the earth. 2 Corinthians 5.20, “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.” The way we live out our faith demonstrates whether or not our conduct is in concert with our profession of faith. We have to examine our lives from time to time to make sure our manner of life is worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1.27).
1 Peter 2.12 speaks to the way we carry the Name. “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.” The Third Commandment is not just about how we use the Name in our speech, but it is about how we also represent the Name in our lives. Honorable conduct represents an honorable Name. Behavior that reflects the holiness of God also speaks to the holiness of the Name. Titus 1.16 is an excellent example of an improper walk in carrying the Name. “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” One cannot profess the Name and do that which carries the Name in vain.
The second half of the Third Commandment states, the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. How we treat the Name has accountability. We see and hear regularly people in the public who profane the Name in one way or another. We also see those who profess the Name who deny God by their works. One of the puritan thinkers has said this part of the Commandment “should put a lock upon our lips” that we not take His Name in vain (Thomas Watson). In the same way we should put a guard around our walk that we might live in ways that revere the Name.
What is required of the Third Commandment? To honor and respect God’s Name in how we speak and how we live, that is, to take and to carry the Name with utmost reverence so as to not treat the Name as if it has no width to it, no majesty, no power, no meaning or character. Holy is the Lord and holy is the Name. May we take and carry the Name in the fullness of reverence and praise. Amen.
