Although this commandment was not given to spiritual Israel, we can readily see how the spirit of it comes to us. … We have taken the name of Christ as our name. … The holy name of the Head belongs to all the consecrated. … What carefulness the thought of this should give us, and how appropriately we should say to ourselves: "I must see to it that I have not taken the Lord's name in vain, that I appreciate the honor, dignity and responsibility of my position as His representative and ambassador in the world. I will walk circumspectly, seeking as far as possible to bring no dishonor to that name, but contrariwise to honor it in every thought and word and deed".
The name of God stands for His appellation, nature, character, reputation, honor, office and word. As God's representatives, the consecrated take His name in all these ways—now tentatively, and after the resurrection fixedly and eternally. To take His name in vain would imply either to neglect to use, or to misuse the privileges that come to us in our consecration as God's representatives. Accordingly, he who is unfaithful in his consecration takes the name of God in vain; while he who is faithful to his consecration vows, takes God's name properly and in harmony with its purpose. So to do should be our daily purpose.
Lev. 19:12; 22:32; 24:10-16; Deut. 4:10; 5:29; 10:12, 20, 21; Josh. 24:14; 1 Sam. 2:30; Job 21:14; 40:2; Prov. 30:8, 9; Rom. 12:1; Matt. 10:22; 25:14-29.
