I always wondered about this commandment because sometimes I will exclaim “Oh, my God,” when I’m surprised or mad- but I do it with no evil intention. I would never want to do something if I truly felt it offended or hurt God in any way.
But it’s an expression which became popular because the speaker was invoking the help of God which, truthfully, when I say “Oh, my God” it’s typically in a situation where I would need God’s help.
Curious about it, I looked up the third commandment in the New King James version of the Bible, which many would agree is the closest translation to the truest Word of God, and found that the commandment actually states, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”
Well, this changes everything… (for me anyway)
The English language is funny- we all know how some things make no sense. For example: their, there and they’re – the same word spelled three different ways to mean different things. Funny. But words literally mean something and when you break a sentence down to the specific word often times you’re left with the actual meaning and not an expression or saying we take for granted.
The word “take” actually means to lay hold of and bring with you or to convey something. To be married and “take” my husbands last name means that I now identify myself with him. So, if I take God’s name that should mean that I identify myself with Him. Right?
But to take this identity in vain, as if only for the superficial or exterior benefit of the identification, wouldn’t that be wrong? If I am married and I change my name due to marriage but continue to date other men, doesn’t that make me an adulteress and therefor wrong?
Many people people say they believe in God or live for God but are they really? Do their actions give truth to their declaration? Or is it in vain?
Which is the real sin? To exclaim “Oh, my God” during a time of stress or to pretend to be someone you’re not? To act “holy” but not be holy? Personally, I believe God would be angry at the latter. I wouldn’t want someone to “take” my name for themselves and then act like a complete idiot.
Thankfully, God knows and judges the heart and in my “Oh My God” times He knows I’m not trying to disrespect Him. So even if saying the phrase is wrong He will teach me to stop saying it by convicting my heart and helping me to change. But, God, please forgive me if I’ve ever taken your name and not lived up to your standard or brought you shame. To me that’s the greatest sin of all.
Becoming Invincible 