What does the commandment 'Thou shalt not use the Lord's name in vain' mean?

Answer 1

not using his name as a curse word. not swearing with his name. treating his name with respect and honor.

Answer 2

Thou Shalt Not Take The Name of The Lord Thy God in Vain, for the Lord Will Not Hold Him Guiltless, who Taketh His Name in Vain. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN ?
We should fear and Love God so that we do not curse , swear or conjure, lie or decieve by his name, but call upon Him in every time of need, and worship Him, with Prayer, Praise and Thanksgiving. To swear by using God's name is the worse. Like damning someone and placing God's name before the damn. Good question and hopefully it will help people to know this.

Answer 3

Well, I can only answer that in relation to what my faith teaches me about it.
It means that you should not utter either God's names--He has several, including Jesus and Christ and Jesus Christ, to name some of them, or the name God for any reason whatsoever, unless in prayer or petition to Him, or in response to a question about religion or Him, or in the performance of a legal obligation to do so.
It has a similarity akin to legitimate and illegitimate. To use the names of God for no legitimate purpose is to take (or use, if you will) His name in "vain"; that is, without good (or legitimate, if you will) reason or purpose.
Hope this helps you.

Answer 4

Here's the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther's answer. It's about 500 years old, but it's still a good one: "We should fear and love God that we may not curse, swear, use witchcraft, lie, or deceive by His name, but call upon it in every trouble, pray, praise, and give thanks." In addition to that, we are not to say God's name for no good purpose, in other words, uselessly. That's what "in vain" means.

Answer 5

It means don't make an oath lightly, and not follow through with it. Don't swear on anything under heaven or in heaven using God's name because God's name is HOLY.

Answer 6

it means you don't ever use the Lord's Name in curses, foul expressions. or say His Name in a careless, cursory manner, for silly unnecessary mentions.

You , if under oath in a court of law - may with great reverance, say "I swear, so help me God". And then if you lie, God's justice will punish you for your invoking His Name to witness a lie.

It means you never mention God's Holy Name for silly and base purposes - but only for grave, solemn, sincere, testimony where you submit your words to His Judgement.

Is it clearer now ???????? I hope so.

Answer 7

Basically it means phrases such as, "God damnit!" should not be used. Even if you don't really mean it, you're not supposed to command God in any way or call to him unless you calling upon him for serious purposes, a prayer for example.

Answer 8

It means don't swear unless you want the Lord to really zap somebody. Don't ask for a frivolous zap.

Answer 9

No cursing or taking oaths or swearing to God-- any frivolous use of the Lord's name (and all that involves) is forbidden.

Answer 10

II. Taking the Name of the Lord in Vain

2150 The second commandment forbids false oaths. Taking an oath or swearing is to take God as witness to what one affirms. It is to invoke the divine truthfulness as a pledge of one's own truthfulness. An oath engages the Lord's name. "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him, and swear by his name."

2151 Rejection of false oaths is a duty toward God. As Creator and Lord, God is the norm of all truth. Human speech is either in accord with or in opposition to God who is Truth itself. When it is truthful and legitimate, an oath highlights the relationship of human speech with God's truth. A false oath calls on God to be witness to a lie.

2152 A person commits perjury when he makes a promise under oath with no intention of keeping it, or when after promising on oath he does not keep it. Perjury is a grave lack of respect for the Lord of all speech. Pledging oneself by oath to commit an evil deed is contrary to the holiness of the divine name.

2153 In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explained the second commandment: "You have heard that it was said to the men of old, 'You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I say to you, Do not swear at all.... Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from the evil one." Jesus teaches that every oath involves a reference to God and that God's presence and his truth must be honored in all speech. Discretion in calling upon God is allied with a respectful awareness of his presence, which all our assertions either witness to or mock.

2154 Following St. Paul, The tradition of the Church has understood Jesus' words as not excluding oaths made for grave and right reasons (for example, in court). "An oath, that is the invocation of the divine name as a witness to truth, cannot be taken unless in truth, in judgment, and in justice."

2155 The holiness of the divine name demands that we neither use it for trivial matters, nor take an oath which on the basis of the circumstances could be interpreted as approval of an authority unjustly requiring it. When an oath is required by illegitimate civil authorities, it may be refused. It must be refused when it is required for purposes contrary to the dignity of persons or to ecclesial communion.