What is forbidden in the third commandment?
The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning and abusing of any thing whereby God makes himself known.
Proofs
- The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning and abusing of any thing whereby God makes himself known. (Malachi 1:6–7, 12; 2:2; 3:14)
Additional Exposition
Section 1
Is it a great sin to profane God’s name?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: They profaned my holy name, (Ezekiel 36:20)
Is it a profanation of God’s name to use it as an expletive in discourse?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Let your communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil, (Matthew 5:37)
Or as a charm?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: As those exorcists who said we adjure you by Jesus, (Acts 19:13)
Or as a sanction for cruelty?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Your brethren that hated you and cast you out, said, Let the Lord be glorified, (Isaiah 66:5)
Is God’s name also profaned by putting a slight upon sacred things?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Cursed be he that voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing, for I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is dreadful, (Malachi 1:14)
Section 2
Is blasphemy a breach of this commandment?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Foolish people have blasphemed thy name, (Psalm 74:18)
And hypocrisy?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: For unto the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes, (Psalm 50:16)
Is this a great sin?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Their heart is divided, now shall they be found faulty, (Hosea 10:2)
And a destructive sin?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, (Job 36:13)
Should we therefore be careful to avoid it?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy, (Luke 12:1)
Section 3
Is this commandment broken by sinful and unnecessary lots?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: They cast pur, that is the lot, before Haman from day to day, (Esther 3:7)
And by profane cursing?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing, my brethren, these things ought not to be, (James 3:10)
And by rash swearing?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Above all things, my brethren, swear not, (James 5:12)
And by false swearing?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Ye shall not swear by my name falsely, (Leviticus 19:12)
Section 4
Is it a great sin to swear falsely?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: For it blasphemeth that worthy name, by which we are called, (James 2:7)
Is it a sin that brings a curse upon the persons who are guilty of it?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Will ye steal, murder and swear falsely, therefore I will cast you out of my sight, (Jeremiah 7:9, 15)
And upon their families?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: It shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name, (Zechariah 5:4)
And upon the land?
Answer: Yes.
Proof: Because of swearing the land mourns, (Jeremiah 23:10)