“You shall have no other gods before me.” ~ Deut. 5:7

For many of us, this seems like an easy commandment to keep. If we focus our attention on God and don’t worship idols or even general materialistic worldly things, then we are keeping the commandment… or so we think. However, are we being honest with ourselves? What about those things that mask themselves as angels of light and appear to be the inside track to a better relationship with God, when in reality are distractions that become ends in themselves? We spend so much time trying to serve God under our own power in the way that seems best to us — whether it is abstaining from pleasurable things, being painstakingly careful to only eat a healthy diet free of refined foods, living counter to the culture… the list could go on indefinitely — and become so involved in the how that we lose sight of the Who.

For example, consider how often people argue over “standards” in which one claims the higher road to God and declares the other to be worldly and inadequate. Instead of realizing that different people can both be right while appearing to be at odds due to different callings from God, and then focusing on Him, the lifestyles and “standards” become the end in themselves and are grounds for cutting individuals off from fellowship. If the lifestyle or “standards” unconsciously become the objects of devotion, then they become the authority by which good and evil are determined. If this is the case, then those who do not live up to another’s “standards” can and often are seen to be “not right with God”. But by what “god” is one being judged?

Or what about our identity? We love to label ourselves. It gives us a sense of community by becoming a part of a larger group. Group identification, however, subconsciously requires conformity. If we claim a group’s label, then we inadvertently take on the group’s characteristics. A common label that I and many of my readers claim is “American”. But if we identify as “Americans” then we take on to ourselves whatever characterizes America, and in doing so are then compelled to think as an American should think. But what do we do if America is contrary to God, as is very often the case? We are faced with two realistic choices: (1) to be an American or (2) a God-follower. Most of us try to create option #3: reconcile the two (which typically involves creating illusions about both). However, the unpleasant reality is that unless everything else takes a backseat to God so that we deny anything that stands in the way of God or obscures God, we have allowed another god before Him.

“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.” ~ Deut. 5:11

Here’s another commandment that seems easy enough until we look deeper at the implications. The clearest meaning is extremely important. The Lord’s Name is not an exclamation, a filler-word, a swear word, etc. It is holy.

If we do not swear, are we obeying the commandment? Yes, although I think there is more to “taking the name of the Lord your God in vain” than initially comes to mind. You see, we “take the name of the Lord” every time we identify ourselves as Christians. This should serve as a sobering reminder to us as we live as Christians, knowing that if we claim Christ’s name then we are what people visualize when they think of Christ.

One more thought on this: because the term “Christian” involves taking the Lord’s name as identification — we must be very careful on how we use it. When we use terms like “Christian nation” in regards to the U.S.A., this is a form of taking the Lord’s name in vain. You see, America is not Christian. The people in America are not all Christian. It’s laws are not Christian. Yet when we say that America and its inhabitants are “Christian”, the rest of the world sees the arrogance and sin of the United States and associates it with Christ. By our very own proclamation that we live in a Christian nation, we have defamed the Name of the Lord before the world.

We must be careful to not identify anything with the Lord’s Name when it is not. Take the common phrase “God’s Standards”. Many of us have heard the term used to describe certain types of music, dress, food and drink, number of children, education of those children, etc. But these things really aren’t as black and white as they might seem. Scripture does not say, “You shall not listen to rock music. Your women shall only wear skirts. You shall have seventeen children and homeschool them all.” These are issues that are between a believer and the Lord. When we have a preference in a certain area and call it “God’s standard”, we are taking God’s name and applying it to our own laws. Suddenly we’ve made a god for ourselves (as described above) and then inappropriately used God’s name.

The finger is pointed at me. Guilty as charged.

Jeremiah 14:20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
and the iniquity of our fathers,
for we have sinned against you.
21 Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake;
do not dishonor your glorious throne;
remember and do not break your covenant with us.
22 Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain?
Or can the heavens give showers?
Are you not he, O Lord our God?
We set our hope on you,
for you do all these things.