So He said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Luke 11:2)

Keeping The Name Of God Holy

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, the Lord presented a powerful message of the character of His Father and the respect due to the Almighty. He was not giving them a formula to follow in some rote manner of vain repetition but an understanding that when addressing the Holy God of Heaven the man must come with fear and trembling. God is not the fishing buddy or golf pal where men can speak to and with God in a cavalier and casual manner. When a man approaches the Father in prayer it begins with the honor due to His name. Without this kind of respect, nothing else matters what the man says. Failing to hallow the name of God or respect the name of God as holy will bring the wrath of the Divine upon the prideful heart of man.

Moses instructed the Hebrews not to take the name of the Lord God in vain because the Lord will not hold a man guiltless who takes His name in vain. There will be severe punishment upon those who misuse the name of the Lord. The Ten Commandments was not the first time God told men not to use His name in vain. When the Hebrews came to Mount Sinai God gave them a law as a peculiar nation set apart for His purpose including various laws that had been established since the beginning of time. It was a sin to commit murder when Cain killed Abel. The first son of Adam did not break one of the Ten Commandments. He dishonored the name of God in taking a life. Sexual immorality was an abomination to God before Abraham was born and the lineage of Israel rose from his loins. Using the name of God in vain was sinful in the days of Adam and Eve.

The Ten Commandments have been abolished through the blood of Jesus Christ but the respect due to the name of God remains as clear as to when first established by the Creator in the beginning. Jesus taught through the avenue of prayer that His Father will not hold innocent those who either use the name of God in vain or allow His name to be defiled. It seems among some that as long as they do not use God’s name in vain in their speech they are not accountable to the Lord. At the same time, they will watch entertainment that uses the name of God and Jesus in an obscene and dishonored manner. Television shows, videos, and movies are filled with profane speech including the abuse of God’s name. What is tragic is when a Christian will ignore the use of God’s name being profaned as if it is part of a culture that is acceptable. Where did God change His mind about His name? How can a child of God justify the use of “Jesus” or “Jesus Christ” or the profaned name of God being damned as pleasing to the ears of the Almighty?

An illustration of how full the world has become in disrespect to the Lord God is to see the popular movies of recent years. In 2019, a movie sequel was released called, “Jumanji: The Next Level.” It was rated PG-13 which might put parents and children at ease. However, examining the context of the movie will find frequent uses of “damn”, “hell”, and the use of God’s name damned. Other foul words are included. And this is family entertainment? Television series found either through cable, YouTube, internet companies, and popular video programs are filled with entertainment laced cursing.

How many times in a movie does God allow His name to be used in vain before He is offended? It is easy to shrug off the words as what is heard every day but how insensitive the people of God have become to the holiness of God’s name. Does God mind if every other word is “My God” or “Good God” or “O my God?” The world has no respect for the name of God and many saints who call upon the Lord through prayer lie when they say, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” They are not honoring the name of God. Yes, the world is going further away from God and denying His authority. What is sad is when the Lord God looks down on the church His Son died for and see what His children are watching and allowing to be part of their homes. There are times when watching some entertainment a sudden burst of unholy language is used and the opportunity is taken to change programs. How often before renting movies like Jumanji do we verify the language content and decide not to purchase damnation to our souls? God’s name is holy and it will remain holy. What becomes unholy are the hearts that ignore the respect for His name.

The Lord will not let you go unpunished if you misuse his name.