for God. Taking God’s name in vain, then, means misusing any of these
things for idle chatter, lies, deceptions, curses, sorcery, or magic spells.
This too is abusing and blaspheming God, and therefore his name.
From the following passages you can see that the Word and anything
from it that is used in the church or in any worship is God’s name:
From the rising of the sun my name will be invoked. (Isaiah 41 : 25 )
From the rising of the sun to the setting of it, great is my name among
the nations. In every place incense is offered to my name. But you des-
ecrate my name when you say, “Jehovah’s table is defiled.” And you
sneeze at my name when you bring offerings that are stolen, lame, and
sick. (Malachi 1 : 11 , 12 , 13 )
All peoples walk in the name of their God; we walk in the name of
Jehovah our God. (Micah 4 : 5 )
They are to worship Jehovah in one place, the place where he will put
his name (Deuteronomy 12 : 5 , 11 , 13 , 14 , 18 ; 16 : 2 , 6 , 11 , 15 , 16 ),that is, where Jehovah will locate their worship of him.
Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am
there in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18 : 20 )
As many as received him, he gave them power to be children of God, if
they believed in his name. (John 1 : 12 )
Those who do not believe have already been judged because they have
not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3 : 18 )
Those who believe will have life in his name. (John 20 : 31 )
Jesus said, “I have revealed your name to people and have made your
name known to them.” (John 17 : 26 )
The Lord said, “You have a few names in Sardis.” (Revelation 3 : 4 )
There are also many passages similar to these in which the name of
God means the divine quality which radiates from God and through
which he is worshiped.
The name of Jesus Christ, however, means everything related to his
redeeming humankind and everything related to his teaching, and there-
fore everything through which he saves. “Jesus” means all his efforts to
save the human race through redemption; “Christ” means all his efforts
to save the human race through teaching.
§298 the ten commandments 365