• What does it mean to take God’s name “in vain”?
• What guidelines does Scripture give us regarding obscene language and oaths?

The third commandment reads: “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.” (Ex. 20:7)

THE MEANING OF THE COMMANDMENT

1. The Meaning of “Name.”
2. The Meaning of “Take … in Vain.”
3. The Command Forbids Foolish or Worthless Uses of God’s Name. 

CATEGORIES OF OFFENSIVE SPEECH

The three categories of such speech are:

1. Taking God’s name in vain (that is, using God’s name in a dishonorable way)
2. Cursing (expressing a wish that someone would be damned or condemned)
3. Using obscene or unclean language (using offensive words that have to do with bathroom activities or sexual activities)

 DRAMA AND FILMS: THE QUESTION OF QUOTING OR PORTRAYING UNBELIEVERS

What if a Christian has a role portraying an unbeliever in a theater production or a movie? Would it be acceptable in that role to speak as an unbeliever would normally speak? Are there any limits on what is right for a Christian to say in such circumstances?

1. There Is a Difference between Pretending to Do an Action and Actually Doing the Action.

2. There Is a Difference between Watching a Movie or Play and Acting in It.

OATHS

2. An oath is an appeal for God’s punishment if your statement is untruthful. When a person swears an oath, it is as if he were saying, “If I am not telling the truth, I call on God himself to punish me for it.”
3. Oaths in the Bible.
4. It Is Morally Acceptable for Christians to Take Oaths?