Is Swearing a Violation of the Ten Commandments? - No. - Well, maybe... ???

[St. SteVen]

Follow-up to the topic:

Is Lying a Violation of the Ten Commandments? - No. - Well, maybe... ???

The 9th Commandments reads: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. - EXODUS 20:16 NIV Giving false testimony is perjury specifically, not lying in general. ??? perjury /pûr′jə-rē/ noun The crime of willfully and knowingly making a false statement about a material fact...

www.christianityboard.com

The common understanding is that "taking the Lord's name in vain" is what we have labeled "swearing", that is using the word "God" as an expletive. But is that what this commandment is referring to? In the same way we repackaged the commandment about not bearing false witness (perjury) as lying, we have repacked this commandment too. What does it actually mean?

Exodus 20:7 NIV
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Deuteronomy 5:11 NIV
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Matthew 5:34-37 NIV
But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.
36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a]

James 5:12 NIV
Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else.
All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

]

 

[St. SteVen]

Interestingly, I have heard people use the phrase, "I swear to God..." to qualify their claims. Ironically, I think this is a violation of the commandment.

/

 

[Bob Estey]

Follow-up to the topic:

Is Lying a Violation of the Ten Commandments? - No. - Well, maybe... ???

The 9th Commandments reads: “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. - EXODUS 20:16 NIV Giving false testimony is perjury specifically, not lying in general. ??? perjury /pûr′jə-rē/ noun The crime of willfully and knowingly making a false statement about a material fact...

www.christianityboard.com

The common understanding is that "taking the Lord's name in vain" is what we have labeled "swearing", that is using the word "God" as an expletive. But is that what this commandment is referring to? In the same way we repackaged the commandment about not bearing false witness (perjury) as lying, we have repacked this commandment too. What does it actually mean?

Exodus 20:7 NIV
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Deuteronomy 5:11 NIV
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.

Matthew 5:34-37 NIV
But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.
36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a]

James 5:12 NIV
Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else.
All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

]

We are told to love our neighbors as ourselves - is swearing consistent with that?

 

[St. SteVen]

We are told to love our neighbors as ourselves - is swearing consistent with that?

Define "swearing". Do you mean taking oaths or foul language?
I don't think the commandment has anything to do with foul language. That's my point.

I'm not promoting foul language, just making an observation about our general misunderstanding of the commandments.
The same was true about not bearing false witness, which is perjury specifically, not lying in general.
I'm not promoting lying either. I also take a stand against the way the church handles LGBTQ,
I am not promoting LGBTQ behavior, I am criticizing the church's behavior.

/

 

[Behold]

The common understanding is that "taking the Lord's name in vain" is what we have labeled "swearing

The common misunderstanding of "taking the Lord's name in vain" is swear words or curse words. So, people who have no understanding of anything related to Salvation, teach "swearing" is "taking the Lord's name in Vain">

However this has nothing to do with "taking the Lord's name" or "taking it in vain".

So....What is that?

Its to associate yourself with God, falsely.
Its to be a fake Believer.
Its to fake being a Christian.

See, when we "take the Lord's Name".. this means we are become the "Bride of Christ"....
This is to be understood as a woman taking the Man's last name, whom she Marries.
So, to Take the Lord's Name, is to become the Lord's Bride, and to "take HIS = name.., in vain" is to pretend you are Christian.

 

[Lambano]

Is Swearing a Violation of the Ten Commandments?​

Hell no!

 

[Lambano]

Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11 say...

Thou shalt not take the name of יְהוָה thy God in vain; for יְהוָה will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

(I always remember the Ten Commandments in King James's English.)

So, the commandment specifically prohibits misuse of The Name. However, Jesus pointed out in the Sermon on the Mount that the scope of the commandments against Murder and Adultery is more extensive than actual murder and actual adultery. They also extend to attitudes of the heart.

 

[Lambano]

They also extend to attitudes of the heart.

So, not only is "G**d***it!" a violation of the commandment of the commandment, so is invoking God's name to endorse a political candidate. So is using God's name to peddle waffles.

 

[St. SteVen]

Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy say...

Thou shalt not take the name of יְהוָה thy God in vain; for יְהוָה will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

(I always remember the Ten Commandments in King James's English.)

So, the commandment specifically prohibits misuse of The Name. However, Jesus pointed out in the Sermon on the Mount, the scope of the commandments against Murder and Adultery is more extensive than actual murder and actual adultery. They also extend to attitudes of the heart.

I suppose the questions becomes, what does it mean to "take the name... in vain"?
And what "name" is that? Does the title of "God" qualify as a name? (to take) ???

Due to USE of the NAME... (not a title)
Would a statement like "YHWH damn it!" be against the commandment, where as "God damn it!" would not? Or...

Would swearing the truth of a matter in the name of YHWH be a violation, whereas swearing to God would not?

]

 

[St. SteVen]

So, not only is "G**d***it!" a violation of the commandment of the commandment, so is invoking God's name to endorse a political candidate.

But is God's name actually invoked? What is God's name?

]

 

[Lambano]

Does the title of "God" qualify as a name? (to take) ???

"Officer, I was only doing 57 miles per hour in that school zone."

"Mr. President, your policies are a disaster."

"Rabbi, what do you think?"

"Captain, we've hit an iceberg and the hull is breached!"

"Doctor, what's your diagnosis?"

Brother, a title often serves as a name. In your own prayer life, how do you address God? (I guess I'm not on a first-name basis with the Almighty; I don't address Him by The Name. But I assume He knows who I'm talking to.)

 

[Lambano]

It comes down to attitudes of the heart. When Tiger Woods put his ball into Carmel Bay and a hot mic picked up his "G**d***it!" (I remember it 20 years later, because it was the only really bad shot he hit in the 2000 US Open), was he really invoking HaShem to dry out that golf ball in the fires of Gehenna? No. He wasn't thinking of God at all. Which is a prime example of taking the name "God" for nothing.

 

[St. SteVen]

Which is a prime example of taking the name "God" for nothing.

Is that a modern take on the commandment, or what was intended when it was written?

Was the commandment to prohibit the Israelites from their bad habit of saying "G*d damn it!", or something else entirely?

Is there a New Testament equivalent? (or reference to the commandment?)

Some claim that all the Commandments are repeated in the NT.

gotquestions.com says:

3) Do not misuse the name of the LORD (1 Timothy 6:1)

1 Timothy 6:1 NIV
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,
so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.

/

 

[St. SteVen]

gotquestions.com says:

3) Do not misuse the name of the LORD (1 Timothy 6:1)

1 Timothy 6:1 NIV
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect,
so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.

Seems like a stretch to me.

]

 

[Bob Estey]

Define "swearing". Do you mean taking oaths or foul language?
I don't think the commandment has anything to do with foul language. That's my point.

I'm not promoting foul language, just making an observation about our general misunderstanding of the commandments.
The same was true about not bearing false witness, which is perjury specifically, not lying in general.
I'm not promoting lying either. I also take a stand against the way the church handles LGBTQ,
I am not promoting LGBTQ behavior, I am criticizing the church's behavior.

/

I'm talking about foul language. We're supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves. When you swear, how do people around you feel?

 

[Lambano]

Is that a modern take on the commandment, or what was intended when it was written?

Was the commandment to prohibit the Israelites from their bad habit of saying "G*d damn it!", or something else entirely?

I think the overall purpose of the commandment is to impress upon God's people God's utter sacredness/holiness/set-apart-ness.

 

[St. SteVen]

I'm talking about foul language. We're supposed to love our neighbors as ourselves. When you swear, how do people around you feel?

That's fine, but how would you answer the topic title question?

In some environments foul language is acceptable. We tend to shield ourselves in the church.

/

 

[St. SteVen]

St. SteVen said:
Is that a modern take on the commandment, or what was intended when it was written?
Was the commandment to prohibit the Israelites from their bad habit of saying "G*d damn it!", or something else entirely?

I think the overall purpose of the commandment is to impress upon God's people God's utter sacredness/holiness/set-apart-ness.

Was the intent then to correct some behavior that was common among the Israelites at the time? If so, what?

Also looking for supporting scripture. I tend to link this one. I think this is the sort of misuse that was common.

Matthew 5:34-37 NIV
But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.
36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.
37 All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.[a]

--- COMPARE ---

Matthew 23:16-18 NIV
“Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple,
it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’
17 You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred?
18 You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing;
but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’

Matthew 23:20-22 NIV
Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.
21 And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it.
22 And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

]

 

[Taken]

Is Swearing a Violation of the Ten Commandments? - No. - Well, maybe... ???

Swear-ING…has a plethora of man-made connotations spun off from, meaning…

* FROM: Pledging a declaration, vow, oath, absolution, of Truth..
* TO: cussing, cursing, writing, speaking words, acronym's, society has deemed “not nice”, “not acceptable”….
(With a plethora of “caveats”…whom to whom, when, Publically, Privately.)

Violation of the Ten Commandments?
No.

The Ten Commandments ARE both positive and negative Commands.

Meaning …
Positive…..Thou SHALT DO.
Negative…Thou SHALT NOT DO.

Thou SHALT DO, carries a Positive Blessing Result.
Thou SHALT NOT DO, carries a Negative Curse Result.

Acknowledging the Positive Blessing result, and /or the Negative Curse result…is EXPRESSED…with “Positive and Negative” words…that reveal the acknowledging.

Blessed, Saved, Converted, etc.
Damned, hell, crap, dastardly, damn, etc.

Glory to God,
Taken

 

[Bob Estey]

That's fine, but how would you answer the topic title question?

In some environments foul language is acceptable. We tend to shield ourselves in the church.

/

In some environments, adultery is acceptable. Does that make adultery okay?