The Third Commandment: Honoring God’s Name in All of Life

The Westminster Larger Catechism turns our attention to the third commandment by asking, “What is the third commandment?” It answers, “The third commandment is, ‘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.’” It then asks, “What is required in the third commandment?” The answer is, “The third commandment requires that the name of God, his titles, attributes, ordinances, the Word, sacraments, prayer, oaths, vows, lots, his works, and whatever else there is by which he makes himself known, be treated as holy and reverently used in thought, meditation, word, and writing, by a profession of faith accompanied by holiness and a consistent lifestyle, to the glory of God and the good of ourselves and others.”

The Third Commandment Is About More Than Our Words

Many people hear the third commandment and think only of using God’s name as a careless expression or a curse. That is certainly covered, but the commandment reaches much further. God’s name represents everything by which he makes himself known. His names, titles, attributes, Word, worship, sacraments, and works all reveal something of who he is. To take his name “in vain” is to treat that revelation as empty, common, or unimportant.

God’s name is holy because God himself is holy. Moses warned Israel to fear “this glorious and awesome name, the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 28:58). The psalmist similarly calls us to “ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name” (Psalm 29:2). We do not make God’s name holy; it is already holy. Our duty is to recognize its holiness and respond with reverence, love, faith, and obedience.

This is why Jesus teaches us to begin our prayers, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). Before asking for daily bread, forgiveness, or deliverance, we ask that God’s name would be honored. The third commandment teaches us to desire the same thing: that God would be treated as holy in our hearts, our homes, our churches, and our world.

Honoring God’s Name in Worship

The third commandment especially shapes the way we approach worship. Ecclesiastes warns, “Guard your steps when you go to the house of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:1). Worship is a joyful privilege, but it must never become casual in the sense of being careless. We gather before the living God, hear his Word, sing his praise, seek him in prayer, and receive the signs of his covenant grace.

Biblical reverence is not coldness or fear that drives us away. It draws near with wonder, humility, and gratitude. The redeemed ask, “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name?” (Revelation 15:4). True worship holds joy and holy fear together.

We therefore honor God’s name when we listen carefully to his Word, pray sincerely, and receive the sacraments thoughtfully. Paul commands believers to examine themselves before eating the bread and drinking the cup of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:28–29). These sacred gifts must not be treated as empty rituals. They direct us to Christ and his saving work, and they call for faith, repentance, and thanksgiving.

Honoring God’s Name in Thought and Speech

The catechism applies the third commandment to our “thought, meditation, word, and writing.” Long before God’s name reaches our lips, it should fill our minds with truth and wonder. When David considered the heavens, he responded, “O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!” (Psalm 8:1). Meditation on God’s works moved him to worship.

Our speech and writing should reflect the same reverence. We must not use Scripture carelessly or attach God’s authority to our opinions. When we say, “God told me,” we invoke his name. We must not make the Lord appear to say what he has not said.

The same applies to oaths and vows. Ecclesiastes warns that when we make a vow to God, we must fulfill it (Ecclesiastes 5:4–6). An oath in God’s name must be made “in truth, in justice, and in righteousness” (Jeremiah 4:2). Because God is true, those who bear his name should be truthful.

Honoring God’s Name Through a Consistent Life

The catechism does not stop with words. The third commandment requires “a profession of faith accompanied by holiness and a consistent lifestyle.” Christians bear the name of Christ. When our conduct openly contradicts our confession, we take that name upon ourselves vainly. We say that Christ is Lord while living as though his authority means nothing.

Paul gives us a positive vision: “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). Honoring God’s name includes ordinary life—our work, family relationships, business dealings, private habits, online speech, and treatment of neighbors. “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

This does not mean that Christians live without sin. It means that our lives should agree with our confession through ongoing faith and repentance. When we fail, we should confess our sin, seek forgiveness through Christ, and pursue renewed obedience. Peter urges believers to keep their conduct honorable so that others may see their good deeds and glorify God (1 Peter 2:12). A consistent Christian life gives our neighbors a clearer view of the God we proclaim.

Christ and the Third Commandment

The third commandment exposes our guilt. None of us has honored God’s name perfectly in thought, speech, worship, and life. Yet Jesus Christ always glorified his Father’s name. He spoke the Father’s words faithfully, obeyed him completely, and finished the work he was given to do. At the cross, Christ also bore the guilt of all who have misused God’s name and trusted in empty religion.

Through faith, we are forgiven and given a new identity in Christ. We now bear his name, not as a badge of our goodness, but as a testimony to his grace. The commandment therefore becomes more than a warning; it becomes a grateful calling. Redeemed by Christ and helped by the Holy Spirit, we desire for the name of our Father to be hallowed.

May the Lord teach us to treasure everything by which he makes himself known. May his name be honored in our worship, guarded in our speech, cherished in our thoughts, and displayed in our lives. Then our profession of faith will serve the glory of God and the good of those around us.

Soli Deo Gloria