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,...

The second commandment teaches us that God alone determines how he is to be worshiped and that false worship is never harmless. Westminster Larger Catechism Question 110 asks, “What are the reasons added to the second commandment to reinforce it?” It answers, “The reasons added to the second commandment to reinforce it are the following: ‘for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,...

The second commandment teaches us that sincere worship is not necessarily faithful worship. God alone determines how he is to be honored. The Westminster Larger Catechism asks, “What are the sins forbidden in the second commandment?” It answers, “The sins forbidden in the second commandment are the following: all devising, counseling, commanding, using, and otherwise approving any religious worship not instituted by God himself; tolerating a false religion; making any representation of God,...