The Sin We All Break, Yet Can Easily Avoid

[Pard]

We all sin. We are told that we cannot remove ourselves from sin. It is our fate to sin, but if we repent and confess the Lord Jesus Christ our sins will be forgiven. This is the basic idea of Christianity, and this is not what I am arguing.

What is the sin that almost everyone breaks whenever we speak to or about God? The 3rd Commandment reads:

'Thou dost not take up the Name of Jehovah thy God for a vain thing, for Jehovah doth not acquit him who taketh up His Name for a vain thing. (Deu 5:11 YLT)

I used the Young's Literal Translation because it is one of the few translations that does not break this very commandment in stating it! Let's look for a moment at this commandment. We are taught that it means to never say Elohim's name accompanied by a swear, or to use His name as a swear itself. But... is this really what it means? Is this what God wants us to avoid, or does He want us to avoid something else entirely?

I would have to say that Elohim wants us to avoid something else. What does "vain" even mean? Does anyone actually know the real definition? Let's look at the Webster's English Dictionary:

vain 1. Having no real substance, value, or importance; empty; void; worthless; unsatisfying. ``Thy vain excuse.'' ... 2. Destitute of forge or efficacy; effecting no purpose; fruitless; ineffectual; as, vain toil; a vain attempt. ...

You see where I am going?

When we say "LORD" or when a translation uses "LORD" they are taking God's name, that He so graciously told us, and turning it into NOTHING. Actually, it reminds me of a Roman practice where they would erase ever record of a person, even his name. It was considered the utmost form of death.

Want to see how the original KJV put the 3rd commandment? Ready? (Bracket numbers are Strong ref.)

Deuteronomy 5:11 (KJV) Thou shalt not take the name of Yahweh thy Elohim in vain <7723>: for Yahweh will not hold [him] guiltless that taketh his name in vain <7723>.

What does #7723 refer to? It is the Hebrew word Shav. And guess where else we see it? Another commandment! Look at how it is translated this time:

Deuteronomy 5:20 (KJV) Neither shalt thou bear false <7723> witness against thy neighbour.

False! So the same word is translated to false in another commandment... And if we plug that into the 3rd commandment we see something along the lines of "never take the name of Yahweh thy Elohim in false". OK, so not the greatest of English sentences! Still it sheds a little more light on this commandment's true meaning.

I'd even extend this to say that it is breaking the 3rd commandment to say Jesus instead of Yahushua.

Now, we can also look to the New Testament for help on this one. This is just one instance, if need be, I can provide others.

John 5:43 (KJV) I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Well, we know this means that Yahushua came with His Father's power and permission with Him. But when we know Yahweh is God's name and that Yahushua is Jesus's real name we see something else. "Yah". He literally came with His Father's name!

 

[jasoncran]

been listening to a jw lately?

 

[Pard]

been listening to a jw lately?

Not at all, never met one, actually. Just exploring possibilities.

 

[jasoncran]

been listening to a jw lately?

Not at all, never met one, actually. Just exploring possibilities.

some of what you are saying is what they push.while i can see that. but the real name and pronuciation of yhwh is lost. if we try to say yehsua in hebrew and with an english accent, are we not guilty?

 

[Pard]

some of what you are saying is what they push.while i can see that. but the real name and pronuciation of yhwh is lost. if we try to say yehsua in hebrew and with an english accent, are we not guilty?

Correct, we have no idea how to say YHWH, we can only use what we know and try to fill the gaps. You do not have to say His name out loud, but the mask it...

And I do not follow you on the Yahushua comment.

Lastly, I have very little knowledge of JW, which is why I avoid discussions on them. So no, there is no JW influence here at all. It is not only JW who do this, though. My grandfather practiced this, not sure which denomination he was, but he liked to bash JW... so...

 

[jasoncran]

some of what you are saying is what they push.while i can see that. but the real name and pronuciation of yhwh is lost. if we try to say yehsua in hebrew and with an english accent, are we not guilty?

Correct, we have no idea how to say YHWH, we can only use what we know and try to fill the gaps. You do not have to say His name out loud, but the mask it...

And I do not follow you on the Yahushua comment.

Lastly, I have very little knowledge of JW, which is why I avoid discussions on them. So no, there is no JW influence here at all. It is not only JW who do this, though. My grandfather practiced this, not sure which denomination he was, but he liked to bash JW... so...

since that is the name above all name is Jesus is part of the trinity, is it not just a sinful to use the name of jesus in vain, and curse it?

with the pronuciation of the hebrew we often will pronounce it incorrectly as english speakers

ie samual(shamul) is the way its said in hebrew. the ot priest seldom said the yhwh and never wrote it(the vowels) down for fear of the sin of commandment #3.

i'm sure you having that new england accent will pronounce yehsua a little bit different then me a florida cracker.

 

[Pard]

God is the reason we have various languages, right? I think YHWH will overlook mispronouncing a name here or there.

Also, just a random interesting side note... I have only had people comment on my accent now that I am older. People saying my accent has changed over time (not my parents) but others.

 

[jasoncran]

God is the reason we have various languages, right? I think YHWH will overlook mispronouncing a name here or there.
but you make a big ordeal over callin the Lord yeshua instead of Jesus, when even the the ot writers wouldnt state the name save once a year at rosh hashanna
if they took His name that seriously, should we not if were take that 3rd commandment like that.

kinda hard to tell me that the Lord is big when it comes to his name having slight misspronuciations vs the seriousness when the ot priests handled that name, and set a tradition.

i think that if we revere the Lord and dont cuss with that name and also say it with respect(jesus) and also other ot names we do well

besides, the very nt was written IN GREEK. that oughta to tell you. if the apostles thought it was ok to call the Lord, Jesus(for the gentiles who didnt speak hebrew nor araimac) we ought to be more concerned with living the life and so forth.

 

[Pard]

Oh, I agree with you, it doesn't matter all that much, and besides we are secure in Jesus! Still, it is an interesting thought and one I wish to develop and pray on.

One thing that does hit me hard, though, is that if we were to go back to the time of Yahushua and say "Hey! Jesus" He would have no idea we were talking to Him... Or very little, and surely no one else would know who we were speaking of.

 

[Caroline H]

Oh, I agree with you, it doesn't matter all that much, and besides we are secure in Jesus! Still, it is an interesting thought and one I wish to develop and pray on.

But in your op you said that it was breaking a commandment

One thing that does hit me hard, though, is that if we were to go back to the time of Yahushua and say "Hey! Jesus" He would have no idea we were talking to Him... Or very little, and surely no one else would know who we were speaking of.

Oh I think he would know exactly who we were talking to, because he is God.

Sorry Pard, I really must disagree with you on this one. Calling God "Lord" in English is not taking his name in vain.

 

[Pard]

Oh, I agree with you, it doesn't matter all that much, and besides we are secure in Jesus! Still, it is an interesting thought and one I wish to develop and pray on.

But in your op you said that it was breaking a commandment

I was agreeing to the use of Jesus instead of Yahushua.

One thing that does hit me hard, though, is that if we were to go back to the time of Yahushua and say "Hey! Jesus" He would have no idea we were talking to Him... Or very little, and surely no one else would know who we were speaking of.

Oh I think he would know exactly who we were talking to, because he is God.[/quote]

Ya I thought of that afterwards. Still, no one else will know, not that it matters...

Sorry Pard, I really must disagree with you on this one. Calling God "Lord" in English is not taking his name in vain.

Well, you are entitled your opinion. Frankly, it's something I stumbled on and then did some studying and this is what I came up with.

Just to clarify, the offensive word is "LORD", not "Lord". "Lord' is a perfectly fine title for God. My intent is to say that "LORD" is an attempt to mask up God's name.

 

[ArielIrene]

Pard,
You had me all the way to here:

I'd even extend this to say that it is breaking the 3rd commandment to say Jesus instead of Yahushua.

Now, we can also look to the New Testament for help on this one. This is just one instance, if need be, I can provide others.

John 5:43 (KJV) I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Well, we know this means that Yahushua came with His Father's power and permission with Him. But when we know Yahweh is God's name and that Yahushua is Jesus's real name we see something else. "Yah". He literally came with His Father's name!

I have to disagree just a little. God looks upon our hearts, not our works because none of us can fulfill the Law entirely anyway, right? Even to hate in one's heart is the same as murder.

He is Jesus and Yahweh and Yeshua. He is also The Holy One of Israel, and The Son of man, and The Son of God, and The Bright Morning Star and The Lily of the Valley, and so on and on ... I could look up the original Hebrew or Greek for each translation of God's name, but in the end, it is my heart He sees.

On Pentecost, many began to speak in a language they didn't know while foreigners shouted that they heard their languages being spoken. What exactly did they say in those kinds of tongues? Probably that everyone needed to repent and accept the Salvation of Christ... in several languages.

So I agree with ALL you stated up to that point. Great work on the Young's Literal Translation. I like it, too. I also use the Strong's Concordance with Hebrew and Greek dictionaries. Very helpful tools.

God bless you, brother.