The Third Commandment
Dennis Prager's The Rational Bible: Deuteronomy
I find my understanding of the Ten Commandments expanded far beyond the kiddie church treatment given it by much of Christendom. The version that I provide here is from the accusation of the prophet Abinadi before the wicked priests of King Noah:
15 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
When I was a child and was taught about the Ten Commandments, "take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" was translated into swearing and shouting "Jesus Christ" if you hit your hand with a hammer. It was among my first lessons in self-control, sometimes seemingly barely learned.
I don't ever remember being taught about that last statement "the Lord will not hold him guiltless". Either talking in vain is a lot worse sin than what I was ever taught, or the Lord has a really sore spot for saying his name.
I am thinking that there is a whole different meaning that my upbringing totally missed.
Prager's take on this commandment turns my thoughts to the idea of vanity of those who profess what they are not and seek honors un-bestowed. In this commandment, I see the Lord seeking to protect his reputation as a God and to regulate those who are authorized to speak in his name. This is a warning to those who soil God's trust or presume to take on themselves his name without the Lord's leave to do so. Doing such things against God would most certainly justify the Lord's wrath in not holding perpetrators guiltless, far more just than a lack of forgiveness for cursing.
And who are these perpetrators, these pretenders to God's permission?
I have met many preachers who hate The Book of Mormon and use all the rhetoric and social pressure available to them to make sure that book is not touched, much less read. If the Book of Mormon really is the writings of God's prophets (and I am convinced that this is true), such preachers are raging against Christ himself, using their association as "Christian" leaders to steer people AWAY from the authentic Jesus. When you read the third commandment in that light, some charismatic pastors may have put themselves and many of their disciples outside of Christ's forgiveness, establishing themselves as a false Christ.
If you are a person who purports to represent God, I strongly advise you to avoid preaching things that you are not absolutely positive about what you are saying. Using a profession of divine mandate is potentially dangerous to your own soul and magnified by the number of people you influence away from the truth. God himself says there is no forgiveness for evoking God to support your ignorant and well-compensated claims.
You cannot be forgiven for being a destroyer of faith wearing "Jesus" clothing.
