Answer. It undoubtedly is; for there is no sin greater, or more provoking to God, than the profaning his name, and therefore he has commanded this sin to be punished with death.
Exposition
God, in the first and second commandments, framed the mind and heart for his worship; in the third and fourth the external members and actions.
The third commandment consists of two parts: a prohibition and threatening. It first prohibits a rash and inconsiderate use of the name of God; yea, every abuse of the name of God, in whatever false, vain or trifling thing, which tends to cast a reproach upon God, or which does not at least have respect to his glory. The name of God signifies in the Scriptures, 1. The attributes of God. “Wherefore is it that thou dost ask after my Name.” “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob hath sent me unto you; this is my Name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.” “The Lord is a man of war: the Lord is his Name.” (Gen. 32:29. Ex. 3:15; 15:3.) 2. It signifies God himself. “Let them that love thy Name be joyful in thee.” “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the Name of the Lord.” “I will sing praise to the Name of the Lord most high.” “Thou shalt sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd in the place which the Lord shall choose to place his Name there.” “I purpose to build an house unto the Name of the Lord my God.” (Ps. 5:11; 116:13; 7:17. Deut. 16:2. 1 Kings 5:5.) 3. It signifies the will or commandment of God, and that either revealed and true, or feigned by men. “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words, which he shall speak in my Name, I will require it of him.” “I come to thee in the Name of the Lord of hosts.” (Deut. 18:19. 1 Sam. 17:45.) 4. It signifies the worship of God, confidence, prayer, praising and professing God. “All the people will walk every one in the Name of his God; and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.” “Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.” “I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus.” (Micah 4:5 Acts 21:13.)
Take the name of the Lord. God does not forbid us to take or to use his name; but he forbids us to do it rashly, which is to use it lightly, falsely, and reproachfully. To use the name of the Lord lightly, is to make use of it as in ordinary talk and conversation, contrary to what Christ says, “Let your communication be yea, yea; nay, nay.” (Matt. 5:37.) Falsely, as in unlawful oaths and perjury; reproachfully, as in cursing, blasphemy and sorcery, in which the works of the devil are cloaked under the name of God. The sense then, is, Thou shalt not use the name of the Lord thy God rashly; that is, thou shalt not only not forswear, but thou shalt not make any mention of the name of God that would not be honorable to him.
This negative precept has an affirmative included in it; for in prohibiting the wrong use of the name of God, it at the same time enjoins upon us that use which is lawful and honorable, which consists in using the name of God reverently, solemnly, religiously and honorably, and in making no mention of God or of his works and revelations in our conversation, but such as comports with his divine majesty. Hence, the end of this third commandment is, that we all render unto God, both publicly and privately, that immediate external worship which consists in confessing and praising his name.
God adds a threatening to this commandment, to declare thereby, that this part of obedience is also one of those things, the violation of which is peculiarly displeasing to him, and which he will severely punish. For since praising and glorifying God is the chief and ultimate end for which man was created, God justly demands in the most rigid manner from us that, on account of which he commands all other things; and since man’s chief good and enjoyment consists in glorifying God, it follows that the greatest evil consists in reproaching God and taking his name in vain, and so merits the heaviest punishment, according as it is said, “Because, that when they knew not God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened,” &c. “Whosoever curseth his God, shall bear his sin; and he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death.” (Rom. 1:21. Lev. 24:15, 16.)
The virtues of this commandment consists in the lawful and honorable use of the name of God; of which these are parts:
I. THE PROPAGATION OF THE TRUE DOCTRI NE respecting the essence, will and works of God, not, indeed, that which belongs to the office of teaching publicly in the church, of which mention is made in the fourth commandment; but that by which every one in his own peculiar sphere is bound to instruct others privately, and which contributes to the true knowledge and worship of God, as it is said: “Teach them thy sons, and thy son’s sons.” “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another.” “And when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren.” “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another, in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs.” (Deut. 4:9; 11:19. 1 Thes. 5:11. Luke 22:32. Col. 3:16.)