The third commandment, "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain," carries a profound significance beyond merely avoiding profanity. It involves how we bear or carry God's name in our daily lives, as the Hebrew term for "take" implies to lift, to carry, or to bear. This commandment is not just about casual speech but encompasses all our activities and how they reflect on His honor. The word "name," in Hebrew "shem," goes beyond simple identification when referring to God. It embodies His character, reputation, and the reality of who He is as the holy God. Bearing His name means representing His essential Being and making a righteous witness to others through our example of godliness. The term "vain," from the Hebrew "shāw'," suggests deceit, falsehood, emptiness, and worthlessness. God forbids His people from speaking or acting in ways that deceive others about Him or devalue His holy, righteous character. Instead, He calls those who bear His name to express the truth about Him and His way in every thought, word, and behavior, bringing glory and honor to the Most High God.

At birth, a person's name is little more than a label, as their reputation is yet unformed. By the time of death, however, they have built either a good or a bad reputation through a lifetime of actions, which can become a legacy for their offspring. A name associated with honor, like being a son of Abraham or Job, carries inherent dignity, while a name linked to infamy might bring grief to later generations. When our names are mentioned, they evoke images in the minds of others—whether neighborly, generous, and honest, or odd, stingy, and unruly. God's people should strive to be known for the former qualities. A good name can profoundly impact one's life, as seen in the ease brought by a mentor's respected reputation during a new academic role. The mentor's finely honed reputation smoothed the transition, though it also set high expectations to meet. Similarly, all members of God's church inherit a Family name of immense value. We bear an awesome responsibility to uphold and honor the nobility and dignity of God's name. Our reputation, created through our actions in our church, businesses, or institutions, becomes the legacy we pass to our brothers, sisters, and children. Sadly, some who have accepted this Family name have brought disgrace upon all of us through their behavior, tarnishing the collective reputation. It takes years to build a reputation, but only moments to destroy it. God's name is of such importance that one of His great laws addresses not taking it in vain, extending beyond mere language to how we live. If we appropriate His name and then dishonor it by our actions, we risk severe consequences. His name, which is now our name, is worth far more than all the riches of the world. How do people react when they hear our names, and what image do we project as bearers of this sacred Family name?

The contention of the so-called Sacred Name teaching is that the names of the Creator-Father and of His Son, the Savior, are sacred only in the Hebrew language. Advocates of this belief claim it is wrong, even sin, to use the names of the Father or the Son in the English language. They allow the use of English translations of the Bible, but insist that when it comes to the names of the Father or the Son, one must speak or write them in Hebrew. There is no scripture that supports the idea that the names of God or Christ must always be written or spoken in Hebrew, nor is there any command in the Bible that prohibits using these names in other languages. The central premise of their doctrine is the false supposition that the name "God" is of pagan origin, leading them to argue that using this name is a pagan custom and sinful, even when referring to the true Church as the Worldwide Church of God. However, their teaching is not substantiated by the Scriptures and is contrary to the usage of Christ, the apostles, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

The people at Babel sought to build a city and tower reaching the heavens in order to make a shem for themselves and avoid being scattered. The word shem denotes name in the sense of reputation, renown, fame, continuance, memory, or memorial, and they intended the structure as a lasting monument to distinguish themselves from their creaturely status and elevate themselves to equality with God. Only God legitimately makes a name for Himself, as seen when He acted to deliver Israel from Egypt and thereby established an everlasting name. After confusing their languages, He named the place Babel, meaning confusion, thereby demonstrating that human attempts to create a name apart from Him produce chaos and scattering. The first scriptural uses of shem appear when Adam names the rivers and animals. A name identifies its bearer, often by highlighting distinctive characteristics. The one who gives the name holds a position of superiority and authority over what is named, enabling a truer assessment of its qualities. God therefore names Himself, changes Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah to reflect their destined roles, and directs that the child conceived in Mary be called Jesus because He will save His people from their sins. The same passage links naming to continuance, since Adam recognizes the woman as bone of his bones and names her accordingly so that together they can produce offspring of their kind. The word shem further conveys reputation or fame, as when mighty men of old are described as men of shem, and it denotes authority, whether borne on behalf of another or inherent in the name itself. Finally, shem signifies presence, so that the name of the Lord represents His active involvement and power to defend or deliver. These meanings converge in the repeated declaration that God chooses a place in which to make His name abide. He selected Jerusalem rather than any tribal city, brought the ark there, and placed His name in the Temple so that His presence, glory, authority, and ownership would be known. The phrasing indicates both His sovereign choice and His intention that the name remain there permanently. At that location the people could approach Him, offer sacrifices, and be heard when they humbled themselves and prayed. Although His glory later departed because of the nation's iniquity, the promise stands that He will again choose Jerusalem and keep His name there forever.