by Debbie Wicker BCCC
We are continuing our series on the Ten Commandments, exploring the relevance of each commandment in our modern, stressful world. For each commandment, we are looking at two different aspects—some of which you may not have considered before.
Our hope is to help you explore the wisdom, value, and practical benefits of God’s commandments in your everyday life.
In this article, we turn our attention to the Third Commandment and one of the ways it can be misunderstood in modern Christianity.
When People in the Seats Become More Important Than the Truth
Many people resist the challenging parts of Christianity because they do not want to submit their lives fully to God’s will. That creates a difficult tension for churches that depend heavily on large congregations and substantial financial support.
When maintaining attendance and donations becomes the primary goal, there can be a temptation to make Christianity easier to accept.
The difficult parts are softened.
Repentance receives less attention.
Obedience becomes optional.
The Ten Commandments may be mentioned less frequently—or dismissed altogether.
Instead, the message can become something like:
“Love is all you need. Accept Jesus, and God will bless you abundantly.”
There is certainly truth in the importance of God’s love and in salvation through Jesus Christ. But Christianity is not simply a promise of comfort, prosperity, or personal fulfillment. Jesus called His followers to repentance, obedience, humility, sacrifice, and transformation.
A message that removes those difficult demands can become much more appealing to an audience—but is it still faithfully presenting the complete message of Scripture?
Is the Old Testament Still Relevant?
Some Christian teachers argue that the Old Testament and the Law of Moses are no longer relevant to Christians.
The argument sometimes sounds simple:
“You don’t need to worry about the Law. Just accept Jesus as your Savior, and everything else will take care of itself.”
But Jesus Himself gave a much more complicated answer.
The Fulfillment of the Law
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said:
“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 5:17–19 NIV
Jesus did not present His mission as simply throwing away everything that came before Him.
He spoke about fulfilling the Law.
That does not mean Christians should ignore the ways the New Testament transforms our understanding of the Law. It does mean that we should be very careful about casually dismissing God’s commandments or teaching others that obedience no longer matters.
Jesus continued:
“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”
— Matthew 5:20 NIV
These are challenging words.
They do not sound like an invitation to reduce Christianity to a convenient formula.
They call us toward a deeper righteousness—one that reaches beyond outward religious behavior and transforms the heart.
Are We Misusing God’s Name?
This brings us back to the Third Commandment:
“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God.”
— Exodus 20:7 NIV
We often think of this commandment only in terms of using God’s name as a swear word. But the principle is much broader.
God’s name represents His character, authority, reputation, and identity.
If we claim to speak for God, we have a responsibility to represent Him faithfully.
That raises an important question:
What happens when someone uses the name of God to promote a message designed primarily to enrich, entertain, or benefit themselves?
Using Christianity as a vehicle for personal wealth, influence, status, or power should cause us to stop and think very carefully.
When God’s name becomes a marketing tool, something has gone seriously wrong.
The issue is not whether a pastor or church should receive financial support. Churches need resources to operate, help people, support ministries, and serve their communities.
The issue is what happens when financial success becomes more important than faithfully teaching God’s Word.
If difficult biblical teachings are removed because they might offend people, reduce attendance, or discourage donations, then we should ask whether God’s truth has been placed behind the desire for popularity.
We Need to Use God’s Name With Humility
Scripture repeatedly calls us toward humility.
“Instead, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
— Luke 14:10–11 NIV
The Christian life is not supposed to be about using God to elevate ourselves.
It is about submitting ourselves to God.
We should not use Jesus to gain wealth, prestige, influence, or admiration. We should use what God has given us to serve others, encourage those who are struggling, and point people toward Him.
That requires humility.
It requires reverence.
And it requires a willingness to teach the difficult truths of Scripture rather than only the portions that people find comfortable.
Christianity Is More Than a Sales Pitch
There is a danger in turning Christianity into something that is designed primarily to sell.
If the message becomes:
- Believe in Jesus and everything will go well.
- God wants you to be wealthy.
- Don’t worry about repentance.
- Don’t worry about obedience.
- Don’t worry about God’s commandments.
- Just believe, and God will give you what you want.
then Christianity can easily become centered on us rather than on God.
The Gospel is not a promise that God will give us everything we want.
It is an invitation to become reconciled to God and transformed through our relationship with Him.
Jesus did not call His followers merely to add Him to a comfortable life. He called them to follow Him.
That can be difficult.
It can require sacrifice.
It can require repentance.
It can require us to change.
And it certainly requires humility.
God’s Name Is Not a Marketing Tool
The Third Commandment challenges us to consider how seriously we take God’s name.
If we claim to represent God, we should strive to represent Him honestly and faithfully.
We should not reshape His message simply because the original message is difficult.
We should not remove uncomfortable teachings because they might reduce our audience.
And we should never treat God as a means to achieve our own ambitions.
God is not a product.
Jesus is not a marketing strategy.
The Bible is not a tool for personal enrichment.
God calls us to something much greater: faith, obedience, humility, repentance, service, and transformation.
Without God in our lives, we can experience an emptiness that nothing else can completely fill. But the answer is not to use God for our own purposes.
The answer is to submit ourselves to Him.
That is one of the most important lessons of the Third Commandment:
We are called to carry God’s name with reverence, humility, and integrity—not to use His name for our own purposes.
About the Author
Debbie Wicker is a Board Certified Christian Counselor who brings a thoughtful mental health perspective to the study of the Bible. With more than 15 years of counseling experience, Debbie helps individuals understand Scripture not only spiritually, but emotionally and psychologically as well.
Before entering counseling, Debbie was a partner in a Big 8 public accounting firm, where she built a successful career in management consulting. After a mid-life career change, she felt called to integrate faith and mental health — equipping others to grow spiritually while addressing real-life struggles with wisdom and compassion.
Through the-Bible.net, Debbie writes to help readers better understand God’s Word, human nature, and the transforming power of Christ.