Two Types/Stages of Forgiveness

It recently came to my attention that the opposite topic of judgment and condemnation—forgiveness and pardon—is perhaps as confused and misunderstood as the former.

I've explained elsewhere before (not sure whether on this blog), as have others the right understanding on judgment.  If you already understand this, feel free to skip down to the bolded "Forgiveness" after the first line of asterisks. I'm not about to go into depth on it now, deeply quoting scripture, but summarily:

Many twist the meaning of the scriptures and ignore much scripture on the topic of judgment and/or simply do not understand.  People say you should not judge anyone for their sinful behavior, "...because Jesus said not to."  The fact of the matter is that our Lord and Christ said to take heed and be careful with our judgment, because with the same measure of judgment we apply to others, our Father God will apply to us (Matt. 7:2).  Basically, it was a message of not being a hypocrite and a lesson on God's righteous judgment toward us being what we apply to others.

When you read other scriptures, it becomes clear that Christians are expected to be able to judge righteously.  Christ told us to "judge righteous judgement," and "not according to appearance" (John 7:24). Paul rebuked the Corinthians for taking brethren to the judges of men, saying, "Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?" (I Cor. 6:3).

If we lacked good judgment, how would it be that we could choose not to engage in sin like those around us?  If we did not judge that dishonoring God, idolatry, blasphemy, sabbath-breaking, dishonoring parents, murdering, adultery, stealing, lying, coveting, and such are sin, we are sinning!  

So you say, "Oh, but you should judge the sin, not the sinner."  But the scriptures say a different thing than what you say.  Oh, sure, the scriptures do say that we should not judge those without, meaning not DECIDING (one meaning of judging) whether the person is doing what is right or wrong, but meaning that we can't go PENALIZING those without.  Paul said to the Corinthians, "But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-- not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove that wicked man from among yourselves" (I Cor. 5:11-13).

But then on the other hand, the scriptures teach us to rebuke the wicked: "Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself" (Ezek. 3:19)

Basically we are to JUDGE what is right and wrong and walk in that, as Christ walked, not going against our conscience.  We are to not be hypocritical with our JUDGMENTS, making sure if we JUDGE our neighbor or brother in something, we are not guilty of the same.  We can penalize a sinning brother or sister by casting them from a church group or from not associating with them, if they choose not to repent, but we cannot penalize those without.  We are going to be around sinners in this world, and we are to be lights (but not choose those people as our closest buddies).  We can judge them by DECIDING what they are doing is wrong and by REBUKING them, just NOT PENALIZING.

If a person is an unrepentant and practicing liar, whore or whoremonger, or thief, is it wrong to judge by saying the person is a liar, whore or whoremonger, or thief?  Of course not!  What nonsense!  It's called the truth, and some people just hate the truth, and so they misquote scripture.

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Okay, now on to FORGIVENESS.

First we know that we must be willing to forgive others if we want God to forgive us:

And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses (Mark 11:25).

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors…For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses (Matt. 6:12, 14-15).

So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses (Matt. 18:35).  This is the conclusion of the story of the wicked servant, which I'll write more about shortly.

We have all sinned and done horrible things.  It's easy for us to look at others and judge what they've done as worse than what we've done, but have you considered that in many cases you may be wrong?  Have you considered that you're judging by appearance, rather than righteous judgment?  Remember, God judges the heart.  Have you considered that most of the persons you are judging as being worse than you started with a genetically worse sin inheritance to struggle against and grew up in a worse sin-saturated environment to also struggle against?  Have you ever stopped to consider that those persons hate their sins, too, and struggle badly against them?  Have you ever meditated on whether you might actually be worse in God's eyes than some of those persons, because He is looking at the heart, and even though those other persons stumble and fall with worse outward sins that appear to man to be more horrible, that person is more repentant at heart and is trying harder not to commit those sins of heart and outwardly than you are with your lesser outside sins?

We have all sinned and fall short of God's glory child, the Perfect and Righteous Firstborn, Salvation the Lord (Rom. 3:23).  We are all filthy compared to my Beloved Salvation.  Since it's hard to read the hearts of some, and we know also that some judge us wrongly, because they don't know our hearts and how we may struggle greatly with certain things, we need to focus on our Lord and be so grateful He chose us and died for us so that Father will forgive us, if we repent of our sins.

Since we're so grateful for Father and Salvation (Jesus/Yeshua), we need to be just as forgiving as they are.

A Maskil of David. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Psalm 32:1).  This was repeated by Paul in Romans 4:7.

And rend your heart and not your garments." Now return to the ETERNAL your God, For He is gracious and compassionate, Slow to anger, abounding in lovingkindness And relenting of evil (Joel 2:13).

Now, indeed there are those who have repented and have been forgiven by God, but the scriptures also make clear that there are those who God has not and will not forgive, because they have not repented. God plans punishment for those who are sinning, but IF they repent, He forgives.

"Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin" (Jer. 36:3).

Repentance is required for forgiveness of God.  A few more references:  Acts 8:22; Hosea 14:2; Ezekiel chapter 18 (highly recommended read).   Quoted from my book God's Law of Love, the Perfect Law of Liberty: Jehovah's Law Still Applies Today, pg. 30:

    Those who do not keep God’s law will not inherit eternal
    life (Romans 2:6-13; 6:16, 23; 8:9; I Corinthians 6:9-11; Galatians
    5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-6; II Thessalonians 1:7-9; Hebrews 5:9; 6:4-6;
    10:26-31, 38-39; James 5:19-20, II Peter 2:20-22; 3:9-18; Revelation
    3:5; 21:7-8; 22:12-15; Exodus 32:33; Psalm 1:6; 5:5-6; 15:1-2; 34:16;
    37:9, 20, 22, 27-31, 38; 119:155; Proverbs 2:21-22; 10:30; Isaiah 24:5-
    6; 66:24; Ezekiel 18:4, 20-21, 23, 26-28, 3.—32; Hosea 4:6; Malachi
    4:1-6; Matthew 4:17; 5:7-20; 7:21-23; 19:17; 24:12-13; Mark 1:15; Luke
    10:25-28; 13:3; Acts 2:38; Acts 5:32; Acts 17:30
    and more).

In other words, those who don't repent will not be forgiven, as you must be forgiven in order to inherit eternal life. 

If God does not forgive those who do not repent, does that mean we should not forgive?  This is where a lot of people are very confused.  That is the reason for my strange title.  The answer is both yes and no.  I will explain in depth.  The answer is in the scriptures.

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and IF he repent, forgive him (Luke 17:3).

 Does it say, "And whether or not your brother repents or not, forgive him?"  No, it doesn't.  BUT, it also does not say you should seek revenge or harbor bitterness in your heart.  In other words, you should possess a FORGIVING SPIRIT.  You do not know whether that person will later repent.  You are to REBUKE the person (in kindness of spirit, of course) and possess a forgiving spirit.  IF the person repents, forgive him (or her).

Again, except this time it is not for a brother in the Royal Family, but for the "wicked":

"Yet if you have warned the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered yourself" (Ezek. 3:19).

The following details the same conversation quoted above from Luke, recorded from Matthew, and explains what to do if your brother (or sister) does NOT repent:

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican (Matt. 18:15-17).

So, rebuke the transgressing brother, and if he doesn't listen, then take one or two more with you to confront him again, and then if he still doesn't listen, take it to the whole local church community, and THEN if he or she still doesn't listen, it says you should regard your brother or sister as a HEATHEN.  You should regard the person as one of the wicked, one of the ones "without" the church.  In other words, the person is NOT FORGIVEN, until the person REPENTS.  Does that mean you harbor hate and bitterness toward the person?  NO!  You should maintain a FORGIVING SPIRIT and LEAVE IT TO GOD.  In the end, if that person returns to the world and is overcome with wickedness and never turns from his or her ways, God will avenge you for his or her transgression(s) against you.

Before the story of the wicked servant:
Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven (Matt. 18:21-22).

The above scripture is after the one I posted right before it, but it's before the one I posted that concluded the story of the "wicked servant."  So, it's in the context of a REPENTANT person, who after rebuked, repents.  Soooo...you should forgive your brother or sister who has sinned against you, but how many times?  What if the person transgresses multiple times?  Should you forgive each count?  When Salvation said not seven times but seventy times seven, he meant that you should be willing to keep forgiving, as long as you can detect the person is truly repentant at heart and is sorrowful about what he or she is doing against you.

A good example of this is the spouse who struggles with substance abuse.  Say one partner has an alcohol addiction or tobacco addiction.  That person is not just affecting him- or herself.  This kind of sin affects the spouse and other family members.  An addiction like this can be very hard to overcome.  For those who struggle with such an addiction or are married to a spouse who struggles with it, you know over the course of many years that the person can quit for periods of time and relapse over and over again.  It's difficult!  But you know he or she is trying, else the person wouldn't bother trying so hard to quit and wouldn't be so sorrowful over it and the problems it causes.  So forgive, forgive, forgive.  There are other examples, too, like the person who stands you up over and over, forgetting your meeting, or a spouse or friend who keeps slipping up with an Internet pornography addiction.  

So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow (2 Cor. 2:7).

Again, this refers to a repentant person, someone in sorrow.  It's bad enough for the repentant, sorrowful individual to cope with his or her own sin.  It's just too much for that person to also bear the sorrow of friends and family (and especially members of the Royal Family) rejecting and not forgiving him or her.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots (Luke 23:34).  

Christ said the people who were dividing up his clothing and mocking and saying ugly things about him when he was on the cross knew not what they were doing.  They didn't realize who he was and that he was innocent.  They must have thought he was receiving just punishment, that he was a blasphemous troublemaker.  Notice Christ did NOT say, "Father, whether or not they know what they're doing, forgive them."  Of course not!  What was the point of Christ's coming to earth and dying for the transgressions of mankind if God is willing to forgive everyone, regardless of what they do?


Now, sometimes it can be difficult to get to a place of forgiveness toward someone, while in other cases it's relatively easy.  If you've done the same sin and understand it, you might find it very easy to POSSESS A FORGIVING SPIRIT toward the transgressor, unless you are hypocritical, like Salvation said of those who judge without removing their own sin first.

In the last two or three years I've had to change my debit card number twice, due to fraudulent use.  I do a lot of my purchasing online, so I memorize my card number.  It's irritating to me, more than anything, whenever I have to get a new card and to file a report for unauthorized charges on my account.  NEVER have I cursed the persons who have done this to me, NEVER have I possessed an unforgiving spirit toward the transgressors, and it's quite easy for me, because my husband and I were guilty of the same many years ago (before conversion).  We transgressed against around 70 different people for an amount of $30k to $35k, fraudulent use of a credit card across interstate lines, when I was seventeen years of age.  I understand why people are driven to do such things.

Do I know whether the people who have transgressed against me have repented of their deeds?  I do not know.  Have I forgiven them?  I hold a FORGIVING SPIRIT toward them.  This means that I do not know whether they've repented, as I DO NOT KNOW THEM.  It's between them and our Creator.  It's up to God to forgive, IF they repent.  I've done MY part.  God knows I possess a forgiving spirit toward them.  If they don't repent, then God will eventually punish them for their sin.

Now what about sins that we can't relate to and struggle with forgiving?  What about forgiving adultery when you can't imagine doing something so atrocious, or how about the murder of your spouse, child, parent, sibling, other relative or one of your best friends?  

Remember how we've all sinned and done horrible things?  We've not all done the same things.  We've not all committed adultery or murder.  But remember the way God sees things differently than we do?  Remember how some struggle with worse things?  (And remember that the HEART is what God judges, and some people desire such horrible sins in the heart, but they fear consequences from man if they transgress outwardly.)

I used to be guilty of murder in my heart in my teens.  I carefully premeditated different persons' murders. I know, it's awful.  It's absolutely appalling to me now.  I've since repented of my sin of murder.  Did I actually physically kill someone?  No.  But I still was guilty of the sin of murder before God.  I've repented and feel terrible about it.  What if I'd have actually physically carried out a murder?  And then, as I have in my real life, I later had terrible remorse and repented?  Would I not seek for forgiveness from those whom against I trespassed?  Would I not hope for forgiveness from the victim's family and friends?

Murder is a difficult thing to forgive, even for those who understand it, whether it's premeditated or whether it's a result of rage, and even more difficult if it's a child kidnapping-rape-murder.  But we are basically all guilty of our Lord Brother's death, because of our sin.  He was murdered for us.  God expects for us to forgive even murder....IF the transgressor repents.

Of course there are unsolved murders and unknown adultery partners and unknown thieves.  There are a lot of persons out there who have transgressed against us whom we don't even know!  We can't rebuke them!  Do we just forgive them?  What if we struggle with forgiveness?  

I think it helps to imagine the unknown person realizing before you that they've transgressed against you and apologizing in great sorrow to you.  You can SEE in your MIND'S EYE that they are deeply sorrowful (even though they may never meet you).  They feel absolutely awful for what they've done against you and are totally repentant.  Is that not how you have felt before our Righteous and Good Father and our Beloved Lord Salvation?  THAT is how you can then find that FORGIVING SPIRIT.  That's ALL YOU NEED.  If you do not know your transgressor, try this out!  It HAS WORKED FOR ME before.  I have unknown transgressors out there who committed horrible acts against me, and I hold NO BITTERNESS OR HATRED OR REVENGEFUL THOUGHTS against them.  God knows my heart is filled with a FORGIVING SPIRIT toward those unknown persons.  If they repent, God will FORGIVE them, and that pleases me.  I will also say, on the other hand, if they do not repent, I know God will PUNISH them.  He will AVENGE me for their transgressions against me, and that also pleases me.

This is perfectly holy, righteous, and good, no matter what anyone tells you.  We do NOT have to sit around feeling that we must forgive unrepentant people who love wickedness and hate us.  That is NOT what God expects of us.  He expects for us to possess a FORGIVING SPIRIT, not a spirit that allows people to just run all over us.  We are NOT to possess a REVENGEFUL, HATEFUL, BITTER SPIRIT.  

This is what I meant in the title by "two types/stages of forgiveness."  There's the FORGIVING SPIRIT and there's actual forgiveness.  And then there's manly forgiveness and Godly forgiveness.  For example, a person may forgive someone for becoming an unrepentant practicing homosexual, but will God forgive it?  No, He won't.  God doesn't go by man's rules.

And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? “But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” And he got up and went home. But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men (Matt. 9:2-7).

We can't forgive men the way God can.  As you see above, the scribes realized that God is the only One Who can truly forgive as far as our spiritual standing is concerned. We may forgive things that we do not think are sin, but God is the ultimate Forgiver/Pardoner.

Moses had asked God to forgive Israel and to blot him out of God's book in their place, and the ETERNAL said:

"...Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book" (Exo. 32:33b).


Notice what these perfectly righteous Children of God of the scriptures said about UNREPENTANT SINNERS, when it comes to FORGIVENESS:

Jeremiah and Jeremiah Quoting the ETERNAL God:

Yet, ETERNAL ONE, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger (Jer. 18:23).

Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them," says the ETERNAL (Jer. 6:15).

"Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me And sworn by those who are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, They committed adultery And trooped to the harlot's house. They were well-fed lusty horses, each one neighing after his neighbor’s wife. Shall I not punish these people," declares the ETERNAL,“And on a nation such as this shall I not avenge Myself?"  (Jer. 5:7-9)

This speaks of punishment rather than forgiveness, BECAUSE they would not repent after continual rebuke.

"We have sinned and rebelled and you have not forgiven" (Lam. 3:42).

Nehemiah:
 
Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders (Nehemiah 4:5).

David:
 
You, ETERNAL God Almighty, you who are the God of Israel, rouse yourself to punish all the nations; show no mercy to wicked traitors (Psalm 59:5).

May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the ETERNAL; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out (Psa. 109:14).

It is time for you to act, ETERNAL; your law is being broken (Psalm 119:126).

Paul:

Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works (I Tim. 4:14).
 
I've said this a few times, and I know many righteous Christians pray this way.  This is a very wise way to put it, because the Lord knows whether the person will repent.  If Alexander the coppersmith repented (even if he never saw Paul again, he could have cried out to God and felt horribly sorrowful about what he'd done and wished he could take it back), then the reward for the work of repentance was forgiveness, but if he didn't repent in due time, he would have "gotten his," if you know what I'm saying. 

Isaiah:
 
So people will be brought low and everyone humbled-- do not forgive them (Isa. 2:9)

This last one is talking about the time of great wrath of God in the future, when he will have rejected his people Jacob.  The context speaks of the land being full of materialism, idols (think of the Washington Monument phallic/penis obelisk and the sun god/goddess "Statue of Liberty"), tons of horses and chariots (think of all the fancy motor vehicles), and many fortune-tellers.

And finally, in Revelation, God's True Children symbolically cry out:

AND THEY CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE, SAYING, "HOW LONG, O LORD, HOLY AND TRUE, DO YOU NOT JUDGE AND AVENGE OUR BLOOD ON THEM THAT DWELL ON THE EARTH?" (Rev. 6:10).

I have done as Jeremiah and the others have done toward certain ones on this earth.  For example, one of my most-hated targets is the evil ones at the top of Monsanto and the evil ones in our governments and the evil ones at the top of other corporations who knowingly unleash evil upon the peoples of this earth and DO NOT CARE!  Yes, I cry out to God, "WHEN will it be that you send my Beloved to PUNISH these evil ones?!"

It is PERFECTLY RIGHTEOUS to want vengeance on evil persons or people who sin against us who do not repent.  BUT WE LEAVE THIS UP TO GOD TO DECIDE, because we simply DO NOT KNOW whether a person will repent, especially if our transgressors are unknown.

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So again—and as summary and conclusion—we are to possess, as Children of the Most High God and brethren of the Lord Salvation the Perfect Firstborn, a FORGIVING SPIRIT without thoughts of hate, revenge, or bitterness against our transgressors but a RELAXED AND TRUSTING knowledge that IF the transgressors do not repent, we will be avenged by our Loving Father and Lord Salvation.

And if we truly TRUST God, and we are patient for that day of Christ's return, then it's not too difficult to possess that FORGIVING SPIRIT toward ANY transgressor, meaning we're willing to forgive anyone who repents. And for those who don't, we keep our pure spirit as not to defile ourselves and suffer with bitterness that will poison us, and we trust that God will avenge us.

Pentecost: A Lesson on New Life

On the weekly Sabbath day (May 18, 2013) my firstborn son Jaden William (nearly 10 years of age) found a newly-hatched chick when he went out in the morning to let the chickens out.  Three weeks before he had marked two eggs of his favorite, chicken Grace, one day apart, with a black marker, so that he would not remove them from the nesting box.  He had tried twice (once last summer and once this spring) to use an old incubator to hatch chicks.  He finally concluded the incubator needed to be broken apart and the parts recycled.

Leaving the eggs with the mother brought about success.  The other egg has not hatched (and may not have been fertilized). If it does, William will leave the chick with Grace, its mother.  William chose to take the first chick for himself, though.  He has lovingly cared for the baby bird by providing water, cutting up worms and letting it peck at insects and spiders, as well as letting it snuggle up to him practically all day.  If he leaves it for a minute, its peeping becomes loud and urgent.  Anytime William leaves its sight, it becomes frantic-sounding, just as any human baby attached to its mother.  Oh, how he loves that chick!

We enjoyed Pentecost (May 19, 2013), the holy day of our God that teaches us about new life in Christ, receiving the begettal/conception of the Spirit of God so that we can be born at the first resurrection as a spirit-bodied Child of God. That Spirit is a Helper to us when we repent of our sins and are baptized and have hands laid on us.  It's too difficult to overcome sin with the spirit of man alone.  We live in bodies of flesh, no different than the animals do.  The God Spirit is perfect, though, and so it helps us walk in righteousness and comforts us in our weakness.

Just as the little chick, the chicken child of Jaden's Grace (the hen), is a new life and is helped by William, children of God our Father and His Grace (the Firstborn of our Father, our Lord Salvation the Anointed One who is our Elder Brother) are helped by the Spirit our Holy Father gives to us.  The Spirit nurtures and nourishes us spiritually so that if we remain faithful and abide in Father's will, we will be successfully born into the Family of God at Christ's return to this earth, and we will assist as kings and priests to the King of Kings and High Priest our Lord Salvation, in teaching mankind the Way of God. 

I yearn for the day I am born into the Family of God.  I strive to keep myself spiritually fed with the help and guidance of my Father's Spirit (Seed/Sperm) so that I do not prematurely abort. The wonderful Pentecost feast annually reminds me of my begettal/conception as a child of God and my future spiritual birthday and marriage into the Royal Family and the death of this horrid body of flesh. 

Godspeed that day.  Father, YOUR Kingdom come, YOUR will be done on this earth as it is in heaven (and right now, as a whole, God's will is NOT carried out on this earth).

Names of God

 Note: I have long wanted to write something on names, as in all names, but as time ticks away, the notes I've long ago written concerning the names of God and the Lord have been sitting on my hard drive an in my notebook, not helping anyone. So I have finally uploaded this much, and one of these days, perhaps I will add all that I want concerning names in general.

SACRED LANGUAGE AND SACRED NAMES DOCTRINE

The idea of "sacred languages" is found in many pagan religions. I find it strongly disappointing that many who come in the name of Christ claim also that the Most High God, Creator of the heavens, earth, and everything in them (as signed by the 7th day Sabbath) has some "sacred language" and "sacred name." They REFUSE to believe the scriptures and use good logic.

First of all, the Eternal is just that--Eternal.  At some point he created humankind and gave them a human language.  He created many other creatures and assigned them all different languages.  Zebras have a different language than humans.  Wolves have different languages than zebras and humans.  Was God then not Eternal?  Did he have no identity, no name, before the creation of human language?

Fast forward to the destruction of the Babel tower, and it's clearly taught in the holy book that God CONFUSED the original human language. There has been NO perfect language since then. He uses whatever language a person knows in order to reveal himself to him or her. Otherwise, how could the person understand? The wicked Roman Catholic Church also kept people in the DARK ("Dark Ages") having the sacred language of Latin for the priesthood of their cult, while the laity could not read Latin. They could not understand any truth, so they could not prove whether the Roman church-state's priesthood class was teaching them truth or not. BUT, there is no excuse for people today, certainly not in the lands of Israel (Anglo-Saxons, Scandinavians, Jews). Certainly not in the English-speaking nations, for sure. There is NO EXCUSE. You POSSESS the scriptures in the language in which you understand. You also POSSESS Greek and Hebrew dictionaries. You POSSESS bible history and also the histories of pagan cultures. You can RESEARCH. Finally, you can also use GOOD LOGIC.

What good is some "sacred language" if you do not know it? Those who claim some sacred languages DAMN THEMSELVES with their own words, for they only use a select few "special" words in the so-called "sacred language" of Hebrew. If it's such a sacred language sanctioned by the God of Israel, with his top four commandments SIGNED with his fourth commandment, then why are not those people scrambling to learn this "sacred language?" Why are they still speaking English or something else?  At least in congregational gatherings, the ministers should be preaching and teaching totally in the so-called sacred language.

They are so unlearned as to honestly think Hebrew is an unpolluted language. UNEDUCATED people! If you are UNLEARNED on a topic, DO NOT GO CLAIMING TO KNOW THE TRUTH! Even the biblical Hebrew of the Old Testament has borrowed words from other languages, words that were not original in Hebrew. ALL languages are constantly evolving. Such people just BLINDLY BELIEVE some articles written by those who want to convince others of such doctrines, but then those people do not know how to properly prove whether it is the truth or not! But, they have no problem spreading the lie. Is that not what is wrong with this world and all the lies it believes??? I know some who at least partly buy into the idea/doctrine of a "sacred language," which so, so, so much bible evidence just crashes to the ground, both in the books written under the time of the old and fault-filled carnal covenant and in the books written since the time of the institution of the new and better spiritual covenant. If people would just THINK FOR THEMSELVES and ask for Spiritual guidance, then the Truthful Spirit, the spiritual sperm of God, will guide them to the truth. If one does NOT have guidance from the Spirit of Truth, that person will continue to be victim to all sorts of false doctrines.

There are many lying spirits out there, deceiving people to believe they are listening to truth, but they don’t prove/test them.  

MEANING

All throughout the scriptures, emphasis on a name's MEANING is taught.  When language was translated, the writers would say, "[So-and-so, being interpreted, So-and-so."  Names don't always look alike when translated into another language.  For example, the Aramaic Tabitha, meaning "gazelle" is translated into Greek in the NT as Dorcas, meaning "gazelle."  The two names look nothing alike, but the meaning is the same.  

I believe it's the meaning that is attached to us is important.  Anything we're called, we should be concerned about what it means.  A good way to illustrate this is, how would you feel if your husband regularly referred to you as "Bitch?"  That carries a terrible meaning.  But, you might like it if your husband were to regularly refer to you as "Sweetie."  It's the meaning that matters, right?  

I know there are those out there who name their children based on how a name sounds, the phonetics, the pronunciation.  Indeed, the majority is like this now, I think.  Passing down family names isn't as common as it was, and even fewer people base their children's name on meaning.  But, should we really focus so much on pronunciation and spelling?  Is it really wise to give our child a name based on it "sounding nice," regardless of what it means?  

Think of the times God changed some of his servants' names.  Did He change them, b/c He didn't like how they sounded?  Or did He change them, b/c He wanted them to be labeled differently--to MEAN something different?  Abram means "high father," but Abraham means "father of many."  Saul comes from the Hebrew Shaul and means "prayed for," but Paul (from the Roman/Latin Paulus) means "humble."  

It's not the phonetics and spelling of our names.  It's what it means, it's who we are.  The phonetics and spelling is just a way for everyone else who speaks our language to speak the label.  And in our day, first names are not enough, except in our inner circle.  Surnames have been added, and now we have middle names.  We have addresses, social security numbers, and all sorts of other identifiers.  There are who-know-how-many other Tara Nicoles in the US and Canada and even Tara Langs and Tara Chapmans. 

The main thing we need to remember when it comes to God's name is WHO HE IS. The one thing that sets Him apart from false gods is that HE IS THE CREATOR of all, and everything else is created. His signature is found in the 4th commandment heading. He is the Creator, and He is eternal. Names and other words are just LABELS. Most people have several labels. As long as God is given labels that identify WHO HE IS, the Creator and the Most High individual in the universe, then there is no problem. There is only ONE. There's no way to confuse who He is. He is who he is: "I AM THAT I AM." He's the Highest, Creator of all. Period. Any name/title given Him that does not contradict this or degrade him is FINE. We can read all through the scriptures and see this ourselves. There is no way He can be confused with any of the false gods. And the REAL CHRIST cannot be confused, either. The false christ, the one who was supposedly born on Christmas and resurrected on Easter CAN be related to all the false creat-ED gods. The TRUE Christ will never be confused, regardless of what language His name is in. He is the Son of the Most High God. No false gods can truthfully be labeled that way. 

As far as something like what is right or wrong in calling the Most High One in all the heavens and earth, I think that should be a basic thing, but people have MADE it confusing, have come up with all these fancy deceptions to try to deceive people in what the third commandment is or is not about.  If we call God something that means "evil one" or something that means "dog face" or something that means "horned one" or "yellow worm" or "poop pile," we'd obviously be doing wrong.  I just don't think it should be made into a confusing doctrine so that we refuse to call His Majesty lofty names like Almighty God and Lord of all, etc.  Why wouldn't we?  Has it also become wrong to call him the God of Love, simply because the heathens also have a god of love or goddess of love???? 

The heathens have different made-up gods for everything:  god of ocean, god of earth, god of war, god of weather, god of love/sex, god of food, god of jewels, god of cell phones, god of carpets, god of lizards, god of transportation, god of protection, etc.  

Well, is not I AM one God over all things created?  If I call him the God of the sun and moon, do I not speak truth?  Is not He the one God over all?  Of course, when I say one, I mean there is a union.  He didn't say "I am single," but rather "I am one."  Currently, he's completely one with his Firstborn Son who has been his public spokesperson through the ages.  When other men are born into the Family of God, they will be completely one with Father, too.

Don't be carnal like so many are. There are more important things than arguing about whether some MAN language is sacred...only sacred to foolish men, not to God. A horse has a language, a dog has a language. Man had one language to start out with, but they used their one language to do evil, so God confused the language of man. Do you think God cannot speak to man in any ever-evolving set of words (language/tongue) that a man understands? The point is not some spelling of some words or names, but the MEANING. My children call me Momma. That is my name to them. If we spoke another language, it wouldn't be that word, but they'd still be referring to me as their mother, which is what MATTERS.  Those who paste some "sacred" phonetics and/or spellings on the name of God are foolish and are missing the point. You're too carnal to get it. The point He wants to get across is that HE IS ETERNAL. HE IS THE I AM. AND THOSE SONS BORN TO HIM WILL ALSO HAVE HIS NAME IN THEIR FOREHEADS, AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE ARE GOING TO BE MADE OF FLESH WITH LETTERS ENGRAVED INTO OUR FOREHEADS. WE WILL BE SPIRIT-BODIED SONS OF GOD, NO MORE SONS OF MAN. We will have His IDENTITY, meaning we will also BE ETERNAL. IT'S JUST THAT SIMPLE.

Nor does it mean that those who, instead of honoring God's name, honor the name of the end time beast (whose prophet will speak as a lamb, so in other words, it will LOOK Godly) will have a literal 666 stamped into their foreheads or hands. NO, NO, NO!!!!!!!! No one is going to have JHVH, YHVH, OR YHWH stamped into their foreheads literally. No one is going to have a literal 666 carved into their heads or microchips lasered into their foreheads. NOOOO! What it means is that some of us give honor to the Eternal One, I AM, the one WHO WAS, AND IS, AND IS TO COME, and we will become like He is, just as the Firstborn of our Father is. We will be just like him. Our identity will be ETERNAL. That's what it means to have his family name. Those who have 666 on their foreheads and hands are those who give their honor to the false Christianity religion, all those who reject the Law of God in their thoughts (forehead) and their actions (hands). This is the truth of the matter. You can worship God the Eternal One in spirit and in truth and so honor his name in truth, OR you can worship him in VAIN, so that you're not honoring his NAME (his IDENTITY, His ETERNALNESS, being the Creator of ALL) in truth.

I thank my God my Father that I have his holy WORD (written through men while under inspiration) translated in the ENGLISH language so that I am not cut off from the TRUTH, the MEANING of those words. If it was written in some "sacred language" so as to DISCRIMINATE against all who do not know it, I'd have to scramble to learn to read Hebrew very well before I could understand, which would take years.  Was it not a blessing that the OT scriptures had already been translated into Greek before Christ came and the NT was written in Greek so that the majority of the world's inhabitants could read and decide whether to believe the truth of the Messiah who came?  That was the primary official language of most of the earth during that world/age.

I guess if we were foolish enough to give into false doctrines and LYING SPIRITS and not use the WORDS, the MEANINGS of the words in scripture and line them up with our good logic and ask for the guidance of the TRUTHFUL SPIRIT, then we could think that only those who know the "sacred language" were good enough to be in the cult of Yah, as I will call it. If someone walked up to me two decades ago and told me the name of God was Yahweh, that wouldn't mean anything to me! But "The Eternal [One]" now that makes sense! I will bluntly just say the truth on my mind that the WORD "Yahweh" sounds really strange to me, just like when I hear other strange words from foreign languages. Words in biblical Hebrew (which, by the way, is NOT the language Salvation the Anointed One spoke as a man, as they had evolved to speaking Aramaic by that time) meant something to those who spoke Hebrew. It should be obvious to anyone actually reading their bible (in the language in which they understand, of course, which is ENGLISH here in the U.S.) that what names MEANT was what was important. They are translated to their MEANINGS for us in the footnotes or in the sentences after the given name that was transliterated. It's as if we were to give names to our children in English, like some do. Some have names like: Faith, Joy, Hope, Rain, Sunny, Stormy, Will, Liberty, Sky, etc. We do not have to look them up to see what they mean, because we used a name that we already understand.

What if I were to give a girl the name Vanilla? Sounds nice, doesn't it? I happen to know the story behind the vanilla plant's name. Of course, we could have the picture of a vanilla bean or white vanilla flower or the scent of vanilla in our minds when we see the little girl called Vanilla...or we could think about "little vagina," if we know the background to the word "vanilla."

Jehovah or Yahweh or Yahveh or whatever doesn't mean anything to me, unless I know the original language's meaning.  My God who is also my Father is the great I AM, the Eternal One. He IS. Wow...just meditate on that name. Meditate on "Yahweh" all day long, and it doesn't mean anything in the English language. Meditate on "I AM" or "Eternal One" and see what it does for you.  Besides all this, though, I have a lot of names and titles I call my Father and my head brother, Father's Firstborn, and when I pray to my Good Father, I NEVER call him Yahweh.

When I read my KJV bible, and I see "the LORD," I don't read "the LORD," but I read "I AM" or sometimes Jehovah (only b/c I know what the original language for that words means, namely "I AM") or very often "the Eternal One." I have sometimes said "Yahweh," but I think "I AM" is good, if the point to his name is to meditate on HIS BEING, HIS IDENTITY, WHO HE IS.  The same is true for anyone’s name, which is why I have recently preferred to call “Jesus” or “Yeshua” or “Iesous” Salvation, because the English meaning of his name is “Salvation.” 

I call different people different names all the time, and I don't see them getting upset with all the varied names I give them, as long as they're not bad.

AUTHORITY

Yahushua, Jesus, etc. alone doesn't even point to our Savior.  It's when it's further defined by his name title:  Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One.  The proper ENGLISH name for us to call our Savior "Jesus Christ" or "Jesus" is:  "Salvation the Anointed" or "Anointed Salvation" or "Salvation"

We are told to pray directly to the Father and anything we ask of Him, we are to ask in Christ's name.  Does that mean when we pray, we have to use a specific pronunciation of the name Christ was given at birth?  That was not an uncommon name.  Joshua, who led ancient Israel into Caanan bore the same name long before Christ.  People today in all languages have the same name.  Jesus and Joshua are English forms.  Jesus (pronounced hay-soos) is common in Mexico. I'm sure other forms in other languages are not uncommon.  It's not a "sacred name" in and of itself.  It means, "Salvation" or "The Eternal's Salvation."  Others had bore the name before Christ came along, but it was fitting for him to be named that, was it not?  Because of the meaning.  He was also named Immanuel, "God with us."  Also fitting.  

Back to our prayers.  What does it mean to ask something in Christ's name?  It means he holds authority.  My husband often mentions the names of well-known and prominent individuals he knows to others so that he can get a good deal or better create a new relationship.  We are all familiar with this.  I might know someone really well who is a manager, retail store owner, or whatever.  I have a friend who is about to seek services from this place or deal with this person.  My other friend doesn't know this person.  I may tell my friend, "Tell him you know me and ask about a discount."  THAT is why we ask things in the name of Christ.  And Yeshua, Yahshua, and Jesus alone doesn't cut it.  There are  many people with that name.  It's the fact that it's Jesus Christ.  It's the Anointed One, the Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of Mankind.  When we ask things in his name, we are asking in his authority, we are claiming to KNOW HIM personally and to be covered by his sacrifice.  It's not the phonetics of some name.  There are many who ask things in the name of Christ, but God doesn't know them.  The thing that matter is that we're asking in the name of Salvation.  We can only expect to have Father answer our prayers if are covered by Salvation.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:21-23).

"In thy name."  Does this just refer to people who call the Lord "Yahushua" or "Yeshua?"  Many more people call him Jesus.  It's many of these people to whom he is referring.  There are professing Christians who do things in the name of Christ, attempting to use HIS authority ("in [his] name"), but they do not keep God's commandments.  He will say, "I don't know you."  Could you imagine the humiliation if I tried to get a discount or entry on or into something by claiming to the person in charge that I know his good friend "So-and-so," and then that "So-and-so" happens to show up and say, "I don't know you."  This will be a similar situation when people are before Christ, and he will tell them he never knew them.  It was all a lie to the Father. 

TITLES, COMMON NAMES, AND OTHER GIVEN NAMES

When people are of importance, they have titles, which are a type of name.  When people hold such titles, they nearly ALWAYS prefer these lofty titles over their given birth names.  Would the president of the US prefer being called Barack or Mr. President?  Probably he prefers the latter.  Kings have been called "Your Highness," "Your Majesty," and so on.  There is no higher title than "The Most High God."  And of course, there is nothing higher than "I AM THAT I AM" or "The ETERNAL ONE," either.  Or Emperor of the Universe, The Highest Majesty, and so on.  Any of these refer to the One Who is Above All.  It's all the same person.  And whether it's Yahweh, Jehovah, or Yahovah, they all refer to the same One.  They mean the same.  I remember choosing my son Asher's middle name.  I preferred Evan, but Nathan preferred Ivan.  So, we went with Ivan.  They mean the same, but Evan is a Welsh form of John; Ivan is the Russian form, both derived from the Latin Iohannes, from the Greek Ioannes, from the Hebrew Yochanan.  The meaning is the same across the board.  But, languages are different. 

I'm not even called Tara nearly as much as I'm called by my titles, WHO I AM. I'm called "Momma" all day long, and I tell my boys that that is my NAME. My NAME is Momma to them. My NAME is "Lady" usually by Nathan my husband, short for "Sweet Lady." I'm "Ta" by my parents and sister often. You should see my point. I do like Tara, but I sure love Momma and Sweet Lady. It reminds me of who I am, the many different roles I play. God is the Most High, and He loves to hear it. He REALLY likes to be called "Father" or "Daddy" by his children (preferably "Holy Father" or "Good Father" or "Blessed Father," etc.)

He's fine with being called Jehovah, too. But, it's ONLY because of what it MEANS (though the English translation is I AM or The Eternal, and Jehovah is the transliteration). It reminds Him of Who He Is, and that He is worthy of being worshiped for it. He created all, and it's perfect and good, and we should be happy about His Law, because it is what is good for us. I give Him all sorts of lofty titles throughout my articles. I don't limit them. Our husbands usually like lots of varied lofty names for them from us. Our children love variation of beloved names/titles upon them. I've called my husband and children by their titles/nicknames much more than their given names that have meanings of their own. Do we have to limit ourselves to one meaning even? We should show our love and honor with all sorts of wonderful titles, wonderful names for our Father and for our Firstborn Sibling.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name [shem] shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6).

LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES AND EVOLUTION

Now, most people who speak English can probably pronounce one of the popular Hebrew forms of YHVH, but there are many in other languages that would definitely not be able to.  Different cultures have evolved different tones and lingual skills. We couldn't expect some peoples of the earth to pronounce neither Jesus nor Yeshua. Their alphabet, and their spoken language and dialect, would not allow them to. There are some people who have heard me pronounce my name to them, and they cannot say it that way. When people learn to speak another language, they often don't always get the pronunciation the same way that we who grew up learning to pronounce it one way, while their brains were developing. Focusing on pronunciations is a deception from Satan to get our focus off the importance of meaning.   How Mexicans talk as quickly as they do is beyond me.  And what about some of those African tribes who do clicking sounds and such?  If you expect them to say Yeshua or Jesus, you will probably be disappointed, because it's doubtful they can do either.  Mandarin Chinese is especially difficult, because they use tones to differentiate many words, and if you didn't grow up learning that language as a child, it's almost impossible to learn that language, because the tones are so similar. They notice if you get the tone wrong, and therefore you use the wrong word altogether.   Thankfully, pronunciation and spelling of any of God's names have nothing to do with the third commandment.  

'V' and 'W' are related. That is why some use Yahweh and some use Yahveh, Yehovah, or Jehovah. 'Y' is related to 'I', and 'I' is related to 'J.' If you all are even a little familiar with our so-called "sister language" German [the modern Assyrians], you will know how the v and w are related, and it evolves differently in different languages. I took Spanish lessons in high school, and I do well remember learning about the 'j' and 'y', and how people with different dialects across the broader Spanish language (for example, you have Mexican Spanish, Spaniard Spanish, etc.) pronounced the sounds slightly differently. Some would pronounce the 'j' in a word with a 'y' sound, and some would do it with a cross between our 'j' sound and our consonant 'y' sound. The best way I can describe it is a 'zh' sound, if that makes sense. You can study the 'i' in the Greek language and Old English.  But, then the 'i' evolved, and we now have separate letters in the Roman alphabet [the alphabet in which our English speaking peoples--Israelites--use; we have the Roman/Babylonian alphabet]: both 'i' and 'j'. But, there are striking similarities. Study an AUTHORIZED King James Bible, 1611 edition. Read it. If you have never done this, I recommend it.

The 1611 version is written in Old English. You just think the more modern versions of King James is "difficult" Old English. I've owned a King James Bible Companion, by David W. Daniels, a very thin booklet that you can place in the back of your King James Bible [my main study bible, a more modern version] for many years now [6 or 7 years, probably] that contains over 500 archaic words defined. I'm not nearly as ignorant about the archaic terms in the King James bible now. 

You'll truly learn simply from the differences in that and the modern KJV's OE and today's Modern English [which, boy, Modern English is evolving more speedily now than ever...I don't see how anyone could keep up with the evolution and increase of our language in this day; it will make you crazy trying]. You'll see where Iesus is the Messiah's name.  I recommend this study in addition:  http://www.keithhunt.com/Sacred1.html

Names evolve. Words evolve. Language evolves. It's the meanings and the principles and the way the names are used that matters much more. When names and titles translate to other languages and evolve, the spellings and pronounciation (or is that the wrong spelling? Should it be pronunciation?) See the difference? But, it was just my spelling. The meaning stayed the same, and who cares, right?  But, do you see how the ou and the u doesn't matter? There was a game on my forums community that we played a few years ago.  I wanted to see which spellings and/or pronunciations my friends preferred to use.  Mustache or moustache? Short 'u' or long 'u'? What about syllables? Caribbean? How do you pronounce it?

How do you pronounce my name, "Tara?" What does it mean, and where did it come from? How has the pronunciation changed? What about the spelling? Has the meaning remained the same? That is what we need to remember.

Ashtoreth, Ashteroth, Hester, Esther, Asherah, Astarte, Isis, Oestre, Eostre, Easter. Does it matter what the culture, the language, the pronunciation? Has the MEANING stayed the same? STAR.

Eve, Eva, Eeva, Evaline, Evalyn, Evaleen, Olive, Olivia, (the last two mean "olive," but is a symbol of life) Evita, Viva. The spelling and pronunciation has changed. The MEANING has not. LIFE.

Yahweh, Yahveh, Yahovah, Yehovah, Jehovah. Same thing.  The MEANING is "eternal one" or "I am that I am."

Yahshua, Yehshuah, Yeshua, Iesus, Jesus [Mexicans spell it the same way but pronounce it differently], Joshua [another English version], just as some of those Eves up there were considered Hebrew. English has several variations of the same thing, too.  The MEANING is Salvation.

English is mainly Hebrew and Assyrian [German] in our more ancient history, then it became overlaid with much Latin, but the more recent our history is the more we are adulterated with more and more languages.

Neither Hebrew, Assyrian, Roman, or anything else was like the original language, and all languages mix and evolve.  Since Babel, it has always been that way. The language doesn't matter. Mixed language is a curse.  Only when the curse is lifted will the world again have a pure language. For now, we need to speak to others so that they understand us. That should be our primary concern.  Hebrew didn't even exist before Babel, and Hebrew had borrowed words from other languages, like Aramaic, Chaldee, and Egyptian, just as any other language.  They are all mixed.  The language Jews spoke during the days of Christ's first coming, besides many speaking Greek, was NOT the language of the OT books, Hebrew, but rather Aramaic.  More recently, Jews speak Yiddish, and most of the House of Israel speaks some form of modern English or a Scandinavian language. Most people in the Israelite nations identify with Jesus and Jehovah (by the way, some pronounce that 'j' as a 'y'. I don't personally mind people using the Hebrew names. But, people usually like to speak in the language they know.

I could probably write a book just on language development, etymology, etc., but I don't think studying and researching that in-depth should be my focus right now. I just need to share enough with people to help people understand that we can't be so hung up on pronunciation and spelling.  Does Father care? Why does the KJV translate the MEANING of God's name as given to Moses? It's because it's the meaning that matters. Moses asked God himself (the Son of God who had come in Father's name [authority, in other words]. God would have been fine with identification as "the God of our fathers." That's how He introduced Himself in Exodus 3:6. Moses was afraid the Israelites would ask for a specific name. So, what was the meaning of the name? I am that I am. He is who he is. He's the Mighty One (God). There's no one higher than He is in this Universe. He is the Creator of all. That's the meaning of I am that I am.

We need to be careful about being too hung up on spoken pronunciations and spellings. Language, linguistics means, "tongue." Language was deliberately scrambled by God at Babel. And all the strife caused between "sacred name" groups shows a lot of bad fruit. They can't all agree with each other on how to spell or pronounce the Hebrew names. And they never will agree. It's fruitless, and it's a waste of time. Satan has them so busy squabbling over such nonsense, that they miss what is important.

Those who were educated within Israel knew Greek. Greek was the dominant language of the Roman Empire at that time, which made it quite easy to spread the gospel. Just the mere suggestion that the NT letters were written in Hebrew is laughable, because Paul, the dominant writer of the NT, wrote to gentiles. And how were most people expected to read the gospels, if written in Hebrew? The vast majority of people in the empire did not know Hebrew. It would have been quite silly to have written anything in the NT in the Hebrew language. How fruitless!

TODAY Hebrew is long an outdated language. There are definitely remains of it in certain languages, but no nation today speaks the Hebrew of the OT. And there's absolutely no reason to believe that it will ever be re-instituted, either. It was never a pure language. It was one of many languages that was the result of the scramble. God never has said anything about it being a special language or that His written or spoken name needed to be kept in that language. 

DEFINITION OF "REPUTATION" IN STRONG'S DICTIONARY

The word for “Thou shalt not take” in the third commandment is the Hebrew nasa (Strong’s 5375). Its use is very variable. It can mean “advance,” “honorable”, “hold up,” “take” as in “take away” or “take up,” and many other things. Looking at the scriptures as a whole, I truly think it’s better rendered as something more along the lines of “hold up” or “take up” or “advance,” showing that a person is claiming to hold up and honor the name of God, which is good, unless you do it in vain.

The Hebrew word that was translated “the name” is shem (#8035). Notice the similarity between it and our English word shame. That’s what shem can mean, but as with other Hebrew words, there’s a positive meaning and a negative meaning. Strong’s Concordance says, “an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character -- + base, (in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.” A name is an identity. Whether we like it or not, our names often tell a great deal about us.

When we hear someone say, “They tarnished his name,” or “My good name is ruined,” or similar sayings, we realize it to mean that a person’s reputation has been has been dealt a blow.

DEFINITION OF THIRD COMMANDMENT "IN VAIN" MEANING

The Hebrew word translated to “in vain” in Exodus 20:7 is shav (#7724 in Strong’s): “from the same as show’ in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain) --false (-ly), lie, lying, vain, vanity.”

So, the third commandment could be written as follows (my paraphrase):

Thou shalt not ruin Jehovah’s good reputation by worshiping him (holding up his name) in a useless way or speaking badly of him. Anyone who makes Jehovah look bad by their useless worship of Him or by badmouthing him will be found guilty.