The Third Word

The third commandment of this first table of the Law regulates all of our language or mention of God. As such, it seeks to regulate our verbal testimony about God. The name of God should create a profound sense of awe, and it should never be used—nor should God be referenced in any way—with anything that is beneath him. The way we speak about God is one of the central ways we communicate to others about him. As we speak of him only in ways that are fitting for his holiness and righteousness, we encourage others to seek him, believing by our example that he truly is a righteous, loving, and almighty God.