Taking the Lord's Name in Vain! #1

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7)

What does it mean to take the name of the Lord in vain? To whom has the Lord given permission to use His Name to validate their cause? Who has authority from God to speak and teach using His Name to add credibility to their agenda? Who speaks the word of God, of which God has approved to be spoken? Who speaks by the power of God His very word, for which God perfectly vouches? Who speaks the words of God as if it were actually God Himself in such a manner that, “What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same”? Would it be wise to identify such an individual, who is a true and authentic messenger of God, has received knowledge, light, and understanding from heaven, and knows what He/She is talking about? Why or why not?

King Benjamin did not preach on his own accord or freelance according to his own agenda, but rather he taught only what had been given to him to teach, which had been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord. (Mosiah 4:1) God renewed His covenant with King Benjamin and it was through King Benjamin that the people could once again make an acceptable covenant with God. The purpose of sending the angel to King Benjamin was to offer once again a valid covenant through which others could repent. (Mosiah 5:5-7)

“This is how the Gospel works. Even the chosen people of Lehi and his son Nephi brought to the promised land failed to abide the conditions of the covenant. But God did not abandon them. When enough generations had passed to allow the Lord's hand to be revealed, then the Lord acted. The heavens were opened, the covenant was offered again, and souls were saved. This is a great type. The Book of Mormon is far more relevant for our day than we imagine. It is a blueprint for how our own history is unfolding. It is a sobering lesson in how to fail and how to wait for the Lord to reclaim and redeem us.

We ignore or misunderstand the content of The Book of Mormon at the peril of our own salvation. When we do, then no one can be saved.” (DS 3-12-14)

This same pattern is occurring today right before our very eyes. The deaths of Joseph and Hyrum Smith mark, at least in part, the fullness of the gospel being lost. 

Hyrum’s line was to be kept “in honorable remembrance from generation to generation, forever and ever” (D&C 124:96). Even after the Patriarch’s office, held by Hyrum’s descendants, was discontinued in 1979, the church still held some tenuous claims. In 1979 Eldred G. Smith was released and never replaced, but he lived on for decades. The office has now altogether ended according to church publications.

Upon his death in April 2013 at 104 years of age, the sign of the passing of the fourth generation was given. By April of the next year the Lord concluded His work through the LDS Church and set His hand to begin something new, now underway. (DS 12-25-14)

Now a sufficient number of generations have passed to allow the Lord's hand to be revealed today, which is now occurring. The Lord is currently acting here and now. The heavens are open, a covenant has been offered again and is currently available to all, and souls are choosing whether to be saved or not.

“Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ. Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips— For behold, verily I say, that many there be who are under this condemnation, who use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority. Wherefore, let the church repent of their sins, and I, the Lord, will own them; otherwise they shall be cut off. Remember that that which cometh from above is sacred, and must be spoken with care, and by constraint of the Spirit; and in this there is no condemnation, and ye receive the Spirit through prayer; wherefore, without this there remaineth condemnation.” (D&C 63:60-64 emphasis added)

“For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do. Behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and there will be no more doctrine given until after he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh. And when he shall manifest himself unto you in the flesh, the things which he shall say unto you shall ye observe to do. And now I, Nephi, cannot say more; the Spirit stoppeth mine utterance, and I am left to mourn because of the unbelief, and the wickedness, and the ignorance, and the stiffneckedness of men; for they will not search knowledge, nor understand great knowledge, when it is given unto them in plainness, even as plain as word can be.” (2 Nephi 32:5-7)

“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.” (Matthew 7:21-23)

“I cannot say more.  But I am left amazed at the hardness of the hearts of this generation who claim they are the Lord's.  Many, many will be told by Him to depart from His presence at the time of Judgment because they never knew Him.  They speak today in His name, yet they know Him not.  It would be better for them to not speak at all, than to toss about His name as the author of foolish, vain, proud and evil notions while claiming He agrees with such things.” (DS 5-25-10)