Of the Baptist Catechism
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Question What is forbidden in the third commandment?
Answer The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning and abusing of any thing whereby God makes himself known. 1
[1] Malachi 1:6–7, 12; 2:2; 3:14

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Is it a great sin to profane God’s name?
Yes.

They profaned my holy name,
Ezekiel 36:20

Is it a profanation of God’s name to use it as an expletive in discourse?
Yes.

Let your communication be yea, yea, and nay, nay, for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil,
Matthew 5:37

Or as a charm?
Yes.

As those exorcists who said we adjure you by Jesus,
Acts 19:13

Or as a sanction for cruelty?
Yes.

Your brethren that hated you and cast you out, said, Let the Lord be glorified,
Isaiah 66:5

Is God’s name also profaned by putting a slight upon sacred things?
Yes.

Cursed be he that voweth and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing, for I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is dreadful,
Malachi 1:14


Is blasphemy a breach of this commandment?
Yes.

Foolish people have blasphemed thy name,
Psalm 74:18

And hypocrisy?
Yes.

For unto the wicked God saith, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes,
Psalm 50:16

Is this a great sin?
Yes.

Their heart is divided, now shall they be found faulty,
Hosea 10:2

And a destructive sin?
Yes.

The hypocrites in heart heap up wrath,
Job 36:13

Should we therefore be careful to avoid it?
Yes.

Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy,
Luke 12:1


Is this commandment broken by sinful and unnecessary lots?
Yes.

They cast pur, that is the lot, before Haman from day to day,
Esther 3:7

And by profane cursing?
Yes.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing, my brethren, these things ought not to be,
James 3:10

And by rash swearing?
Yes.

Above all things, my brethren, swear not,
James 5:12

And by false swearing?
Yes.

Ye shall not swear by my name falsely,
Leviticus 19:12


Is it a great sin to swear falsely?
Yes.

For it blasphemeth that worthy name, by which we are called,
James 2:7

Is it a sin that brings a curse upon the persons who are guilty of it?
Yes.

Will ye steal, murder and swear falsely, therefore I will cast you out of my sight,
Jeremiah 7:9, 15

And upon their families?
Yes.

It shall enter into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name,
Zechariah 5:4

And upon the land?
Yes.

Because of swearing the land mourns,
Jeremiah 23:10

From A Scriptural Exposition of the Baptist Catechism

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Question What are the sins forbidden in the third commandment?
Answer The sins forbidden in the third commandment are, the not using of God's name as is required; 1 and the abuse of it in an ignorant, 2 vain, 3 irreverent, profane, 4 superstitious, 5 or wicked mentioning, or otherwise using his titles, attributes, 6 ordinances, 7 or works, 8 by blasphemy, 9 perjury; 10 all sinful cursings, 11 oaths, 12 vows, 13 and lots; 14 violating of our oaths and vows, if lawful; 15 and fulfilling them, if of things unlawful; 16 murmuring and quarreling at, 17 curious prying into, 18 and misapplying of God's decrees 19 and providences; 20 misinterpreting, 21 misapplying, 22 or any way perverting the word, or any part of it, 23 to profane jests, 24 curious or unprofitable Questions, 25 vain janglings, or the maintaining of false doctrines; 26 abusing it, the creatures, or anything contained under the name of God, to charms, 27 or sinful lusts and practices; 28 the maligning, 29 scorning, 30 reviling, 31 or any wise opposing of God's truth, grace, and ways; 32 making profession of religion in hypocrisy, or for sinister ends; 33 being ashamed of it, 34 or a shame to it, by unconformable, 35 unwise, 36 unfruitful, 37 and offensive walking, 38 or backsliding from it.
[1] Malachi 2:2
[2] Acts 17:23
[3] Proverbs 30:9
[4] Malachi 1:6–7, 12; 3:14
[5] 1 Samuel 4:3–5; Jeremiah 7:4, 9–10, 14, 31; Colossians 2:20–22
[6] 2 Kings 18:30, 35; Exodus 5:2; Psalm 139:20
[7] Psalm 50:16–17
[8] Isaiah 5:12
[9] 2 Kings 19:22; Leviticus 24:11
[10] Zechariah 5:4; 8:17
[11] 1 Samuel 17:43; 2 Samuel 16:5
[12] Jeremiah 5:7; 23:10
[13] Deuteronomy 23:18; Acts 23:12, 14
[14] Esther 3:7; 9:24; Psalm 22:18
[15] Psalm 24:4; Ezekiel 17:16, 18–19
[16] Mark 6:26; 1 Samuel 25:22, 32–34
[17] Romans 9:14, 19–20
[18] Deuteronomy 29:29
[19] Romans 3:5, 7; 6:1
[20] Ecclesiastes 8:11; 9:3
[21] Matthew 5:21–22
[22] Ezekiel 13:22
[23] 2 Peter 3:16; Matthew 22:24–31; 25:28–30
[24] Isaiah 22:13; Jeremiah 23:34, 36, 38
[25] 1 Timothy 1:4, 6–7; 6:4–5, 20; 2 Timothy 2:14; Titus 3:9
[26] Deuteronomy 18:10–14; Acts 19:13
[27] 2 Timothy 4:3–4; Romans 13:13–14; 1 Kings 21:9–10; Jude 4
[28] Acts 13:45; 1 John 3:12
[29] Psalm 1:1; 2 Peter 3:3
[30] 1 Peter 4:4
[31] Acts 13:45–46, 50; 4:18; 19:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:16; Hebrews 10:29
[32] 2 Timothy 3:5; Matthew 6:1–2, 5, 16
[33] Mark 8:38
[34] Psalm 73:14–15
[35] 1 Corinthians 6:5–6; Ephesians 5:15–17
[36] Isaiah 5:4; 2 Peter 1:8–9
[37] Romans 2:23–24
[38] Galatians 3:1, 3; Hebrews 6:6