![]() Jesus taught His disciples to pray, saying, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. The Gentiles who’ve come into His family, through faith in Jesus Christ, ought to be careful we do not misuse His name. God expected His covenant people to refer to Him – either directly or indirectly – with reverence and respect. ![]() Jesus rebuked this practice and told them if they swore falsely by heaven, they had still used God’s name in vain because heaven “is the throne of God” (Matthew 5:34). And when they swore an oath, they would swear by the temple or by heaven or by some other thing, in order to not swear falsely by God’s name. In order to avoid breaking this commandment, pious Jews in the time of Jesus would not speak of God directly at all. They especially were forbidden from using God’s name to give false testimony or swear an oath they would not fulfill. They understood that anytime they referred to their God, they were commanded to do so with reverence and respect. Though “YHWH” is the most specific way the Israelites could refer to God, it was not the only way. He had revealed His name to them, “YHWH.” He had revealed Himself to them through the covenant. To Israel, God wasn’t just a generic or impersonal god. In the Ten Commandments, God commanded Israel, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain” (Exodus 20:7). Not to mention the popular abbreviation, “OMG.” So, is this practice wrong? What does the Bible say about this? ![]() But countless people (including many Christians) use this phrase as an exclamation of surprise or disbelief. ![]() To be honest, I feel even a little bit guilty typing the words, “Oh my God.” Of course, it is certainly not wrong to use the phrase “Oh my God” when you are actually talking to God or about God (2 Chronicles 6:40). ![]()
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