Question: 'What does the Bible say about keeping your vows / oaths?'
Answer:
The story of Jephthah illustrates the foolishness of making vows without understanding the consequences. Before leading the Israelites into battle against the Ammonites, Jephthah—described as a mighty man of valor—made a rash vow that he would give to the Lord whoever first came out of doors to meet him if he returned home as the victor. When the Lord granted him victory, the one who came out to meet him was his daughter. Jephthah remembered his vow and offered her to the Lord (Judges 11:29–40). Whether or not Jephthah should have kept this vow is dealt with in another article. What this account shows is the foolishness of rash vows.
Jesus taught concerning vows, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No ,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33–37).
A little background information is helpful in understanding Jesus’ words here. The religious leaders of the day advocated keeping a vow if it was a public vow using God’s name; however, if the vow was made in the course of everyday conversation, referencing only “heaven” or “earth” or “Jerusalem,” it was not really binding. People had a loophole. They could lie or exaggerate in their conversations and lend themselves an air of credibility by saying, “I swear by heaven that this is true!” They could not be held to account because they did not specifically swear by God’s name and the vow was private. Jesus countered that idea. If you swear something, it had better be true, He says. In fact, all you need to say is “yes” or “no.” Your word should be good. There’s no need for overwrought expressions to bolster your case.
Psalm 15:4 describes a righteous person as one “who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind.” Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 supports this biblical principle. Oaths are binding, even when spoken frivolously or privately as part of everyday conversation. A promise is a promise, and there is no loophole in God’s eyes to allow a person to renege on an oath.
So, Jesus was not condemning all forms of promises, contracts, or agreements. Jesus was speaking of the kind of spontaneous vow made when a person says, “I cross my heart and hope to die” or “I swear on a stack of Bibles” or “I swear on my mother’s life.” Jesus warns against using those types of flippant oaths. His teaching in Matthew 5 is not meant to discourage careful, thought-out promises, such as wedding vows or a legal contract.
The principle here is clear for Christians: be careful about making vows, either to the Lord or to one another. The fact that we are prone to errors in judgment means that we may make vows foolishly or out of immaturity. Further, the informal vows we make (“I swear by all the angels in heaven!”) are completely unnecessary. Our word is our bond.
Answer:
In one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies, A Man For All Seasons, Sir Thomas More explains what it means to take an oath. Imprisoned by Henry VIII for refusing to take an oath swearing to the Act of Succession, More is visited by his daughter, Meg, who urges him to say the words of the oath but think otherwise in his heart. A formal promise to do something or a formal statement that something is true. To take/swear an oath of allegiance; Before giving evidence, witnesses in court have to take the oath (= promise to tell the truth).; The next US president will take the oath of office in January.; All members had to swear a solemn oath never to reveal the secrets of the organization. A great memorable quote from the A Man for All Seasons movie on Quotes.net - Sir Thomas More: What is an oath then but words we say to God? An oath is really a promise to be truthful in one’s communications and/or actions and is almost always used in court before a trial. If you willfully and fraudulently steal the truth or lie after an oath then it is considered perjury and there is punishment for it.
There are about 30 biblical references to vows, most of which are from the Old Testament. The books of Leviticus and Numbers have several references to vows in relation to offerings and sacrifices. There were dire consequences for the Israelites who broke vows, especially vows to God.The story of Jephthah illustrates the foolishness of making vows without understanding the consequences. Before leading the Israelites into battle against the Ammonites, Jephthah—described as a mighty man of valor—made a rash vow that he would give to the Lord whoever first came out of doors to meet him if he returned home as the victor. When the Lord granted him victory, the one who came out to meet him was his daughter. Jephthah remembered his vow and offered her to the Lord (Judges 11:29–40). Whether or not Jephthah should have kept this vow is dealt with in another article. What this account shows is the foolishness of rash vows.
Jesus taught concerning vows, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No ,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33–37).
A little background information is helpful in understanding Jesus’ words here. The religious leaders of the day advocated keeping a vow if it was a public vow using God’s name; however, if the vow was made in the course of everyday conversation, referencing only “heaven” or “earth” or “Jerusalem,” it was not really binding. People had a loophole. They could lie or exaggerate in their conversations and lend themselves an air of credibility by saying, “I swear by heaven that this is true!” They could not be held to account because they did not specifically swear by God’s name and the vow was private. Jesus countered that idea. If you swear something, it had better be true, He says. In fact, all you need to say is “yes” or “no.” Your word should be good. There’s no need for overwrought expressions to bolster your case.
Psalm 15:4 describes a righteous person as one “who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind.” Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5 supports this biblical principle. Oaths are binding, even when spoken frivolously or privately as part of everyday conversation. A promise is a promise, and there is no loophole in God’s eyes to allow a person to renege on an oath.
So, Jesus was not condemning all forms of promises, contracts, or agreements. Jesus was speaking of the kind of spontaneous vow made when a person says, “I cross my heart and hope to die” or “I swear on a stack of Bibles” or “I swear on my mother’s life.” Jesus warns against using those types of flippant oaths. His teaching in Matthew 5 is not meant to discourage careful, thought-out promises, such as wedding vows or a legal contract.
The principle here is clear for Christians: be careful about making vows, either to the Lord or to one another. The fact that we are prone to errors in judgment means that we may make vows foolishly or out of immaturity. Further, the informal vows we make (“I swear by all the angels in heaven!”) are completely unnecessary. Our word is our bond.
What Is an Oath?
Wikipedia says that an oath is “either a statement of fact or a promise calling upon something or someone that the oath maker considers sacred, usually God, as a witness to the binding nature of the promise or the truth of the statement of fact.”
Scriptural Oaths
From the beginning of the earth, oaths were the most sacred way a person could affirm the truth of his word. Oaths were common in the Mosaic law (found in the Old Testament), which showed an outward commitment or determination by people who valued their religion. Moses told the tribes of Israel: “If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth” (Numbers 30:1).
However, oaths were often used falsely in order to get gain or power. And sometimes people swore by things over which they had no control, such as heaven or earth.
During His ministry, Jesus did away with oaths sworn to anything else but deity when he taught that people ought to be honest and trustworthy without swearing an oath:
- Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
- But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
- Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool . . .
- But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (Matthew 5:33–35, 37)
In the Book of Mormon, oaths were common among the Nephites. One of the first examples is when Nephi swears an oath with Zoram when Nephi was trying to persuade him to leave Jerusalem and come with Lehi’s family. Zoram also swears an oath to Nephi, as Nephi describes:
- And I spake unto him, even with an oath, that he need not fear. . . .
- Yea, and he also made an oath unto us that he would tarry with us from that time forth. (1 Nephi 4:33, 35)
When the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ ministered among the Nephites, He commanded them, in words and intent similar to those found in Matthew 5, not to swear oaths except to God any longer.
Why Take An Oath
- And again it is written, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths;
- But verily, verily, I say unto you, swear not at all; neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne;
- Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool. . . .
- But let your communication be Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever cometh of more than these is evil. (3 Nephi 12:33–35, 27)
Not only did the Nephites swear by the heavens and by the throne of God, they also swore oaths of vengeance against the Lamanites. Some of the more corrupt oaths sworn were secret oaths and “combinations of Gadianton,” whose source were the devil.
Meaningless Oaths
Superficial use of oaths seems to be what Jesus wanted His followers to eliminate.[1] That is easy to understand when considering that the term 'I swear' has developed a casual meaning in modern-day conversations. For example, “I swear to God” connotes, “I mean it” or “I’m telling you the truth.” Other similar phrases commonly used are “I swear on my grandmother’s grave,” “I swear on everything holy,” and “I swear to you!” Frequent superficial use of the term “I swear” makes it meaningless.
Do Latter-day Saints Make Oaths?
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (inadvertently called the Mormon Church) make covenants with God. One of the most important covenants in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is called the “oath and covenant of the priesthood,” because the priesthood is received with an oath and a covenant. It is a covenant between God and those who receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. “All those who receive the priesthood, receive this oath and covenant of my Father, which he cannot break, neither can it be moved” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:40).
In the oath and covenant of the priesthood, God promises that the person ordained will be a priest forever and will have eternal life. (See Doctrine and Covenants 76:54–60.) He also promises that those who are faithful in their oaths will be “sanctified by the Spirit” (Doctrine and Covenants 84:33). The priesthood holder promises to magnify his calling and fulfill all the responsibilities associated with the ordination.
In a talk about fulfilling commitments to God, President Henry B. Eyring, of the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ, said,
Rising to the possibilities of the oath and covenant brings the greatest of all the gifts of God: eternal life. That is a purpose of the Melchizedek Priesthood. . . . “I testify that God the Father lives. You have made covenants with Him. He offers you an oath, a promise of eternal life, which He cannot break.[2]
What Is An Oath Man To A King
God always blesses us when we keep our commitments to Him.
A warning is also associated with this oath and covenant: The Lord said that anyone who breaks it will not have forgiveness in mortal or eternal life. (See Doctrine and Covenants 84:41.)
Oath swearing has occurred throughout the history of the earth. Sometimes the oaths were expressions of deep commitment to God and to keeping one’s word. Other times oaths were used to manipulate or to cover secret actions. Oaths are intended to represent a faithful covenant, promise, or commitment to God—and blessings from Him—which members of the Church of Jesus Christ take seriously.
Notes:
What Is An Oath Man
- ↑Read more about oaths
- ↑The oath and covenant of the priesthood
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