Do Not Take Oaths
some promises we don't realize we're making.
some promises we know are lies.
some promises we know we've broken.
Matthew 5:33-37 NLT
[33] “You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the Lord.’ [34] But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. [35] And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. [36] Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. [37] Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus is moving from commands of outward action toward commands of the inner motivation of the heart. He is digging deeper into the heart of the matter.
Why do we swear oaths in the first place? Why we do we sign contracts? Or make pinky promises?
- we do this because we believe that our word is not enough on its own.
- "if a child asks a parent for a promise, the parent should hear this as an indictment, because it shows that the child does not trust the word of the parent" - Dan G.
- we appeal to something greater than ourselves because we are not trustworthy
Regardless of what you swear by, you are making promises before God. You are dealing in the currency of Truth.
Pharisees we're making oaths to look good and trustworthy, but we're often not following through. You do the same thing. We make commitments that we can wiggle out of if need be.
"I'll pray for you" - do you really have the intention of praying for them?
Jesus desires for his followers to be people of such integrity that they don't need anything external to validate their word.
Wait a sec... Isn't the Bible full of promises and oaths? What's that about? God makes promises to us because he is faithful. He demonstrates his faithfulness in doing so. John Stott quote. I don't fully get this.
Simplify Your Speech
All you need to say is simply yes or no
James 5:12 NLT
[12] But most of all, my brothers and sisters, never take an oath, by heaven or earth or anything else. Just say a simple yes or no, so that you will not sin and be condemned.
Be Clear
Say what you mean, and mean what you say. When we are not clear, it is not kind, helpful, or christ-like.
Be Concise
There is power in saying less.
James 3:5-6 NLT
[5] In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. [6] And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.
If a small spark can burn down a forest, think about how reckless all the flippant things you say are. Social media in particular exacerbates this. We feel like we need to have an opinion on everything.
A phrase you can try out: "I'm not sure what I think about that"
Be Consistent
A lot of times people become disenfranchised with the church because we are not consistent in our speech. Does what you say at work, with friends, and online match what you say in church?
Titus 2:6-8 NLT
[6] In the same way, encourage the young men to live wisely. [7] And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching. [8] Teach the truth so that your teaching can’t be criticized. Then those who oppose us will be ashamed and have nothing bad to say about us.
Search Your Heart
It's worth going down a couple layers with questions like:
- Why do I make promises and not keep them?
- Why do I embellish?
- Do I only say yes so that others will owe me something?
- Why do I overcommit myself?
A Need For Control
We want to control what others think of us. Our oaths are a method for getting our way. Meant to override the judgement of the one we are talking to.
Look how Jesus ends Matthew 37:
Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.
The lie we believe from Satan is that we need to be in control to be secure and happy.
Our Insecurity
We make promises because we do not know who we are. We are trying to make ourselves worthy of someone else affection.
That's exhausting.
It is in Jesus where we find our true rest.
See Jesus
"The key to loving God is to see Jesus, to hold him before our mind with as much clarity as possible" - Dallas Willard
What are you beholding?
- social media?
- news?
- mindless entertainment?
We need to behold Christ. To marinate ourselves in the fullness of Jesus.
2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT
[20] For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.
All the promises of God find their fulfillment in Jesus.
Maybe the trajectory of your life was impacted by someone not keeping a promise. Are you carrying that wound? Don't let your bitterness grow. You need to let go of that pain. Give it to Jesus.
Maybe you are thinking of a promise you have not fulfilled. Maybe you have inflicted pain on others. One of the primary ways we rebuild trust is to acknowledge our sin. Not just because we got caught, but true repentance. In our humility and weakness is where we see the powe of God at work.
Maybe you feel like God hasn't kept his promise. You feel disenfranchised with God and/or the church. God is a promise-keeper, but that doesn't mean he's going to give you everything you've planned for. Take your disenfranchisement and anger with God directly to Him. Speak with Him. Listen to Him.