Swearing

Matthew 23: ¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? ¹⁸ You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ ¹⁹ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. ²¹ And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. ²² And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

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“I swear I will never do that again” were my empty words of whatever sin I did at the time and felt I got hurt by it. I actually swore by something that I would “never” do something again and probably did that thing the next week or even the next day.

• In the past I have taking my “swears” lightly.
• In the past I have taken my “oaths” with a grain of salt.
• In the past I have treated my “vows” as something to find loopholes in.

Swearing is a part of GOD that is probably taken the most seriously. HE holds HIMSELF accountable to HIS sworn word. HE never lies. Whatever HE says, HE does. Unfortunately I have not been as diligent. For a number of reasons, more like excuses, I have travelled away from my “sworn” word in the past. BUT GOD makes that right.

• GOD wants me to swear only when necessary.
• GOD wants me to take an oath only when I am sure I can keep it.
• GOD wants me to state a vow only when I know I have HIM on my side to enable the vow to be kept.

The Pharisees manipulated their congregations into swearing by money and gifts and not by the grouping of the people which is the church. GOD saw through their evil plan and sees through my pitiful sworn word. HE wants me to swear on occasion and to make it sacred.

• Have you sworn without the means to keep your word?
• Have you sworn in order to get out of trouble?
• Can you swear on occasion and admit to GOD you need help upholding your end of the bargain?