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Oath's

Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by Jacob Webber, Jul 23, 2004.

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  1. Jacob Webber

    Jacob Webber New Member

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    I am looking for an answer concerning Oaths. Jesus said in Matt:

    Oaths
    NIV
    33"Again, 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.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

    NLT
    Teaching about Vows

    33"Again, you have heard that the law of Moses says, `Do not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.'[10] 34But I say, don't make any vows! If you say, `By heaven!' it is a sacred vow because heaven is God's throne. 35And if you say, `By the earth!' it is a sacred vow because the earth is his footstool. And don't swear, `By Jerusalem!' for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. 36Don't even swear, `By my head!' for you can't turn one hair white or black. 37Just say a simple, `Yes, I will,' or `No, I won't.' Your word is enough. To strengthen your promise with a vow shows that something is wrong.[11]


    Paslm 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.


    Jesus Agrees to an Oath:
    Matt 26:62Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" 63But Jesus remained silent.
    The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ,[5] the Son of God."
    64"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

    Hebrew 7:20God took an oath that Christ would always be a priest, but he never did this for any other priest. 21Only to Jesus did he say,

    "The Lord has taken an oath
    and will not break his vow:
    `You are a priest forever.' "[4]
    22Because of God's oath, it is Jesus who guarantees the effectiveness of this better covenant.



    So what does Christ mean in Matt ch5. Swear not. But in Matt 26 He agrees to an Oath of the Priest in Hebrews God's Oath is that Jesus would always be priest.
     
    #1 Jacob Webber, Jul 23, 2004
  2. Michael52

    Michael52 Member

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    It seems to me that Jesus is instructing us to be careful about oaths or promises. We have a tendency to let out mouth overload our you know what. If we make an oath or promise in front of others or to others, we had better keep it! If we are not sure we can carry through, it would be best not to swear (or promise). Breaking our word is worse for our witness than than simply remaining quiet and letting our actions exceed expectations.

    Jesus has no problem carrying through with His commitments and promises.

    Just MHO.
     
    #2 Michael52, Jul 24, 2004
  3. GODzThunder

    GODzThunder New Member

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    God teaches us that we should not make oaths where we may ruin out testimony by breaking them. Oaths are sacred promises that are legally binding (hence why witnesses are sworn in during a court trial, that to break it would be punishable by imprisonment). Because of the severe sacred nature of an oath we are advised to never make one lest we fail to keep it and ruin our testimony. Christ on the other hand is the exception as, being God, will always keep his word! He is infalible and cannot break an oath, he is God and truth!
     
    #3 GODzThunder, Jul 24, 2004
  4. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
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    Say Yes and No for current things, Do not swear to future things.

    That is the simplest best way I can put it, Oaths usually involve what you will do in order to gain something. Often these things are Pagan Religion inspired, "I swear by the Hammer of Thor that-" etc.

    As a Christian if you are asked something simply say Yes or No. Do you swear to tell the the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God? Yes. It is a statement of Yes or No.
     
    #4 Ben W, Jul 24, 2004
  5. Jacob Webber

    Jacob Webber New Member

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    What about Marriage Vows should we not take them bacause they are a future thing.

    Until Death do us part
     
    #5 Jacob Webber, Jul 25, 2004
  6. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    The Amplified New Testament
    Matt 5:34 But I tell you, Do not bind yourselves by an oath at all

    The New American Standard Bible
    Matt 5:34 “But I say to you, make no oath at all,

    You just can't get any clearer than that. The OT said to keep you oaths and Jesus said don't make an oath at all. Jesus can't be telling us to be careful when we make an oath. That just makes no sense at all.
    [​IMG]
     
    #6 Artimaeus, Jul 25, 2004
  7. Jacob Webber

    Jacob Webber New Member

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    Paul took a vow and shaved His head as an outward sign of it was Paul and others sinning.


    (Matt 5:34 But I tell you, Do not bind yourselves by an oath at all)

    Hebrew 7:20God took an oath that Christ would always be a priest, but he never did this for any other priest. 21Only to Jesus did he say,

    "The Lord has taken an oath
    and will not break his vow:
    `You are a priest forever.' "[4]
    22Because of God's oath, it is Jesus who guarantees the effectiveness of this better covenant.

    So is God commiting Sin here I really do not think so. It clearly says The Lord has taken an OATH)

    Act 13:23"From this man's descendants God has brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.

    God promises

    Acts 2:30But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.

    God promises by Oath

    Hebrews 4:3Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
    "So I declared on oath in my anger,

    Hebrews 6:13When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,

    Again if God is making Oaths than Matthew must be pointing out something specific going on at that time, But what?
     
    #7 Jacob Webber, Jul 25, 2004
  8. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
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    Yet the Marrige Vow is given to you when you are asked if you will take on the responsability, to which the answer is a yes or a no. It is not in the future, but current.

    An example of a future vow might be say asking God to get you out of something an in exchange you will go to church.
     
    #8 Ben W, Jul 26, 2004
  9. Jacob Webber

    Jacob Webber New Member

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    But in exchange of a Woman marrying a man He promises to never leave her or forsake Her. So it is that same. That is a future vow that last the rest of His life.

    Before you say I do most people ge there vow of loyalty only to their spouse.

    I ___________ take the __________ as my lawful weddied wife to have and to hold from this day forward in sickness and in health for richer or poorer til death do us part. With this ring I thy Wed.
     
    #9 Jacob Webber, Jul 26, 2004
  10. amixedupmom

    amixedupmom Guest

    I Agree with Micheal and Godz on this one.


    You should NEVER make a promise you are not postitive you can keep. It is very hard even with marriage vows. But, you have to remember there are TWO people in a marriage, if one takes it seriously and that oath and the other doesn't, it can end in divorce.

    Personally speaking, I try to make no promises except the ones i'm certian I can keep. I take my marriage vows very seriously, and so does my husband. I'm very lucky he does.
     
    #10 amixedupmom, Jul 26, 2004
  11. Michael52

    Michael52 Member

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    Jesus also said,
    How literal are we to be? Could jesus be trying to teach us a principal?

    I think Jesus was telling us that making and oath just for the sake of making an oath is akin to following the law for the sake of the law, rather than true righteousness. The law can't make us righteous and neither can an oath. Particulary, an oath we have no intention of keeping. If an oath or a promise is just bluster, it's worse than useless, it's sin!
     
    #11 Michael52, Jul 26, 2004
  12. Artimaeus

    Artimaeus Active Member

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    As lieteral as the context will allow. Context, context, context. If it doens't mean what it says then it must mean something else and if it means something else then who gets to decide what the truth is?

    Yes, a principle, not a "rule of thumb" which we can modify at our whim. Jesus clearly said to not swear at all. Now you are going to have to have a very very compelling reason why it would be alright to swear.

    Then why didn't He say that? If you really stop and think about it, it just doesn't make any sense to say that "I think Jesus was telling us that..." and then finish it with the opposite of what He said.
     
    #12 Artimaeus, Jul 27, 2004
  13. Ben W

    Ben W Active Member
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    O.K Jacob, you have a point there I suppose. [​IMG]

    I have no problem with marriage vows and it is my thought that God would encourage that situation. Jesus Himself attended weddings obviously there because He was in approval of it.

    The point that I am making is probably more related to the wording of the vow and how we stand before God with it. Remember the fellow who thought he would build larger barns and make all this additional money yet not consider God. Gods response was "fool, tonight your soul is required".

    What are are obligations before God that is what we need to have in mind.
     
    #13 Ben W, Jul 27, 2004
  14. Jacob Webber

    Jacob Webber New Member

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    Didn't Paul say alot As God as my Witness wouldn't this be an Oath as well.
     
    #14 Jacob Webber, Jul 27, 2004
  15. Michael52

    Michael52 Member

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    Indeed. [​IMG]
    Again, "it seems to me" Jesus is warning against using the "loopholes" in the oral law to "wiggle" out of promises when they become hard to keep. The wickedness in this is compounded when the oath is pledged on anything that blasphemes God or part of his creation when it is broken. One living "under grace" should realize this is contrary to true righteousness.

    Even when we simply say "yes" or "no", we are still "swearing" an oath! Our personal honor and integrity are still at stake; and by extension, God's, if we are His true children! If this is not so, then how can you or I trust what each other says? ;)
     
    #15 Michael52, Jul 29, 2004
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