Genesis 14:22 But Abram said to the King of Sodom, I have raised my hand to the Lord Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath..."
Let you yes be yes and your no, no. Jesus said this in his Sermon on the Mount (Mat 5:37). He stated this in contrast to people couching the honor of their words by swearing an oath. Some would swear by the heavens, or the earth, by their great leader or the city of Jerusalem. Other even swore in the name of God or his throne. Jesus said NO! That is not right. You are to simply say the truth so people will always be able to trust you.
We hear the same thing today... "I swear on my mother's grave", "by George, I'm telling the truth", "cross my heart and hope to die", or "I swear, I mean it". Really, are we so naïve to think that if a person has to add extra words to get us to believe them, they are now somehow honorable... "that's what I said, but I had my fingers crossed". Jesus expects us to be truthful all the time. We are to keep our word. If we say we are going to so something, then we do it. "But that will cost me money, I wasn't planning on that... can't God give you much more money than that (2 Chron 25:9)? God expects us to fulfil our vows and quickly (Ecc 5:4). The Anabaptist have been known to refrain from taking oaths by swearing... "I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God." Instead they "affirm" to speak the truth. There was at least one president who took the oath of office this way. I have done so as a jurist.
K and A, how good is your word? Have you ever crossed your fingers to cancel out the promise you were making? I remember doing that when I was little. Many of your friends would not be alive today if what they said came true after they crossed their hearts. Abram kept his promise to God. He could have reneged and became rich off of his heroic deed. He had earned the spoils, yet he would not do so for he had given his word. You can be like that. As a child of God you are expected to be like that. People should be able to trust what you say. When you promise them something, they should have the confidence knowing you will follow through even if it means you lose out personally. Confirm the integrity of your word by simply saying yes and no then follow through.
~Dad
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