“Above all, my brothers, do not swear – not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your ‘Yes’ be yes, and your ‘No,’ no, or you will be condemned.”
Swearing
Taking oaths is a common practice in most cultures. In Britain, evidence in a court of law is preceded by swearing on the Bible. The promise is given to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. The consequences for breaking that oath and not testifying accurately are dire, “so help me, God.” Other situations, such as business transactions, require the signing of contracts or something equivalent. Even in daily life promises are sometimes confirmed with the making of an oath, such as, “cross my heart and hope to die,” or something equally ridiculous.
The Bible has something to say about accompanying promises with an oath.
What does the Bible say about swearing?
In this verse James makes it clear. “Do not swear.” In fact, he makes a big thing of it. “Above all else, do not swear.” In other words, not making an oath is a priority. It is to be avoided above everything else that has been talked about in his letter. It often comes as a surprise to practicing Christians to learn that taking an oath is wrong. It contradicts the lifestyle expected of believer.
Why is swearing wrong?
The reason for making oaths is to ensure that what the person has promised actually comes to pass. The whole weight of the law is given to insisting that an individual who has made a promise cannot go back on it or wriggle out of the responsibility of keeping it. Contract law is a billion dollar industry and some lawyers have made a career out of finding loopholes in contracts. An oath is supposed to put fear in a person’s heart so that they speak out the truth, even if it is uncomfortable. The truth has to be told because that person has sworn on the Bible, or his life, or God. But the Scripture teaches that what we say is a reflection of our character. “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” So swearing oaths is unnecessary for Christians. Our standard of integrity is so high that our words can be trusted. The word of a Christian is his bond. Our speech is an extension of our character. Therefore, if we have to back up what we have promised with an oath, we are saying that our Christian character is not honest enough to be trusted at face value.
What should we do instead?
We are taught that our words should be enough. If we have said it we must stick to it. If a Christian says “yes,” to something, that is more trustworthy than any legally binding oath. Similarly, if a believer says “no,” to something, that is equally solid. Our words are that important. If we agree to something and do not honour it, we are a bad witness for Christ. We are testifying that faith in Christ makes no difference to our lives and that, like us, the God we serve cannot be trusted. This applies to everything in our lives, whether it is a serious business agreement or a small promise to attend an event. If we have promised to be somewhere, we must be there. If we have agreed to do something, we must do it. If we are asked to testify about something, we must be accurate in recounting the event. Life is a lot less complicated when the people we live, work and deal with can be taken at their word.
If we are a follower of Christ our word is our bond.
