No. 13 Don't Swear

Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord. But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is His footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be “Yes, Yes or No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.

Mathew 5:33-37, Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30.2; Deuteronomy 23.21

What an honor. What a relief.

To swear by God or by Jove or anything is to try to give weight to your declaration. It is to bring in the troops to back you up, or to lift you up.

If you swear falsely, to give weight to something that is not true; you aren’t even close to being Christ-like.

Take three giant steps back.
If you have potty mouth, take six giant steps back.

Swearing is not necessary. As a child of the most high God, the Creator of the universe who spoke this whole amazing biodiverse world into being, your word has power.

Your word: sturdy, sound, reliable, forms a foundation upon which the castle of your being is erected.
To swear is to diminish your personal divinity.

Christ came to teach you what it takes to regain the image and the power of God.

This fruit of your heart comes out of your mouth. Don’t let it be rotten.