Results 1 - 5 of 5
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | Is it wrong to swear or take an oath? | Matt 5:34 | Makarios | 15626 | ||
Hello Hank, Yes! We should avoid the swearing or taking of oaths! But of course, I'm coming from a Mennonite perspective. We, as Mennonites, commit ourselves to tell the truth, to give a simple yes or no, and to avoid swearing of oaths. Jesus told his disciples not to swear oaths at all, but to let their yes be yes, and their no be no. (Matt. 5:33-37, James 5:12) We believe that this teaching applies to "truth telling" as well as to avoiding profane language. (Eph. 4:15,29) An oath is often sworn as a guarantee that one is telling the truth. This implies that when one has not taken an oath, one may be less careful about telling the truth. Jesus' followers are always to speak the truth and, in legal matters, simply to affirm that their statements are true. Jesus also warned against using oaths to try to compel God to guarantee the future. In faith, we commit our futures to God. (Matt. 5:34-36) Throughout history, human governments have asked citizens to swear oaths of allegiance. As Christians, our first allegiance is to God. (Acts 5:29) In baptism we pledged our loyalty to Christ's community, a commitment that takes precedence over obedience to any other social and political communities. Blessings, Nolan |
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2 | Is it wrong to swear or take an oath? | Matt 5:34 | Hank | 15628 | ||
Good stuff, Nolan, and you know, I'd never thought about your church's view that to "swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" in a court of law does, in a real sense, bear the implication that we are somehow to be "more truthful" in a court of law "under oath" than in our everyday lives. But we as Christians believe there is a court infinitely higher than any court on this earth, with whose judgment and verdict we need to be concerned far more than any court on this earth..... By the way, unless I am much mistaken, our legal system provides for an alternative to the swearing of an oath -- something akin to saying, "I promise (or affirm) to tell the truth."...... I realize that the courts have their purpose in putting a witness "under oath" and that the penalities for perjury can be severe, but at same time one wonders whether a liar "under oath" is any less a liar at heart and in the eyes of God. --Hank | ||||||
3 | Is it wrong to swear or take an oath? | Matt 5:34 | EdB | 15631 | ||
Hank The whole idea of putting someone under oath was the reasoning that even a liar would be complied to speak the truth because of his fear of God. However as society continues to minimize God to the point of God being nonexistent, your right liars feel no compulsion to tell the truth. In fact most oaths are viewed as nothing more than some meaningless words mindlessly repeated, case in point our wedding vows and the rate of divorces. |
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4 | Is it wrong to swear or take an oath? | Matt 5:34 | Hank | 15635 | ||
Your comment about wedding vows and rates of divorce reminds me of a definition I read once of our rootless society. It pointed out that our definition of commitment is when a man and a woman live together without a marriage certificate in a rented house furnished by rented furniture and drive a rented car. Now, that's real commitment, isn't it? --Hank | ||||||
5 | Is it wrong to swear or take an oath? | Matt 5:34 | EdB | 15647 | ||
Hank Unfortunately it is an accurate portrait of much of our society today. With abortion and divorce as prime indicators of how little commitment people are willing to make. Is it any wonder we can’t seem to find justice, lost all belief in the sanctity of life and get can't people committed to the church? We not only have disposable income, but disposal marriages and disposal children as evidenced by the number of abortions and deserted children. With all of this going on our society has come to view lying under oath to be of no real concern. As proven by our nations reaction to Monica affair. |
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