SIN > Unmasked: Is swearing sin?

“Swear not at all” (see Matthew 5:34)

The biggest problem here is that when we refer to coarse language as ‘swearing’, we miss the point – thrice.

First, we miss the point that coarse language, while often hard to tolerate and very grating, is not what Jesus was talking about when he said “don’t swear”.

Second, we miss the point that real swearing “taking an oath” can literally be a case of ‘taking the name of the Lord in vain’ and opening oneself to the charge of “the name of God is blasphemed because of you”.  Yet we so often do it uncritically as a matter of course.

Third, we miss the point that coarse language is a form of speech in any language and can be altogether legitimate when it is not just gratuitous dribble for the sake of using the words or making a noise.  It ought not, therefore, be censored simplistically – which is a form of ‘tone-policing’.

Being aware and circumspect is probably, for me, the baseline of this matter.  On the one hand, I want to ‘say what I mean and mean what I say’; on the other hand, both language and behaviour can easily bring God and others into unjustified disrepute.  Libel, defamation, slander are serious issues of human behaviour and language and can utterly destroy relationships, endeavours and enterprises.

The following links from www.openbible.info are very useful and helpful here.

https://www.openbible.info/topics/foul_language

https://www.openbible.info/topics/oaths

Let your ‘yes’ mean yes and your ‘no’ mean no.

As far as I am concerned, the new covenant words of Jesus take priority in the matter of authority for the people of God in the current era.  As I see it, what is presented in the old testament must be understood through the prism of the new testament; and what is presented to us by others in the new testament must be taken in conjunction with the recorded words of Jesus where such is available to us.  And the matter of ‘oaths’ or ‘swearing’ is a prime example of how that works.

If we take the words of Numbers 30:2

If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word.  He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

And Deuteronomy 23:21-23

If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.  But if you refrain from vowing, you will not be guilty of sin.  You shall be careful to do what has passed your lips, for you have voluntarily vowed to the Lord your God what you have promised with your mouth.

Then we take Jesus’ words of Matthew 5:33-37

...you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’  But I say to you, do not take an oath 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 take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Apostle James concurred with Jesus (James 5:12)

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.

How did apostle Paul make his solemn affirmations?  Romans 1:9; Galatians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 1:23

For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers...

In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!

But I call God to witness against me – it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth.

Throughout history, disciples of Jesus have refused to make oaths following these principles.  As a result, in many jurisdictions to this day, an alternative to an oath (to ‘swearing’ – on the bible or anything else) is available as a legal affirmatory tool.

We have at our disposal – if we are joined to Christ as he and apostle Paul envision it – an avenue to take and a power/dynamic to make our word certain and be certain of our words;  in other words, to ‘say what you mean and mean what you say’.

Why is making an oath (‘swearing’) such a big issue?  I believe it is because making an oath directly interferes with personal sovereignty.  The only ‘person’ we have direct control over is ourselves; we have no real control over another person – and we certainly have no control over God.  So, in the event that we have to make good on our oath, we cannot because that would breach the other person’s (or God’s) sovereignty.  And that is not how God works; neither is it how things work in the kingdom of God.

[On this blog, there are series of posts on this matter of the kingdom of God.]

In addition, making an oath leaves us wide open to the charge ‘taking the name of the Lord our God in vain.’

It’s what comes out of the mouth that defiles a person

A commandment we’re (allegedly) familiar with:

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)

And just in case we missed it, the commandment given the second time (that’s the meaning of ‘Deuteronomy’)

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. (Deuteronomy 5:11)

Three words from Matthew’s account of Jesus:

I tell you, on the day of judgment, people will give account for every careless word they speak. (12:36)

For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (12:37)

And he called the people to him and said to them, ‘Hear and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth; this defiles a person.” (15:10-11)

What did Jesus’ apostles teach?

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:4)

But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. (Colossians 3:8-10)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:6)

But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness. (2 Timothy 2:16)

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless. (James 1:26)

If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man; the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things.  How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. (James 3:2-6)

From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:10)

Solomon’s wisdom advises us:

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

What I hope we have learned from this section is this:

Making an oath – the real ‘swearing’ – is the doorway to sin, albeit forgivable;

What we commonly call swearing – foul language – is unbecoming and not fitting for a member of the household and family of God when it pours froth from us like in the scriptures above.

That does not preclude strong and direct speech when the situation and the Spirit of God demand it – when, as Paul put it, “it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us”.  Review this short passage in Paul’s letter to the Galatians – 5:1-15.  He pulls no punches in saying that he wished those Jews who go on demanding Gentiles be circumcised would go ‘all the way’ and cut off their balls too (emasculate, mutilate, castrate themselves – depending on which translation you read).

“Say what you mean and mean what you say.”  And say it under the authority and with the power of the Holy Spirit – remembering clearly that you will give account for it.

Next: Sodomy – but not as you know it.