Can the Christian swear?

In this message, the speaker discusses whether believers have the freedom to make statements under oath. They refer to Matthew 5:33-37, where Jesus advises against swearing oaths but emphasizes the importance of speaking the truth. The speaker explains that while the general rule is not to swear, there may be exceptional circumstances where it is necessary, such as in a court of law. They also mention that the Apostle Paul swore on the name of God. The speaker concludes that the Christian's words should be as trustworthy as if they were under oath, and that the truth binds believers to fulfill their obligations. They argue that Jesus did not abolish the Old Testament and that even God took an oath. The speaker suggests that a servant of God can swear based on their spiritual authority. They criticize those who refuse to take an oath in a court of law, as they believe it is a literal interpretation of Jesus' teaching. The speaker emphasizes that Jesus is concerned about the purity of ou Welcome to our weekly exaltation. Thank you for joining me. Thank you for your pressure. My name is Guy Van Buren, servant of God, servant of Jesus Christ. In our today's message we want to answer this question. Does the believer have the freedom to make statements on their own? Can the Christian swear? In Matthew chapter 5 verse 33 to 35, the Lord Jesus declares, Again, ye have heard that it has been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt affirm unto the Lord thine oath. But I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by heaven, for it is God's throne, nor by the earth, for it is his footstool, neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Praise the Lord. You know interpreting the word of Jesus is sometimes quite a challenge. When we read this passage, we feel that the message is clear enough that we don't have to think twice to know what the Lord Jesus wants to say to us. In this passage, it seems that Jesus is establishing new rules on the question of oath. How should we interpret this word? Does the believer have the freedom to make statements under oath? Or can the Christian swear? For some believers, there is no question of taking an oath under any condition. This means that they will categorically refuse to take an oath in a course of law, otherwise their conscience will be bodied. The Lord Jesus says, I tell you not to swear at all. Were these believers right to do so? In fact, the ban on swearing is a general rule. That is not a hard rule. It is not an absolute commandment. This regulation is not absolute because there are exceptional circumstances that may arise that force us to act otherwise. The same reasoning can be applied to the question of the oath. The general rule is not to swear. But this is not a hard and fast rule. Why? Well, because the oath may be necessary to ensure the well-being of an individual or to protect the interest of a community in all justice. If in the interest of full disclosure and transparency, the court asks you to take an oath, you are certainly free to comply with this request. You can then swear with complete peace of mind that you will tell the whole truth. By doing this, you cannot be accused of having transgressed the teaching of Jesus. So, as a general rule, don't swear. But also recognize the possibility that this is necessary in certain exceptional situations, especially those where the truth must be defended. In these cases, you can swear in good conscience. The Apostle Paul is an example. He swore on the name of the Lord. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 23, the Apostle Paul says, Now I call God to witness over my soul that I speak the truth. To testify that he was telling the truth, Paul swore on the name of God. Can we say that Paul doesn't know about it? That the Apostle Paul doesn't know about what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 5 verse 34? He does know. Now, while we continue reading, we see that in Matthew chapter 5 verse 37, the Lord Jesus declares, But let your yes be yes, and your no, no. For whatever is more than this is from the evil one. In fact, to understand this passage, it is necessary to know the Rabbinic tradition. We must remember that the Lord Jesus was aimed at Jewish audience. He thought according to what a Jew could understand will give death. Jewish society had instilled in him. But every Jew knew that when you pronounce a double yes and a double no, the rabbi thought that this is the equivalent of taking an oath. If you say a simple yes, there is no question of an oath. But if you say yes, yes, a double yes, then you should know that you have just committed yourself to an affidavit. In fact, the Jew recognized a double yes and a double no as being a solemn affirmation made under oath. Isn't this strange? Jesus commands us in verse 34 not to swear. And now, in verse 37 of Matthew chapter 5, it seems to ask us to tell everything under oath. Let your word be yes, yes, no, no, right? Double yes, double no. This means let everything you say be done under oath. He tells us do not swear at all. But let everything you say be said as if you were sworn under oath. In other words, let every word that comes out of your mouth be as true as if you had pronounced it under oath. The Lord Jesus is telling us that the Christian should make everything he says as trustworthy as the promise made under oath. When the Christian speaks, he speaks only the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Praise the Lord. Every word you say must be expressed with the same authenticity as the statement made under oath. Let's conclude this message. You give the healing in grace our hearts always hunger for. Friend, we need to understand what Jesus is telling us in the context of Matthew chapter 5, verse 33 to 37. The Lord Jesus wants to teach that the truth binds you to a personal commitment of the same nature as a promise made under oath. Don't think you don't have to do something because it wasn't said under oath. The truth always calls for a commitment on our part. We are bound by the obligation dictated by the truth. The truth, just like the oath, obliges us to respect our obligations. This means that if something is true, then you are bound to follow it and carry it out. Let's understand this. If Jesus really wanted to teach that one should not take an oath, then he has just abolished a portion of the Old Testament. Jesus himself said it. He did not come to abolish the law but rather to fulfill it. Matthew chapter 5, verse 17. So if Jesus said in this verse that we should not longer take an oath, then he would be contradicting himself and opposing a recognized purchase of the Old Testament. Isn't it? Finally, the Bible tells us that God himself took an oath. In Hebrew chapter 6, verse 13, when God made the promise to Abraham that he could not swear by a greater than he, he swore by himself. Right? This to mean that even God could take an oath when he made the promise. It follows that a servant of God can also swear since the Bible recognizes his spiritual authority. A servant of God acts on the authority of the Lord. He has the authority to act in the name of God. Jesus speaks precisely of this authority that he conferred on the servant of God in Matthew chapter 16, verse 19. Based on the principle of spiritual authority, we realize that the Christian can swear after all. It is not only a question of swearing with the mouth. It is a question of swearing with your life. This means that if you are a Christian, you are taking the Lord's name in your life. Hallelujah! Now, were the believers who also refused to take an oath in a court of law, for example, right to do so? No, they were not right. For they have taken this statement literally. If the Lord Jesus is simply prohibiting an outward action, then he is doing something contrary to his normal practice in his teaching. If you are acquainted at all with the Lord's teaching, you know that he never emphasizes outward action. Because the Lord Jesus knows very well that you can stop doing a thing without your heart being any purer. Saying that people may not swear is simply to govern a purely external action. And Jesus, in all his teaching, doesn't waste time with that. Contrary, he is concerned about our hearts, about the purity of our hearts. Hallelujah! Well, we have come to the end of this message. How do you think about this message? What is your point of view? Please, leave what you think about this in the comments. If God wills it, we'll be together next time.