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Publishing;
The
PLAIN TRUTH
a
MAGaziTUl
of
UNDUSTAN»UCG
Dear Friend:
The
WORLD TOMORROW
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Should Christl.B.ns swear
by
an oath?
Box
UJ ,
PASADll'IA., C.u..a1011NIA
The teaching of Jesus and of the early inspired true
New Testament Church was not to swear under any circumstances.
The Scriptures are very plainon this point:
11
But
above all
t~s
1
my brethren,
SWEAR NOT • • •
but let your yea be yea;
an~our
nay,
nay; lest ye
.fall
into condemnation" (Jas.
5:12).
Jesus Himself personally instructed: ".••
I
say
unto you, 'Swear not at all ; neither by the heaven; for it is
God's throne: Nor by the earth;
~or
i t is
~s
footstool:
neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Neither shalt thou swear by thy head because thou canst not
make one hair white ·Or black.
But
let your commun1.cation be,
Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh
or· evi l (the evil one, or of sin)
1 ' 1
(Matt.
5:33-37).
Here Jesus warns against swearing because we cannot
pert'orm the oath and we would be tald.ng the name of God
.1.n
vain.
Not only is i. t wrong to lie Wlder oath, but we as
mortal
human
beings are. so prone to mistaken judgment or lack
of lalowledge that any ex-ror
we
would make under oath would be
!.£
take
~~
of
God
.1n
vain.
It
is
sin
1
We are merely to say, ''Yes,
1 '
or ''No,
11
to the best
of
our understanding. Then we are not guilty or uei.ng God's
name in vai.n. It
i.e
the law
oi'
the Uni.ted States to permit
afi'irmation -- that is, say "Yes" or "No" --without raising
the hand
to
swear.
If
men Sl'e not to swear
by
an oath, how are we to
account for the, fact that God swears
by
Himsel f'? (Beb. 6:13-17;
Ps.
110~4;
Luke
1:73.)
In
Isaiah
45:23,
God has a-worn that
every knee
shall
yet
bow to Him.
The answer is simple • The right to take an oath
belongs to God. God alone has Lnfalli.ble judgment. When we
are made immortal members
of.'
the God .family, prophecy proves