Swear not AT ALL

"But I say to you, do not swear at all . . ." —Matthew 5:34

"What really bugs you?" During the Tabletopics session on a memorable Spokesman Club ladies' night some years ago, the Topicsmaster asked this question. I racked my brain for the duration of the topic, but I could not come up with a worthwhile response. Thinking about it later, after the club session had finished, it came to me!

What really bugs me, Mr. Topicsmaster, is swearing.

More particularly: swearing in public, swearing in mixed company, and swearing in the media. I am not talking about the type of swearing such as an oath in a court of law. That is a different subject altogether. I am talking about cursing, blasphemy, and profanity—in simple terms, bad language:

» Bad language on TV, radio and in the movies.

» Bad language in newspapers, magazines and books.

» Bad language in music.

» Bad language in our workplaces.

» Bad language in public places.

» Bad language in the world.

» Bad language in God's church!

Bad language in God's church? Surely not!

It appears that some differences of opinion exist regarding certain coarse words that some church members judge to be acceptable and others find offensive. Despite our varied backgrounds, Scripture tells us that this should not be (James 3:10; I Corinthians 10:32).

God's people should not be using bad language. God says so, plainly, in His Word, the Holy Bible!

Sick of Obscenities

The following is part of a Readers' Digest article entitled "I'm Sick of the F-Word" by Anita Bateman. The author prefaces her article by saying, "What was once taboo is now the trend. It's time we said, 'enough'":

Recently some friends who hadn't been to a movie for years treated themselves to a picture that had received rave reviews and several Academy Awards. I asked how they had enjoyed their night out. "It was a good movie," Judy said. "An excellent story line and great acting, but. . . ." When she hesitated, I had a good idea what she would say next. "But the language was foul! The foulest I've ever heard, and I've been around. Things sure have changed."

Yes, they have. Words once reserved for restroom walls are now common stuff in films, plays, books and even on television.

The "F-word," long taboo, is now high fashion. As columnist John Leo noted recently in U.S. News and World Report, stand-up comedian Eddie Murphy tosses out hundreds of four-letter words in a single performance; New York Mets baseball star Lenny Dykstra, in a book snatched up by many a young fan, uses the F-word the way others use punctuation; and David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Glengarry Glen Ross, is littered with the you-know-what word.

Moviemakers are in the thick of the expletive explosion. But, whatever the medium, the message seems to be that foul language is in, so get used to it.

I realize there are those who contend that entertainment merely depicts life as it is. "It's the real world," they say. "It's how people talk!" Indeed, my friend noticed that others in the theatre hadn't appeared offended by the on-screen obscenities. In fact, the people behind her were using much the same language. "Is it us?" she asked. "Are we the different ones?"

I admit that sometimes it seems to be the case. Not long ago, I was sitting on a bus behind two women who apparently believe that no noun is complete without an obscene adjective attached. And many of us have worked in offices that can best be described as a locker room after a big loss.

Basing an impression on looks can be risky. Words reveal much more about a person. Wise employers know this. A business manager told me of an attractive job applicant who not only "dressed for success," but had the background and training to land a job with the organization. Why wasn't he hired? His language. Said the manager, "If he felt no qualms about using expletives in our interview, he'd probably use them with our customers."

Sadly, this applicant may have thought that profanity would make him appear tough and aggressive—leadership material. Not so. Such language implies an inability to communicate well and to discern what is inappropriate.

"But they're only words," we hear some people say. Only words? Words are the way we communicate our most precious thoughts—our feelings about ourselves, about each other, about life. No wonder they can inflict so much lasting pain. I will never forget the young woman whose mother once called her foul names during an argument. She later confided, "It would have hurt less if she had slapped me. I'll never get over those things she called me."

A friend told me about a commuter who grew so tired of the stream of obscenities coming from members of his car pool that he planned to quit the group. He tried to think up excuses, but they all sounded phony. Finally, he decided that the others should know his real reason. He leveled with them. To his surprise, the two worst offenders immediately promised to clean up their act, and insisted he continue with the car pool.

I still regret that a number of years ago I failed to speak out as language pollution became the norm in a writing class I was taking. It began when one of the students asked our instructor if it was permissible to use a certain word in his story. "By all means," he said. "It's real life; it's how people talk." Soon others began lacing their prose with "real life." Of course, it wasn't real life at all, but what the students thought was expected.

I copped out by not objecting. I was afraid of what the others would think of me, fearful that if I spoke up I would appear unsophisticated.

What happened in that classroom probably reflects what is happening in society at large. Isn't language pollution increasing because we are too eager to follow what others tell us is fashionable? Because we are not exercising our right—and obligation—to speak out against it?

When a filmmaker I know put together a short documentary about his young son's soccer heroics, his mother was appalled to find the script riddled with profanity. "But Craig," she objected, "my grandson just doesn't talk this way. He never has."

"Oh, Mom, I know that," Craig replied. "But you've got to put that kind of thing in nowadays. People expect it. It's the trend."

I rest my case.

These are wise words from a lady with enough courage to speak out against the growing acceptance of bad language in today's world.

What Is Bad Language?

Bad language comes in several forms: cursing, swearing, blasphemy, profanity, and probably even more types. Because these first four cover most of the ground regarding bad language, we will home in on them:

Cursing is to call upon divine power to cause injury to another. It is related to damning someone.

We know what Jesus' thought of such curses by His response to James and John, the sons of Zebedee, when they desired to call fire down from heaven on some Samaritans who did not welcome Him:

Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, just as Elijah did?" But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." And they went to another village. (Luke 9:51-56)

Swearing is to use profane or obscene language.

Swearing may have had its origins in Old Testament times when people sincerely called on God's name to back up an oath or a vow. In these times, the people of modern Israel have discarded God as well as the practice of making sincere promises, vows and oaths before Him; but they have retained His holy name to throw around as a common exclamation!

Blasphemy is the act of expressing a lack of reverence for God.

Surprisingly, blasphemy is still technically a civil crime in some U.S. states and in Britain. However, we understand that, with each passing year and the steep slide in morals, both charges and convictions of the crime of blasphemy have become fewer and fewer until today they are virtually nonexistent.

Profanity is the use of profane language, serving to debase what is holy.

It seems that many types of foul language are related to God or to holy things. The modern Israelite seems to think he is a real big shot if he can say foul things about God or what is holy and sacred without being struck down on the spot. The ancient Greeks called such overweening pride—the kind that drove Satan to defy God and try to replace Him (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:12-17)—hubris. How far from God our nations have fallen!

Euphemisms

Certainly, church members are not using four-letter words or blaspheming or profaning God's name. In part, the Third Commandment—prohibiting taking God's name in vain—deals with such matters. Rather, the words that some complain about are of another type: mild or watered-down versions of God's names or crude words for certain body parts or bodily functions. Though this sensitive theme may embarrass or offend, it needs to be covered.

For those who might be new to this subject, it is necessary to give warning about "substitute" swearwords such as "gosh," "golly," "jeez," "shoot," "shucks," and others. Such words are called euphemisms, literally "good speech." It does not take much thought to figure out what words these exclamations are substitutes for. We do not need them! The English language contains thousands of benign yet descriptive words and expressions that convey the same feeling or reaction.

Yet for those whose speech habits are deeply ingrained, it can be hard. Many of us have used bad language freely and frequently before conversion. Many of us are surrounded by foul language at work every day. A friend told me that, upon starting a job "in the world" after spending four years at Ambassador College, he was plagued by swearwords constantly coming to the tip of his tongue for the least little problem!

I do not wish to appear self-righteous in discussing this sensitive subject. I am not pointing a finger at others. Like many church members, I work in an office where I cannot even enjoy a cup of coffee with my coworkers because the air so frequently turns blue with bad language and filthy subject matter. Some of the women are as bad as the men—in some cases, worse! It can rub off on us and, like the proverbial frog in hot water, we can gradually come to accept gutter-language as the norm. We can become calloused to it, and we can allow it to creep into our everyday conversation.

How Do We Quit?

Although the Old Testament verses dealing with swearing permit a certain amount of respectful and sincere swearing of oaths and vows, they repeatedly and soundly condemn swearing of the coarse-language kind. As previously mentioned, the Third Commandment warns against blasphemy and profanity in Exodus 20:7: "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."

The prophets frequently cite cursing and swearing, along with other broken commandments, as contributing causes of the captivities of Israel and Judah. For example:

Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land. By swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery, they break all restraint, with bloodshed after bloodshed. Therefore the land will mourn; and every one who dwells there will waste away with the beasts of the field, and with the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea will be taken away. (Hosea 4:1-3)

History is repeating itself. Our nations rush pell-mell toward a worse captivity than those suffered by ancient Israel and Judah in Assyria and Babylon, and our foul language is partly to blame!

What does the New Testament have to say on the subject? Jesus Christ gives clear instruction in Matthew 5:33-37:

Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord." But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No." For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Jesus says that His brothers and sisters should not even be using such seemingly mild exclamations as "Good heavens!" They are unnecessary, and more than that, Satan and his anti-God attitudes influence them.

The epistle of James has a great deal to say about sins of the tongue, including swearing:

Therefore put away all filthiness and rank growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. . . . If any one thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man's religion is vain. (James 1:21, 26 RSV)

For we all make many mistakes, and if any one makes no mistakes in what he says he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body also. . . . [N]o human being can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brethren, this ought not to be so. (James 3:2, 8-10 RSV)

But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath, but let your yes be yes and your no be no, that you may not fall under condemnation. (James 5:12 RSV)

A swearword does not have to actually come out of a person's mouth verbally to be a sin. If we allow these words continually to come, unchecked, to the forefront of our minds, then we are sinning! But what can we do about it? How can we stop ourselves from even thinking swearwords?

Using James 1:14-15, some have determined that sin develops in four stages. However many stages there are, we need to cut off the potential sin of swearing at the earliest stage possible by guarding what comes into our minds. Notice Paul's instruction to the church at Philippi:

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Through His apostle, God tells us our minds should be dwelling on things that are true, noble (or honest), just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. As much as possible, we should avoid things that do not fit into these positive, uplifting categories. If we focus our minds on good subjects, we will not have time or opportunity to sink into the gutter. Let the light drive the darkness out (John 1:5; Ephesians 5:8-16)!

In addition, we should ask ourselves these questions, all of which have a great effect on our thoughts and our words:

» What kind of movies and television shows do I watch?

» What kind of music do I listen to?

» What kind of books and magazines do I read?

» What kind of company do I keep?

Do they all pass the test of God's instruction in Philippians 4:8? Or are they, among other works of the flesh, liberally sprinkled with foul language? If they are, it is time to give them up, replacing them with material that is more wholesome. It may be difficult, if not wrenching, to do this, but if we truly want to be holy and pure as God is (I Peter 1:13-16; I John 3:3), we need to overcome these kinds of habits.

Jesus Christ is leading His church to prepare for His return, and by all appearances, that time is very near. We have many areas of our Christian lives to be working on, and this is a very important one.

Swear not at all!

"But above all, my brethren, do not swear,
either by heaven or by earthor with any other oath."
—James 5:12

From the very beginning of humanity's history, men have sought to swear by some power greater than themselves. Literature records that the ancient Greeks used to swear by their gods and goddesses—Zeus, Hera, Ares, Athena, etc.—and no doubt every culture has practiced some form of oath-taking. The Old Testament in particular provides several examples of this (see Genesis 50:25; I Samuel 24:21-22). This swearing, whether formal or casual, was intended to establish that what a person stated or promised was true, and people still follow this same practice today.

Every four years, most of us witness the oath of office given to the newly elected President. We see him lay his hand on the Bible and repeat these words: "I do solemnly swear [or affirm] that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." We may also see similar ceremonies when other governmental offices are taken, such as governor, mayor, police chief, etc. These are referred as "swearing-in ceremonies."

We often do not consider this subject until we fall into a situation in which we are required to take an oath. In most cases, it is when we must take an oath "to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth" in a court of law, or in making a sworn deposition in an attorney's office.

I was once a character witness in a murder trial, in which a teenage boy was tried for stabbing another boy while under the influence of drugs. Before being called to testify, I told the bailiff that I would not swear but would affirm that my testimony would be true. When I was "sworn in," there was no disruption in the courtroom; the bailiff simply asked me to affirm that I would speak the truth.

Another time, I witnessed a truck-motorcycle accident, and in this case, I had to make an affidavit in an attorney's office. The unfamiliar situation caught me off guard, but I quickly informed the clerk administering the oath that I would affirm my truthfulness, not swear an oath. There was no further trouble.

God wants us to think about swearing by His name, not just in court situations or legal matters, but in everyday situations too.

Jesus and Oaths

Why are we not to swear by God's name today when we clearly see examples of swearing in this fashion in the Old Testament? Abraham makes his servant "swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth" that he would not take a wife for Isaac from the daughters the Canaanites (Genesis 24:3). In another example, Bathsheba reminds David that he swore to her "by the Lord your God" to make her son Solomon his heir (I Kings 1:17).

An Old Testament prohibition on swearing is found in Leviticus 19:12: "And you shall not swear by My name falsely, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord." The gist of this command is that one should not use God's name to support an oath that will not be kept. Here we begin to understand why we are not to back up what we promise with God's name.

Notice, however, Jesus' amplification of this verse in Matthew 5:33-37:

Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, "You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord." But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No." For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.

Commentator Adam Clarke writes on verse 37:

That the Jews were notoriously guilty of common swearing, for which our Lord particularly reprehends them, and warns his disciples against, and that they swore by heaven, by earth, by Jerusalem, by their head, etc., . . . their own writings . . . amply testify.

He shows that the Jews would also swear by the prophets, the books of Scripture, the Temple, the altar, the lamb, the Temple's chambers, the Temple's dishes, the sacrifices on fire, the moon, stars, the sun, their hair, their beard, and on and on. Yet, he goes on to quote what he calls "one of the holiest of their precepts relative to swearing": "Be not much in oaths, although one should swear concerning things that are true; for in much swearing it is impossible not to profane." Would that they had heeded it!

But what about Christians? Should Christians use oaths?

In verse 33, Jesus plainly states the Old Testament law: that we perjure ourselves in making an oath we are not planning to keep. In like manner, how often do we hear someone say, "I swear to God" after making a mild declaration—as if that makes their promise or statement true?

Another commentator, Albert Barnes, adds:

It appears, however, from this passage, as well as from the ancient writings of the Jewish rabbins, that while the Jews professedly adhered to the law, they had introduced a number of oaths in common conversation, and oaths which they by no means considered to be binding. . . . So long as they kept from swearing by the name Yahweh, and so long as they observed the oaths publicly taken, they seemed to consider all others as allowable, and allowedly broken. This is the abuse which Christ wished to correct.

Adam Clarke on verse 33:

They dishonor the great God, and break His commandments who use frequent oaths and imprecations, even in reference to things that are true; and those who make vows and promises, which they either cannot perform, or do not design to fulfill, are not less criminal. Swearing in civil matters has become so frequent, that the dread and obligation of an oath are utterly lost in it.

Certainly, taking an oath in court has become fundamentally meaningless.

Yet, clearly, Jesus tells us in verse 34 not to swear at all. This is hardly an ambiguous statement. It is puzzling to see how many commentators, supposedly religious men, do not take our Savior's absolute statement in the way He spoke it. Many make an exception for swearing an oath of truth in legal matters, but Christ's words "at all" are a definite, across-the-board prohibition.

Adam Clarke concludes in his comments on this verse, "The best way is to have as little to do as possible with oaths. An oath will not bind a knave nor a liar; and an honest man needs none, for his character and conduct swear for him." Years ago, men only needed a handshake to seal a deal. The Bible holds up as an example to us the righteous man of Psalm 15; the one who will dwell on God's holy hill always fulfills what he promises.

Jesus tells us how we should approach situations in which others would use an oath: Simply give an affirmation—a "yes"—or a negation—a "no." Nothing more should be necessary from an honest person. A straightforward person has no need to equivocate. As the cliché runs, "Say what you mean and mean what you say." Anything else, Jesus says, flirts with sin.

A Higher Standard

The apostle James repeats his Elder Brother's command in James 5:12: "But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No," lest you fall into judgment."

How James addresses this to his audience tells us he considers it an extremely serious matter. His use of "above all" suggests that we should be especially careful on this point. It is as if he is saying, "Make sure you catch this point because it may be the most important one." Swearing oaths is not a trivial matter!

In the Old Testament, taking oaths by God's name was more prevalent—even commanded (see Deuteronomy 6:13)—but God holds those He has called out of this present, evil world to a higher standard. The ancient Israelites were carnal human beings whose behaviors had to be constrained by statute. Knowing they would swear oaths, God directed them to take them honestly and only in His name, thus regulating and elevating the practice.

Christians, though, are to follow God's law, not just in the letter, but also in the spirit, a more in-depth and encompassing charge. The standard that has been set for us is that our word should always be true. Paul writes, "Therefore, putting away lying, 'Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,' for we are members of one another" (Ephesians 4:25; see Zechariah 8:16).

Our Savior puts it even more strongly in the form of an admonition: "But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matthew 12:36). Because God is with us, every word that we speak is spoken in God's presence and thus should be true, making oaths unnecessary.

As God's people, we are to represent Him in honesty and obedience and reflect Him in our conduct in every way. Because of this, we do not need God's name in an oath to back up our word. Therefore, a Christian should simply say "yes" or "no" according to what he honestly believes to be true, even in legal matters. As Jesus says, anything we try to add to the unvarnished truth is Satan's handiwork (see John 8:44). In short, a Christian's word should be his bond.

Other Angles

We can look at the swearing of oaths from a number of different angles. For instance:

» Adding God's name to an oath or promise does not obligate God to act on our behalf. Have we ever considered whether God even desires to be the Guarantor of what we say?

» This scriptural instruction does not imply that oaths or vows are of and by themselves sinful, but God certainly wants us to consider what we are promising and our ability to fulfill it before we speak the words. Solomon warns: "Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; therefore let your words be few" (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

» We human beings are often powerless to fulfill even our strongest intentions. Thus, God commands us not to swear in His name in any oath, as failing to fulfill it would be taking God's name in vain (Exodus 20:7). In essence, we would be including God in a lie, misrepresenting Him and His perfect truthfulness.

At first, swearing oaths may seem a minor matter, but it touches on some vital spiritual issues, such as God's integrity, honesty, and judgment. Jesus Christ thought enough of this subject to make it part of His Sermon on the Mount. We would do well to remember that making a solemn promise under God is binding, and He will expect us to perform it. Thus, the scriptural advice, "Above all things, my brethren, do not swear."