Swear

1/. <<promise>>

To make a solemn statement undertaking to do something or affirming the truth of something. It is a binding oath or vow, such as swearing on the Bible to ‘tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth’. In Bible times, this solemn declaration invoked a

Do I honour my commitments?

deity, or a sacred person to confirm the honesty or truth of the declaration. God made a promise to Abraham and gave His solemn pledge it would come to pass (Heb 6:13). Jesus said, when we say we will do something, our word should be enough. We do not need to add any binding vow to it – which we can’t substantiate anyway, such hollow claims come from Satan (Mt 5:33-37).

See also: commitment, promise, vow.

2/. <<offensive language>>

This includes abusive, violent, foul-mouthed and blasphemous language expressed when frustrated or angry. Nothing is gained by using such vulgar emphases. This form of swearing often ‘takes the Lord’s name in vain’; the

Do I need to correct my speaking habits?

Bible declares the speaker will be held guilty for misusing His name (Ex 20:7). God is to respected and worshipped, not belittled and cursed. The Bible states “Let no unwholesome words come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up…” (Eph 4:29, 5:3,4). We will give account of our words (Mt 12:36).

See also: foul language, profanity, tongue, words.