Vows and Oaths

Northwest Bible Church – Feb. 1, 2026 – Matthew – Alan Conner

Matthew. 5:33-37

Vows and Oaths

Intro

A. WHAT IS AN OATH AND A VOW?

1. Oath is calling upon God to bear witness to the truthfulness of our words.

2. Vow is a promise we make to God to do something.

B.  OATHS AND VOWS.

1. The O.T. teaching.  Leviticus. 19:12; Numbers. 30:2; Deuteronomy. 23:21-23; Exodus. 20:7.

2. Jesus summary (v. 33).  ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’  

C. PHARISAICAL PERVERSIONS.

1.  Oaths became clever lies.   

2. They were experts in creating loopholes.    Matthew. 23:16-22

D. CHRIST’S TEACHINGS (vv. 34-37).

1. Make no oath at all (vv. 34-36).     

a. Not by heaven, or by the earth, or by Jerusalem.  

b. Nor by your head.    

c. Not saying that taking an oath in a court of law is wrong.  

2. “Yes, yes or No, no; anything beyond these is of evil” (v. 37).    

3. The character of the righteous is that they tell the truth.    Psalms. 15:4; Jam. 5:12

LESSONS