Dear Frank:
4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for
he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.
5 Better
is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it
was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?
7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words
there are also
divers vanities: but fear thou God.
Ecclesiastes 5:4-7
12
Above all, my brothers, do not swear, not by heaven or earth or by any other oath. Simply let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, so that you will not fall under judgment.
James 5:12
Frank, the first (and most important thing) our Heavenly Father changes when we become a Christian is our speech. It was by His Word that God created the earth. It is by our word that we can perform miracles in the Name of Jesus. It is by our speech that we most effectively display the beauty and holiness of God, Who we are to reflect.
It Is God, Himself, Who will vindicate us, and show that we are right, if that is necessary. But Scripture tells us that Jesus, "like a lamb before his shearers is silent," went to the cross without a single Word in defense of Himself. Let HIM defend you, if necessary, or else take delight in being like Him, and saying nothing even when you are right. It IS possible to be rewarded by God for being a martyr, without having to actually DIE for Him! Just suffering for His sake will get you in heaven a, "Well done thou good and faithful servant!"
God bless you, Brother! Bless you for your sincerity!
- Glen
2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same
is a perfect man,
and able also to bridle the whole body.
3Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
4Behold also the ships, which though
they be so great, and
are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
5Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
6And the tongue
is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
7For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
8But the tongue can no man tame;
it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet
water and bitter?
12Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so
can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.
James 3:2-12