Words That BindSample

Day 3: Watch Out for Consequences

Maybe you’ve been reading these warnings about oaths over the past couple days, but you still don’t understand what makes them so dangerous. I want to make sure you understand the consequences of rash speech, because it really will harm you if you are careless.

On a very practical level, Leviticus 5:5 tells us that if it comes time to pay back the words you spoke and you fail to do so, then you need to confess it. In other words, if you make a promise that you can’t keep or that you don’t mean, you will find yourself in the embarrassing situation of having to apologize.

That is just a very simple, logical consequence of making a rash oath, but James takes it a step further, saying not to swear “lest ye fall into condemnation” (James 5:12 KJV).

That is serious, friend. The word “fall” is a form of the Greek word pipto (πίπτω), which can simply refer to a fall but also often denotes some type of failure that has tragic consequences. It denotes a downward plummet, a fall into a terrible predicament or a worse state than before.

If that isn’t warning enough, we then have the word, “condemnation,” the Greek word krisis (κρίσις). This word is where we get the English word “crisis,” and it refers to judgment, specifically a legal decision delivered by a court or a verdict that results in legal judgment and condemnation.

On top of that, krisis denotes that the troubles are self-inflicted. This person has called down the judgement of others upon himself, and his actions just make matters worse and create a more intense crisis than before.

Together, these words paint a very bleak picture for the careless. If someone goes around easily making promises that he cannot keep, his own actions will cause him to fall into the greatest crisis imaginable. It will be as though he’s being dragged into court, and evidence is being presented that he failed to keep his promise or oath, calling his personal character into question.

Friend, if we want to avoid such a crisis in our lives, then we have to be careful of the words we speak. Fortunately, our solution is simple: Avoid rash oaths, and you will avoid the embarrassment and fall that come with them.

For Your Consideration

• Have you ever observed the consequences of a rash oath, either in your life or in that of someone around you?
• It’s important to remember that God gives us commands to warn us and protect us from the consequences of wrong actions. As you consider today’s readings, reflect on the goodness of God that He would warn us of these dangers beforehand.