Swearing by the name of God
In former times, it was common to indicate the seriousness of a commitment by swearing an oath. Both Jesus and James spoke against this practice.3 When you make a specific promise, you are trapping yourself in the event that the conditions under which you made your promise change. You can find yourself in a situation where keeping your promise requires you to do less than your best.
A better approach to making specific promises is to promise that you will always do what the Lord would do in your place, subject to your understanding of his will. By committing to always live as the Lord would in your place, you fulfill an ancient and still valid commandment to serve, cleave to, and swear by the name of God.4 To always act as he would in your place as far as you understand him to be is referred to as the oath and covenant of the priesthood.5
Part of being a Christian is to conduct yourself to the same standards you believe Christ would.6 When you act differently than God would in your place, you profane his name.7 While the stalwart honest example of faithful believers makes a powerful argument in favor of Christianity,1607 lackluster examples of professed Christians make it difficult to take the faith seriously. It causes great harm to God’s cause and makes him angry when professed Christians lie, cheat, or steal.1608
Footnotes
- 1. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. (Exodus 20:7) ↩
- 2. For this is a day of warning, and not a day of many words. For I, the Lord, am not to be mocked in the last days. Behold, I am from above, and my power lieth beneath. I am over all, and in all, and through all, and search all things, and the day cometh that all things shall be subject unto me. Behold, I am Alpha and Omega, even Jesus Christ. Wherefore, let all men beware how they take my name in their lips—For behold, verily I say, that many there be who are under this condemnation, who use the name of the Lord, and use it in vain, having not authority. (D&C 63:58-62) ↩
- 3. Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (Matthew 5:33-37) But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation. (James 5:12) ↩
- 4. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God; him shalt thou serve, and to him shalt thou cleave, and swear by his name. (Deuteronomy 10:20) ↩
- 5. And this is according to the oath and covenant which belongeth to the priesthood. (D&C 84:39) ↩
- 6. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. (Deuteronomy 6:13) ↩
- 7. And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:12) ↩