Grace Bible Church
Pastor Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Pastor Rick Bettez
Though we can note the 3rd commandment as a warning to not toss the Lord’s name around in anger or carelessly, the important point for Bel’s to understand is the fact that a vow or commitment made to the Lord is serious!
Jephthah the 9th Judge of Israel had a difficult & dysfunctional family background. He was chased out of his own family but became strong man and displayed leadership qualities.
Making vows to the Lord during heated moments when the Lord is already working out His plan for you is foolish and can have dire consequences.
Judges 11:29 Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon.
Jephthah remembered his vow and offered her to the Lord (Judge 11:29-39). What this account shows us is the foolishness of rash vows.
Now I can tell you his daughter wasn’t a human sacrifice…which would be against the word of God. She may have been sacrificed into a life of service & ministry with the Lord.
Heb 11:32-34 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith preformed acts of righteousness…victories because of faith!
The ripple effect of your actions, words or non-action and false statements carry on long after you walk away from a situation. Unfulfilled vows & broken promises bring pain to those around you!
Matt 5:33 Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’
Mat 5:36 “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.
In other words somethings are beyond your capacity…do not promise them!
Mat 5:37 “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.
Ecc 5:5 It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.
This is true…but some Bels hide behind this!\
Deu 23:21 “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the LORD your God will surely require it of you.
Deu 23:23 You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised.
The Bel above all others should have a solid, binding set of principles and in that set of principles that they live by, their words take on greater meaning then the Unbel.
A person’s integrity can often be measured by his actions. This means evaluating the actions after the words they have spoken….certainly after promises made.\
Num 30:2 “If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.\
The cosmic system is where we see lies, broken promises, hollow words, bitter strife…unfulfilled vows. The body of Christ needs to be the shining light in that darkness.
Joh 8:45 “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.
The PPOG is opposite of what the world promotes. If you fit in neatly with the world…something is deeply wrong with your spiritual walk.
If you are not serious with your relationship with God, your words and vows will carry very little weight!
Jam 5:12 But above all, my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath; but your yes is to be yes, and your no, no, so that you may not fall under judgment.
Bel’s can lose blessings in time and eternity as well as receive some form of discipline right now in time due to negative actions toward the PPOG.
Jam 5:11 to endure, to have endurance-
Hypomeno (Gr. Verb) to suffer and endure, a patient suffering or having fortitude to persevere no matter what.
Notice Job is the example!
If your faith is weak & your relationship with God is weak your commitments have no lasting substance within them.
Prov 20:25 It is a trap for a man to say rashly, “It is holy!” And after the vows to make inquiry.
This speaks to the story of Jephthah in Judges chapter 11
Guess what the PPOG is full of bumps & bruises…blessings and cheer, failure and success, pain and gain!
2Cor 1:8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life;