Ron's Reflections

THE BONDAGE OF AN OATH
Thursday, April 4, 2019 by Ron Susek

        Have you bound yourself by an oath?  Please rethink the seriousness of such an act as you read today's edition of FaithWalk: Courage for the Journey

                                       

The Bondage of an Oath
by Ron Susek
@ Golden Quill Publications

His blood be on us and on our children.
(Matthew 27:25) 

        Oaths are serious.  They literally bind you to your words, and you must live out the consequences.      
 
       Jesus firmly taught against taking oaths, saying, "Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.  And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black.  Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil [or the evil one]" (Matthew 5:34-37).    
       
        Why dare we not take oaths?  First, we do not know if we will have the next breath to fulfill it.  Second, we may take it with limited knowledge, as did Jephthah (the book of Judges), who sorrowfully saw his vow obligate his daughter to never marry. Third, we may state a vow in a fit of rage when adrenaline is convincing us that we will perform it. 
 
        Think of those religious leaders who were so determined to see Jesus crucified that they placed their lives and the lives of their children at supreme risk.  The Bible does not reveal the consequences of their vow.  That was between them and God.  All we know is that spiritually blind men became bound by an oath in an attempt to seal the death of Jesus Christ.

        Have you taken an oath?  Have you said words that bind you to a secret order?  Have you cursed by an oath to seek revenge?  Have you taken an oath to God hoping to gain an answer to a certain prayer?
 
        An oath binds you to fulfill your side of the oath, something that you cannot promise to do.  This makes you into a deceptive liar, even though you did not intend it to be so.  But Jesus was clear that anything beyond saying "Yes" and "No" based upon the strength of character is of the devil.
 
         So, what can you do to end an oath?  Repent!  Repent as we approach Good Friday, the day we remember Jesus' crucifixion.  When you confess your sin of taking the oath and repent of it, Jesus will take the sin away (1 John 1:9). He died on the cross to break all bondage of sin, including the bondage of an oath.
 
        This is an important matter.  An oath is like chaining yourself to a two-ton rock and sinking it to the bottom of the ocean.  You cannot escape.  You will perish by the oath.  Confess the oath as sin, repent of it and ask God to set you free.  He will.  There is no bondage of sin that Jesus' death does not have the power to break. 
 
Always remember, Immanuel: God is with you.
Your friend,
Ron





    

Share This Blog:



Previous Posts

THE LEAP OF FAITH
Ron Susek

11/10/2022

FAITH IS A DARE
Ron Susek

11/8/2022

GAINING COURAGE TO PRAY
Ron Susek

10/14/2021

JETS ARE REVVING UP AT FAITHWALK HOUSE!
Ron Susek

10/12/2021

OUR FUTURE HOPE (Instruction for Mankind)
Ron Susek

10/7/2021

LEADERS: LET'S PAY JOB A VISIT
Ron Susek

10/5/2021

THE "DEAD" EVANGELIST in a CHOIR ROBE
Ron Susek

9/30/2021

THREE LADIES ELEVEN WEEKS LATER
Ron Susek

9/28/2021

THE KEY TO FINDING WISDOM
Ron Susek

9/23/2021

LET GOD SPEAK for HIMSELF (Part #2)
Ron Susek

9/21/2021

THE EL MATADOR STORY
Ron Susek

9/17/2021

LET GOD SPEAK FOR HIMSELF (Part #1)
Ron Susek

9/17/2021

JESUS: THE UNCONQUERABLE
Ron Susek

4/11/2019

THE BONDAGE OF AN OATH
Ron Susek

4/4/2019

CO-CRUCIFIXION
Ron Susek

3/28/2019

THE FAITH OF AN ASSYRIAN PATRIARCH
Ron Susek

3/21/2019

PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TRUE HISTORY
Ron Susek

3/14/2019

DON'T TOUCH THE ARK
Ron Susek

3/7/2019

GOD'S MYSTERIOUS WAY
Ron Susek

2/28/2019

IS IT WORTH LOSING SLEEP?
Ron Susek

2/21/2019

WHAT MAKES PRAYER FEEBLE
Ron Susek

2/14/2019

WEAPONS FOR TODAY'S BATTLES
Ron Susek

2/7/2019

THE DANGER OF SUBSTITUTE ACTIVITY
Ron Susek

1/31/2019

NEVER LOOK BACK
Ron Susek

1/24/2019

WINTER'S MESSAGE
Ron Susek

1/17/2019

MORE THAN CONQUERORS
Ron Susek

1/10/2019

HOW HUMAN ARE YOU?
Ron Susek

1/3/2019

MOMENTS AFTER THE WAR
Ron Susek

12/27/2018

THE NIGHT OF HIS BIRTH
Ron Susek

12/20/2018

ONE BRIGHT DAY IN NAZARETH
Ron Susek

12/13/2018

WHAT JESUS KNEW BEFORE HIS BIRTH
Ron Susek

12/6/2018

A TIME TO BOW DOWN
Ron Susek

11/29/2018

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Ron Susek

11/22/2018

ENEMIES OF THANKSGIVING
Ron Susek

11/15/2018

YOU ARE THE LIGHT
Ron Susek

11/8/2018

THE EMOTIONS OF GOD (PART SIX: EMPATHY)
Ron Susek

11/1/2018

THE EMOTIONS OF GOD (PART FIVE: HEARTBREAK)
Ron Susek

10/25/2018

THE EMOTIONS OF GOD (PART FOUR: GRIEF)
Ron Susek

10/18/2018

THE EMOTIONS OF GOD (PART THREE: JOY)
Ron Susek

10/11/2018

THE EMOTIONS OF GOD (PART TWO: WRATH
Ron Susek

10/4/2018

THE EMOTIONS OF GOD (PART ONE: INDIGNATION)
Dr. Ron Susek

9/27/2018

BY INVITATION ONLY
Dr. Ron Susek

9/20/2018

THE MYSTERY OF DIVINE ENCOUNTERS
Dr. Ron Susek

9/13/2018

THE GOD OF PERFECT GIFTS
Ron Susek

9/6/2018

COMPROMISE? NEVER!
Ron Susek

8/30/2018

THE TEST OF LORDSHIP
Ron Susek

8/23/2018

PERFECT FEAR
Ron Susek

8/16/2018

BYPASSED
Ron Susek

8/9/2018

GOD'S ACCURACY
Ron Susek

8/2/2018

FAITH AMID SLEEPLESS NIGHTS
Ron Susek

7/26/2018

FAITH'S NARROW RIDGE
Ron Susek

7/19/2018

THE GREAT LEAP OF FAITH
Ron Susek

7/12/2018

QUOTABLE QUOTES
Ron Susek

7/5/2018

WHEN ALL STRENGTH IS GONE
Ron Susek

6/28/2018

THE DEEPEST CALL ON EARTH
Ron Susek

6/21/2018

THINK BEFORE JUDGING GOD
Ron Susek

6/14/2018

THE DIVINE SEARCH
Ron Susek

6/7/2018

WATCH YOUR STEP!
Ron Susek

5/31/2018

EARTH'S BRIGHTEST LIGHT
Ron Susek

5/24/2018

THE LAMP OF YOUR SPIRIT
Ron Susek

5/17/2018

FOCUS OR FAIL
Ron Susek

5/10/2018

THE DIVINE PLOT
Ron Susek

5/3/2018

PERFECTING FAITH
Ron Susek

4/26/2018

GOD IS KNOWABLE
Ron Susek

4/19/2018

INTERPRETING GOD
Ron Susek

4/12/2018

DEATH AND RESURRECTION
Ron Susek

4/5/2018

SEVEN LIFE-CHANGING WORDS
Ron Susek

3/29/2018

THE KING PASSED BY IN SILENCE
Ron Susek

3/22/2018

THE SILENCE OF GOD
Ron Susek

3/15/2018

UTTERLY BROKEN
Ron Susek

3/8/2018

ACHIEVING THE IMPOSSIBLE
Ron Susek

3/1/2018

BILLY'S GONE
Ron Susek

2/22/2018

WHEN IDEALS AND REALITY COLLIDE
Ron Susek

2/15/2018

THE SHAMING OF GOD
Ron Susek

2/8/2018

THE FIRE OF FAITH
Ron Susek

2/1/2018

THE FULNESS OF FAITH
Ron Susek

1/25/2018

THE FOUNDATION OF FAITH
Ron Susek

1/18/2018

THE CONFLICT OF CONFORMITY
Ron Susek

1/12/2018

KING OF THE NATIONS
Ron Susek

1/5/2018

NEVER LEAVE YOUR POST
Ron Susek

12/28/2017

HE LOOKS JUST LIKE HIS FATHER
Ron Susek

12/21/2017

WHEN GOD IS READY, IT HAPPENS!
Ron Susek

12/7/2017

THE ORDINARY vs. the SPECTACULAR
Ron Susek

11/30/2017

ThanksLiving
Ron Susek

11/23/2017

PRAYING FOR SURVIVORS OF A MASSACRE
Ron Susek

11/16/2017

FROM REVELATION TO ACTION
Ron Susek

11/9/2017

HEAVEN'S MEDAL of HONOR
Ron Susek

11/2/2017

DISCERNING YOUR ROLE IN LIFE
Ron Susek

10/26/2017

A SOUL-SEARCHING QUESTION
Ron Susek

10/19/2017

FAITH AMID THE UNPREDICTABLE
Ron Susek

10/12/2017

FINGERPRINTS and FORGIVENESS
Ron Susek

10/10/2017

FREE TO BE A SLAVE
Ron Susek

9/28/2017

BLIND BY CHOICE
Ron Susek

9/21/2017

OF COURAGE AND CHARACTER
Ron Susek

9/14/2017

PROBING THE SOUL
Ron Susek

9/7/2017

REJOICE OVER WHAT MATTERS
Ron Susek

8/31/2017

DECIDE THE RIVER'S FLOW
Ron Susek

8/24/2017

DEADLY DOUBT
Ron Susek

8/17/2017

GOD LEAVES NO FOOTPRINTS
Ron Susek

8/15/2017

KEEP SOWING
Ron Susek

8/3/2017

Focusing All Resources
Ron Susek

7/27/2017

Faith, Fight and Freedom
Ron Susek

7/20/2017

HANK'S HOME
Ron Susek

7/13/2017

AN UNEXPECTED TEST OF LOVE
Ron Susek

7/6/2017

Amanda : A Reason To Go
Ron Susek

6/27/2017

A Fisherman's Sad Saga
Ron Susek

6/20/2017

How You Will Be Judged
Ron Susek

6/15/2017

The Power of Two Small Words
Ron Susek

6/13/2017

A Different Kind of War
Ron Susek

6/1/2017

Savior of All Mankind
Ron Susek

5/25/2017

Inspiration vs. Vision
Ron Susek

5/18/2017

Gaining the Advantage
Ron Susek

9/8/2016

Living Water for Thirsty Souls
Ron Susek

9/1/2016

How We Indict God
Ron Susek

8/14/2016

Parable of Two Wells
Ron Susek

8/8/2016

Preview of Heaven
Ron Susek

8/1/2016

Keepers of Sacred Treasures
Ron Susek

7/26/2016

God Sees Your Sorrows
Ron Susek

7/19/2016

The River of Faith
Ron Susek

7/8/2016

Know Your Inalienable Rights
Dr. Ron Susek

7/4/2016

Jesus Never Lost Focus
Dr. Ron Susek

6/26/2016

Assured Access to God
Dr. Ron Susek

6/19/2016

Seeking the Desires of God
Dr. Ron Susek

6/13/2016

Broken Faith, Radical Repentance
Dr. Ron Susek

5/31/2016

The Unfamiliar World of Holiness
Dr. Ron Susek

5/31/2016

Creation of a Clean Heart
Dr. Ron Susek

5/23/2016

Against All Odds
Dr. Ron Susek

5/13/2016

The Power Behind Jesus's Prayers
Dr. Ron Susek

5/1/2016

Shut the Door
Dr. Ron Susek

4/26/2016

Breaking the Log Jam
Dr. Ron Susek

4/14/2016

A Bad Time to Sleep
Dr. Ron Susek

4/5/2016

Some Mountains won't Move
Dr. Ron Susek

4/4/2016

The Power of Imagination and prayer
Dr. Ron Susek

3/21/2016

Faith of the Son of God
Dr. Ron Susek

3/14/2016

Faith of a Mustard Seed
Dr. Ron Susek

3/7/2016

Life is War
Dr. Ron Susek

2/29/2016

Lead Me To the Rock
Dr. Ron Susek

2/22/2016

All-Surpassing Power
Dr. Ron Susek

2/15/2016

Take No Thougth for Your Life
Dr. Ron Susek

2/9/2016

Divine Astonishment
Dr. Ron Susek

2/1/2016

Forked-Tongue Foes
Dr Ron Susek

1/25/2016

Prophet of the Weeping God
Dr. Ron Susek

1/19/2016