The Arrogance and Deception of Careless Swearing

The Lord Jesus warns us to be careful about the truth and about promising to do things. When we use God's name to reinforce our promise, either regarding the truth or our intention to do something, we bring ourselves under a very strict judgment, one where Satan can use our idle words to accuse us before God.

Our Lord is not forbidding all swearing: indeed, he himself opened his mouth and swore a very powerful oath, when he was charged to do so by the High Priest (Matthew 26:63-64).