Gifts of Heaven · Volume 1 · Chapter 17

About the oath or vow (Matt 05:33-35)

28th May 1840

[1] Someone asks about the right and validity of the oath or vow, which is a reasonable question.

[2] Behold, if I am in the heart of any man, then he has the truth in him. He does, thinks and speaks out of it, and this threefold occupation is (in such a case) a true action and needs no more than yes or no. Everything more than that is a sin; because there is a shameful mistrust placed on My sacred holiness, which is the original source of all wisdom and truth in Me eternally, by both the one who demands the oath and the one who takes the oath.

[3] But if any man does not have Me in his heart faithfully, all his acts are false and deceitful in doing, thinking, and speaking. How then (since in such a case) do you want to demand a landmark from the truth-less one and thus impose My holiness as a seal on the lie, so that a false deception of some selfish assertion of a self-loving person would receive the full validity as legally true!

[4] But now I am giving you advice from My Love so that you may spare My Holiness! – see, if an oath is a sure sign to you, can it not be a mere "yes" or "no"? – If you punish the false oath, you may as well punish the "yes" and "no"! (Matt 5:37; James 5:12; 2 Cor 1:17)

[5] I advise you, if someone has lied in his statement, either affirmatively or negatively, his name will be publicly declared dishonorable above all the people until he has gone into himself in all humility and publicly confesses his lie, which will then be the first truth on his tongue.

[6] To this end, you can and should take from him either a third or a half, depending on the circumstances, and probably all his possessions, as a legal atonement for the truth that has been maltreated by such a liar for his own self-interest. For he shall not have his own bread, nor a roof nor a field, because he abhorred the truth!

[7] And you can be assured that even the (worst) villain will not lie to you. Rather he will be silent, like the spirits of hell who cannot speak My name.

[8] If anyone is righteous in his heart, believe him at his word, without oath, you can be assured that he speaks the truth and signs it with his blood.

[9] But whoever has a faithless and selfish heart, is far from God and hell is near. From him you can demand an oath for the sake of another, but ask yourselves, what use is it?

[10] Therefore your speech should be: "Yes, yes" or "No, no"! Whatever is above, is a sin in the spirit of My sacred holiness. (Matt 5:37; James 5:12; 2 Cor 1:17).

[11] This is My law without any subsequent regulation! For My commandments are firm and do not suffer any change like your pagan ones! Amen. I, Jehovah, the supreme Wisdom and Justice from Eternity. Amen.