I Broke My Promise to God.

Before we talk about breaking a vow/oath, let’s discuss how serious it is to make one in the first place. It should NEVER be undertaken without careful consideration and prayer. In fact, there are some who would even
go as far as to say that it is a sin itself to even make a vow. Jesus said in (Mt 5:34-37), “but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: (35) nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by
Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.

(36) Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. (37) But let your communication be, Yea (Yes), yea; Nay (No), nay: whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” ( James
5:12).

Based on these verses, it is easy to see why making a vow could be considered sin. On the other hand though, many important people in the Bible did make a vow to God, and He responded positively to some: Hannah (1
Sam 1: God gave her a son), Jacob (2 vows)(Gen 28:20-22)(Gen 31:13 – God reminded him he had made it) and (Gen 31:48-54), David (Ps 22:25)(Ps 56:12)(Ps 61:5)(Ps 65:1), Paul (Acts 18:18)(Acts 21:24)(Gal 1:20)(2 Cor 1:23), and even Jesus (Mt 26:63-64). God also
initiated some vows ( Num 6: a Nazarite vow vow to test the faithfulness or unfaithfulness of a wife: Num 5:19-22).

Breaking a covenant with God is a serious matter. When we make a covenant with God, we are making a solemn promise to Him, pledging our allegiance and entering into a sacred agreement. Here are some insights from the Bible regarding breaking covenants:

Genesis 17:14: God declared that an uncircumcised male who does not undergo circumcision will be cut off from His people, signifying a breach of the covenant .

Leviticus 26:15: Rejecting God’s statutes and ordinances leads to breaking His covenant .

Ezekiel 16:59: Those who despise the oath and break the covenant face consequences .

Isaiah 24:5: The earth is polluted due to transgressions, including breaking the everlasting covenant .

1 Kings 11:11: Solomon’s failure to keep God’s covenant resulted in the tearing away of his kingdom .

Hosea 8:1: Israel’s transgressions led to breaking the covenant .

Hebrews 8:9: The new covenant differs from the old one, as the Israelites did not continue in it .

Deuteronomy 29:25: Forsaking the covenant with God has consequences .

2 Kings 17:15: Rejecting God’s covenant and following vanity leads to disobedience .

Joshua 7:11, 15: Transgressing the covenant results in disgraceful consequences .

Judges 2:20: Israel’s failure to listen to God’s voice broke the covenant .

Remember that our relationship with God is built on trust and faithfulness. Breaking a covenant disrupts that trust and has spiritual implications. It’s essential to honor our commitments to God and seek forgiveness when we fall short.

A promise is a vow or pledge to take an action or an assurance that something will definitely happen. There is nothing inherently wrong or sinful about making a promise. In fact, the Bible records a great number of
promises God Himself has made.

(Deut 23:21)(NASB) 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. (22) However, if you refrain from vowing,
it would not be sin in you. (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.

When Adam and Eve first sinned in the garden of Eden, God made a covenant—a special promise based on a personal relationship—to send a Savior who would “crush [Satan’s] head” and deliver mankind from sin (Genesis
3:15). God made more covenants with Noah and all mankind (Genesis 9:8–17), with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3), with the Israelites (Deuteronomy 11 and 30:1–10), with David (2 Samuel 7:8–16), and with believers in Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34).

God has made promises to care for His people (Psalm 9:9–10; Matthew 6:31–33; Romans 8:28), promises to bless those who seek and obey Him (Psalm 37:4; Isaiah 40:31; James 1:5), promises to grant salvation and forgiveness
to those who believe in Him and choose to follow Him (John 3:36; Romans 10:9–10; 1 John 1:9), and many more. Whatever promises God makes, He keeps.

Our promises are important, especially when we make a promise to God. “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to
make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin” (Ecclesiastes 5:4–5).

Promises can be beautiful and honorable and made for the good of others. But they must be kept. As we are imperfect humans, we should only make promises with care and introspection so they do not turn into sin. Promises
can be easily broken or made with the wrong motivation, which may result in damage to ourselves or others. When making a promise, the believer should consider the following questions:

1. Is your promise made with the intention of harming someone else? Jesus declared that the second greatest commandment is to love others as ourselves (Matthew 22:34–40). Jesus also taught that we are to forgive our
enemies (Matthew 18:21–22) and not take revenge (Matthew 5:38–40). If the promise is made with the intent to harm someone or seek revenge, it is sin.

2. Do you intend to keep the promise? Promises should not be made without a strict intention to keep them. Even something as seemingly benign as promising someone, “I’ll pray for you,” and then neglecting to pray
is a broken promise. When it comes to swearing an oath, Jesus instructed, “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). This can also be applied to promises.

3. Have you thought through your promise? Flippant promises can be dangerous, especially when made to God. In Judges 11:29–40, we read about Jephthah’s thoughtless vow to the Lord. In return for victory over the Ammonites,
Jephthah promised to sacrifice whatever met him first when he returned home. Sadly, it was Jephthah’s only child, a daughter, who met him upon his return.

4. Do you have the power to carry out your promise? A promise dependent on someone else’s actions or on an unknown variable has no guarantee to be kept and therefore should be avoided. Promises like these can harm
one’s reputation and make the person who promised them seem untrustworthy.

There is an old saying: “A promise made is a promise kept.” This is the standard of faithfulness that every believer should strive for. A Christian should make a promise only if he or she fully intends to keep it.

We have many examples that show us that God knows we are fallible humans who are likely going to fail if we make a vow to Him. This is sin. The Bible also says that there is nothing at all wrong with never making a vow to Him. Therefore, it is wise to never make a vow. However, if you have prayed and counted the cost of keeping that vow, and you still feel led to make that vow, that is a matter between you and God. As we said earlier, God did honor some vows made in the Bible, but there could be costly consequences if you don’t keep your vow

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