Mike,

Hi, I hope all in going well with you and yours. I have another question for you which you may post on your site if you like. I am still working as a policeman waiting on the Lord to have me leave. Part of my duty is testifying in court. Prior to testifying, I am compelled to take an oath to which I must say ‘I do’. First I raise my right hand and the judge says, “Do you swear to tell truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God.” To which I must state “I do.”
My question is:  am I violating Mat 5:34 by doing this?  If I refuse to do this, I can be held in contempt of court. Thank you for your time in advance.
Your brother, S____

Hi S____,

Thank you for your question, and thank you for your permission to post this answer. You ask if swearing to tell the truth is a violation of Christ’s prohibition against swearing. The answer is, yes indeed it is. Let’s look at Christ’s prohibition against swearing, and it will become  very clear what is the answer of scripture to this, your question:

Mat 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Mat 5:34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne:
Mat 5:35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King.
Mat 5:36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.

“You shall not forswear yourself,” means that under the law you were commanded to keep your oaths even as Jephtha kept his foolish oath. Read about that on iswasandwillbe. com. Jephtha did not make a human sacrifice to God, and God would never accepted human sacrifices, as the story of Abraham and Issac demonstrates. Yes, of course God did command Abraham to offer Isaac, but He then forbade him from harming the lad. Human sacrifice would have been worse than offering a swine, which was strictly prohibited. But back to your question.
“Whatsoever is more than yes or no is of evil” means what it says.
The good news is that because of these very verses, there is provision in the courts of every state in the nation to allow a person to say ‘I affirm’ instead of ‘I swear.’ The word ‘affirm’ is simply saying ‘yes’ without the oath that is forbidden by Christ. “Whatsoever is more than yes or no is of evil.”
Affirming instead of swearing makes one appear to be a fanatic to the world, but you and I should be pleased to be called fans of Christ and His doctrines.
I hope this answers your question, and I am still praying that God will provide you a job that will not require you to carry firearms, and I am praying that you will not have to use those firearms against anyone until you can find other employment. But you are wise to wait on the Lord as you are doing. It was God who gave you this job and He will give you another in His time.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike