Swearing by someone greater

​“For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.6.16.NASB1995

Have we ever said, “God as my witness”? We have then proved this verse to be true. Usually, we would say it to verify a crazy story to be true. For if it was not then God would be able to judge you for lying in his name. We mentioned Ananias and Sapphira a few weeks ago. They were declaring that in the sight of God, the money they were giving to the church was the full amount that they had sold the field for. And God was a witness against it and God dropped them both dead at the feet of the apostles. And great fear came over the church.

Often in the Old Testament, we hear of a king giving his signet ring to someone this was to say that the one who was not the king was swearing in the name of the king that whatever was sealed by the king has the king's approval. 

Who's approval do you have? 

“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭10‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/gal.1.10.NASB1995

If we spend all our time trying to win the approval of men then we are neglecting our higher approval, God’s approval. 

“His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭21‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.25.21.NASB1995

“Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come immediately and sit down to eat’? But will he not say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink’? He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he? So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.’ ”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/luk.17.7-10.NASB1995

For we work for God and not for man. And we swear by no one greater than Him. For there is no one greater than Him. God never has to answer to anyone.

“For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/heb.6.13-14.NASB1995

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”

‭‭Numbers‬ ‭23‬:‭19‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/num.23.19.NASB1995

For every time God speaks He speaks only the truth. Every time we speak a lie or half-truth or a non-truth are we swearing by the father of lies?

“You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

‭‭John‬ ‭8‬:‭44‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/jhn.8.44.NASB1995

Therefore do we put the devil higher than ourselves and submit under his deception while the Bible tells us that he is in the wrong place in our lives?

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭16‬:‭20‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/rom.16.20.NASB1995

He is to be under our feet and not over our heads. Let us throw off any signet rings of the world and the devil and embrace the signet ring of God.

“These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭16‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NASB1995‬‬

https://bible.com/bible/100/mrk.16.17-18.NASB1995