What does the Bible say about honoring our word? Must we keep our promises and commitments? What are the consequences of rash or false promises? Must we keep our commitments in marriage, business, and service to God?
Click here to view this material as Video Bible Study.
Click here for PowerPoint slides and charts to accompany this study.
Introduction:
Years ago it was generally understood that people should speak the truth and keep their word.
People would say, “He is a man of his word.” Or, “His word is his bond.” If a person committed himself or made a promise, you could be sure he would keep his word. You needed no signed contract; a man’s word was enough. This was a matter of basic honesty and integrity.
However, as moral integrity in general has declined, people often think little of breaking promises. Spoken commitments are not treated as binding: get it in “black and white.”
The purpose of this study is to consider the importance of honoring our word, keeping our commitments, and fulfilling our promises.
Most Christians are familiar with Bible teaching about lying, profanity, slander, and other aspects of proper speech. But do we understand our responsibility to honor our word, or do we take our commitments lightly without considering the importance of keeping them?
Consider what the Bible says:
Bible Principles Regarding Keeping Our Word
We are mainly discussing commitments we make about what we will or will not do for others (or things involving them). If I mention to one person that I plan to buy a car from a third person but I change my mind, I have not broken a commitment to the first person. I never promised to do anything for him, and changing my mind did not harm him. But if I promise to buy his car for a certain amount then change my mind, I have broken a promise and failed to keep my word.
God’s Promises
God always honors His word.
Deuteronomy 7:9 – He is the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 – The Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
Titus 1:2 – In hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began.
What would we think if God promised to give us heaven if we live for Him, but after we serve Him for a lifetime, He changed His mind or never intended to do it? We can trust God to honor His word and be faithful to His promises. This is one of many characteristics that God requires us to possess, because it is fundamental to His character (like love, mercy, justice, etc.).
(1 Corinthians 10:13; 1:9; Isaiah 49:7; 2 Corinthians 1:18; 1 John 1:9; Hebrews 6:18; 10:23)
Our Promises
James 5:12 – Do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath. But let your “Yes,” be “Yes,” and your “No,” “No,” lest you fall into judgment. Christians should be people of our word, so others will believe what we say without our needing to take oaths. style='font-size: 9.0pt'>(Matthew 5:33-37; 2 Corinthians 1:15-20)
Matthew 23:16-22 – Jews had man-made rules about what oaths were binding or not. Some kids have code words you must say to prove you mean a promise: “Promise? Cross your heart and hope to die?” Whether or not a Christian is obligated, is not determined by what we swore by or even by the fact that we swore. If we promise, we should mean it and do it.
Numbers 30:1,2 – If a man made a vow or swore an oath, he shall not break his word but shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth. The Old Testament emphasized the need to keep vows, but the New Testament says the same about any promise. Our commitments are binding, even if we made no oath at all. (Proverbs 22:25)
Genesis 29:18-28 – Laban broke many promises to Jacob. He agreed to give Rachel to Jacob for his wife in exchange for working seven years. But he gave Leah instead. (31:4-13, 38-53)
Ezekiel 17:12-16 (compare verses 17-21) – The king of Judah made a covenant to serve the king of Babylon, but he broke it. God said, “Can he break a covenant and still be delivered?” He determined to punish Judah. (2 Chronicles 36:13)
Romans 1:31,32 – Among those worthy of death are “covenant-breakers” (KJV & ASV; the NKJV says “untrustworthy” – surely one who fails to keep his word is not trustworthy).
Matthew 7:12 (22:36-39) – The Golden Rule requires us to do to others as we want them to do to us. Some people think little of breaking agreements with others, but are very upset if others break commitments to them.
Rash, Light, or False Promises
Since promises are binding, we should consider carefully before we make a commitment.
We should enter commitments seriously, not taking them lightly.
Leviticus 5:4 – If one swears or makes an oath rashly, he is still held to it. (Remember, the New Testament says that our word is binding, even without oaths.)
Proverbs 20:25 – We should not reconsider our vows (NKJV & ASV; make inquiry – KJV) after we have made them. Consider your commitment before you make it because, once it’s made, you are committed. You cannot change later. (Psalm 15:4)
Ecclesiastes 5:2-6 – Do not speak rashly or hastily, because God in heaven hears you. He holds you to your vows. So it is better not to make a vow than to make one and not keep it. Do not try to get out of your commitments by saying it was a mistake and you did not mean it.
Hosea 10:4 – God promises judgment on those who swear falsely in making a covenant.
We knew a man whose wife confessed adultery. He said he forgave her and renewed the marriage. Later he wanted to marry another woman, so he divorced his first wife for adultery. When reminded he had renewed the marriage, he said he did not mean it, so he was free to divorce her.
Taking our commitments lightly does not give us grounds to disregard them. God nowhere releases people from promises they made rashly or falsely.
(Leviticus 6:2-5; Psalm 24:3,4; Isaiah 48:1; Jeremiah 5:2; 7:9,10; Zech. 5:4; 8:17)
Some examples.
Kids may make a promise but say they do not have to keep it because “I had my fingers crossed.” Some adults do the same, making commitments they never intend to keep. The Biblical principle is that people are still held to their commitments.
People you invite to a gospel meeting may say, “I’ll do my best,” but they are really just putting you off. Parents may tell kids, “We’ll do that some other time,” but they never intend to do it; they just want the kids to quit pestering them.
God’s word says rash and insincere promises are still binding. If you do not mean it, you need to make clear what you do mean. If you deliberately lead others to think you intend to do a thing, you are obligated, even if you never really meant to do it.
Some extenuating circumstances that may affect our ability to keep a promise.
James 4:13-15 – Uncertainties of life may prevent us from fulfilling plans. So people should keep commitments if they are able. We should remind ourselves and others: “If the Lord wills.” Here are some situations that might release us from a promise:
(1) Physical circumstances beyond our control may prevent us from doing as planned (like sickness keeping us from job, church meeting, etc.) (Luke 7:41,42; Matthew 18:24-34)
(2) A promise may be conditional (sometimes the condition is understood, not stated). If the condition is not met, we are not obligated. Note Matthew 19:9 – Marriage is for life except for fornication.
(3) The person to whom we made the commitment may agree to change the agreement. Matthew 18:24-34 – A lender may forgive someone from a debt. (Proverbs 6:1-5; Luke 7:41,42)
(4) We may have promised to commit a sin. If so, we should repent of having made the commitment, and then not keep it. Examples: making an agreement to tell a lie for someone (Acts 5:9); making a commitment to participate in the activities of a false religious group.
There may be other Scriptural grounds for not keeping certain promises. The Bible must be our guide. But in general commitments are binding. We should never enter them unless we intend to keep them. Nor should we lightly make excuses to claim extenuating circumstances.
Specific Examples of Promises We Must Keep
Marriage
Marriage is a covenant based on mutual promises and commitments (“vows”).
Malachi 2:13-16 – God is witness to this covenant and holds us to it. He hates divorce and demands that no one “deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.” (Ezekiel 16:8,59)
Romans 7:2,3; Matthew 19:6,9 – A man and woman are bound to their marriage commitment as long as they live. They are free to marry someone else only when the companion dies (or if the companion violates the covenant by committing fornication). (Proverbs 2:16,17)
If you divorce your companion (not for fornication), God still holds you to your first marriage commitment. So your second marriage is adultery.
But marriage also includes other specific commitments.
The husband promises to love and cherish his wife for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. Likewise the wife pledges to love, honor, and obey her husband. (Ephesians 5:23-33; Colossians 3:18,19; 1 Peter 3:1-7). Do we keep these promises?
Do we husbands always do what is best for our wives with real concern for them? Or do we become selfish and do as we please? Do wives treat their husbands with respect and obey them? Do we do this only when things are going for better or even when things go for worse? Are we obeying God’s commands and keeping our wedding commitments?
(Genesis 43:9; 44:32ff; 1 Corinthians 7:3-9)
Business
Business affairs often involve making promises, covenants (contracts), etc. Do we honor our word in the following areas?
Agreements to purchase a certain product or service
Genesis 23:14-18 – Abraham purchased a field for a burying place for Sarah. A price was agreed on, money paid, and the land deeded. This is a covenant. (Ruth 4:1-12)
Psalm 37:21 – Wicked people borrow and do not pay again. If a person accepts an item or a service and agrees to pay for it but refuses to pay when the time comes, he has broken a covenant. (Romans 13:7)
Likewise, we break our word if we promise to provide a certain service or product for a certain price, but we do not deliver the product or service as promised.
Agreements between employer and employee
Matthew 20:1-15 – A worker may be hired with an agreement to do a certain work for certain pay. If the employer pays as agreed, he has kept his bargain. The worker must not be negligent but do the work as agreed. (2 Chronicles 24:12)
James 5:4 – Rich people fraudulently kept back wages of workers.
Genesis 31:4-13,38-42 – Laban deceived Jacob by changing his wages to avoid paying what he had agreed to give. All such is breaking one’s word.
Financial matters involve many commitments. We should not make them unless we have every reason to believe we can keep them. Having made them, we should keep them to the best of our ability.
Service to God
Our relationship to God is a covenant.
Historically, God made covenants with people, agreeing to give blessings and rewards in return for faithful service. He made covenants with Abraham, the nation of Israel, etc.
Hebrews 8:6-12 quotes Jeremiah 31:31-34, where God promised to make a new covenant, different in several ways from the one made at Sinai. This refers to the New Testament. (Compare 10:1-11; Malachi 3:1; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 4:23-31; Hebrews 12:24.)
Galatians 3:15 – Even a human covenant, when it has been confirmed, no one has the right to annul or change it. How much more so when we make a covenant with God?
Matthew 26:28 – God dedicated His covenants with men by the shedding of blood. The New Testament sacrifice was Jesus’ death, which also forgives our sins. We remember this covenant each first day of the week in the Lord’s Supper. (1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 12:24)
Keeping this covenant requires us to obey God’s commands.
We can be sure God will keep His part of the covenant. He is always faithful to His promises. What about our part of the agreement?
Hebrews 13:20,21 – In this everlasting covenant, we must do God’s will. (1 Peter 4:19)
Psalm 78:10 – God often rebuked people when they violated His Old Testament covenant. So, if we fail to honor our covenant commitment, we will be punished (Hebrews 10:28-30).
Romans 6:3-14 – This covenant is symbolized by baptism. When we seek forgiveness by Jesus’ blood in baptism, we are entering into a covenant commitment to serve God till death. Having made this covenant, we must not let sin reign in our bodies, but must dedicate our lives to serving God and keeping His commands.
This includes Bible study, prayer, giving, attending and being active in the work of the church, teaching, helping the needy, controlling our speech, living morally, and all God’s commands.
If we see the need to keep our word to people, how much more so ought we to keep our covenant with God?
Conclusion
There are many other circumstances in which we may make commitments to people. Sometimes we may Scripturally be released from a promise, but the general principles are:
(1) We are obligated to keep our commitments. In the New Testament, even though no oath is involved, we should keep our promises.
(2) We should not make commitments lightly but should consider the consequences, and we should never make promises we do not intend to keep. When we make a commitment, even lightly or falsely, we are still obligated to keep it.
Are you keeping your commitments?
(c) Copyright David E. Pratte, 2026; gospelway.com
