Overview

This chapter treats oaths and vows as solemn acts of religious worship in which God is called to witness. It confesses what a lawful oath is, that God’s name alone may be sworn by, the binding nature of oaths even when made to our hurt, the unlawfulness of swearing falsely or rashly, and the right nature of vows made to God — guarding both reverence for God’s name (the Third Commandment) and the sanctity of our word.

The Confession, Section by Section

22.1–22.2 — A lawful oath and by whom we swear

A lawful oath is a part of religious worship, wherein, upon just occasion, the person swearing solemnly calleth God to witness what he asserteth or promiseth; and to judge him according to the truth or falsehood of what he sweareth.

The name of God only is that by which men ought to swear, and therein it is to be used with all holy fear and reverence… Yet, as in matters of weight and moment, an oath is warranted by the Word of God, under the New Testament, as well as under the old; so a lawful oath, being imposed by lawful authority, in such matters, ought to be taken.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.” (Deut. 6:13, ESV)

“For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation.” (Heb. 6:16, ESV)

Further proofs: Exod. 20:7; Lev. 19:12; Jer. 4:2; 2 Cor. 1:23; Matt. 5:34, 37; James 5:12; Neh. 13:25.

Exposition: An oath is “a part of religious worship” — calling God to witness and judge our truthfulness. We may swear only by God’s name (never by creatures), and with reverence. Christ’s “do not swear at all” (Matt. 5) forbids rash, profane, or evasive swearing in ordinary speech, not the solemn, lawful oath in weighty matters, which Scripture warrants (Heb. 6:16) and which may rightly be required by lawful authority (e.g., in court).

22.3–22.4 — Swearing in truth and keeping the oath

Whosoever taketh an oath ought duly to consider the weightiness of so solemn an act, and therein to avouch nothing but what he is fully persuaded is the truth… An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation, or mental reservation. It cannot oblige to sin; but in any thing not sinful, being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man’s own hurt: nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics or infidels.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“…who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” (Ps. 15:4, ESV)

Further proofs: Exod. 20:7; Jer. 4:2; Josh. 9:18–19 (the oath to the Gibeonites kept); 1 Sam. 25:22, 32–34; Ezek. 17:16, 18–19.

Exposition: Oaths must be sworn in truth and kept “in the plain and common sense of the words” — no equivocation, no mental reservation (a direct rejection of casuistry that lets one swear deceptively). A lawful oath binds even when it proves costly (“to a man’s own hurt,” Ps. 15:4) and even when made to those outside the faith — as Israel honored its oath to the Gibeonites. The only exception: an oath cannot bind to sin, for no promise can obligate us to disobey God.

22.5–22.7 — Vows to God

A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness… It is to be made to God alone, and not to any creature… No man may vow to do any thing forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded, or which is not in his own power, and for the performance whereof he hath no promise of ability from God.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“Make your vows to the Lord your God and perform them.” (Ps. 76:11, ESV)

“When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it… It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay.” (Eccl. 5:4–5, ESV)

Further proofs: Ps. 61:8; 66:13–14; Num. 30:2; Deut. 23:21–23; Gen. 28:20–22; Acts 23:12, 14 (an unlawful vow that cannot bind).

Exposition: A vow is a promise made “to God alone” — never to saints or creatures — and is to be kept faithfully and promptly (Eccl. 5). But vows have limits: no one may vow what is sinful, what hinders a commanded duty, or what is beyond his power without God’s promised ability. (The Confession here also rejects the Roman monastic vows of perpetual celibacy, poverty, and “regular obedience” as not “higher” perfection but, where unbiblical, “superstitious and sinful snares.”)

Doctrinal Summary

Oaths and vows are solemn acts of religious worship, calling God to witness. A lawful oath, sworn only by God’s name and in weighty matters, may rightly be taken when imposed by lawful authority; it must be sworn truthfully, in the plain sense of the words without equivocation, and kept even to one’s own hurt — though it can never bind to sin. A vow is a like promise made to God alone, to be performed faithfully, never of anything sinful, obstructive of duty, or beyond God-given ability.

Connections

• WLC Q113 (sins forbidden in the third commandment, including perjury and rash oaths), Q108–109 (worship rightly and wrongly offered).
• WSC Q53–56 — the third commandment and the reasons annexed to it: “The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of God’s names, titles, attributes, ordinances, word, and works.”
• WCF 19 (the moral law — the third commandment), WCF 21 (religious worship, of which oaths and vows are a part), WCF 23 (the civil magistrate, who may lawfully require oaths).
• Loci: The third commandment; the sanctity of God’s name and of one’s word; truth-telling.

Pastoral & Practical Significance

At its heart, this chapter is about the weight of words spoken before God. To swear by God’s name is to invoke the holy God as witness and judge — so casual, profane, or deceptive use of His name is no small thing (the Third Commandment). For the believer, the deeper application is integrity: a person of God keeps his word “even to his own hurt” (Ps. 15:4). In a world of fine print, loopholes, and convenient reinterpretation, the Christian’s “yes” means yes and “no” means no (Matt. 5:37). When you make a commitment — in marriage, in church membership, in business, in ordination vows — you make it before God, and faithfulness honors Him. Yet the chapter also frees the conscience: no oath or vow can ever bind you to sin, so a rash promise to do evil must be repented of, not kept. Reverence God’s name, weigh your words, and keep them.

For Reflection

• Do I treat my words and commitments as made before God, keeping them even when costly?
• Where am I tempted to equivocate or find loopholes rather than speak and keep the plain truth?
• A vow cannot bind me to sin. Is there any rash commitment I am wrongly “keeping” when I ought to repent of it?