Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. – Matthew 5:33-37
I had a wonderful boss from England who used to say, “As my father used to say, ‘my word is my bond.’” I am not 100% certain why he emphasized that it was his father who said this – since plenty of people have said it over the ages. Perhaps Clive was highlighting this statement as a cornerstone of his family’s integrity, and therefore he wanted others to know that he was culturally (and genetically?) faithful. Perhaps he was highlighting that it has stood the test of time as traditional and respectable, appropriate for use by a fine British gentleman. In fact, this phrase has been the motto of the London Stock Exchange since 1801 (so, I’m sure that it was not originally coined by Clive’s father).
Traditionally, transactions at the London Stock Exchange were made without signing pieces of paper – people’s word was their bond, so they did exactly what they said that they would.
They kept their promises. Still today, transactions at the London Stock Exchange occur without paper contracts, so their motto remains in place. In the context of computers, this might seem obvious, but they maintain that regardless of the technology in use, their word is still their bond.
In the Presbyterian Church in America, we require those who are joining as church members to affirm their faith by answering five questions. If you are a member of First Presbyterian or another PCA congregation, you likely answered these questions a while back.
Even if you are a not a Presbyterian, perhaps it is useful to hear what we pledge and see if you concur:
Do you acknowledge yourself to be a sinner in the sight of God, justly deserving His displeasure, and without hope save in [i.e., except for] His sovereign mercy?
Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and Savior of sinners, and do you receive and rest upon Him alone for salvation as He is offered in the Gospel?
Do you now resolve and promise, in humble reliance upon the grace of the Holy Spirit, that you will endeavor to live as becomes a follower of Christ?
Do you promise to support the church in its worship and work to the best of your ability?
Do you submit yourself to the government and discipline of the church, and promise to study its purity and peace?
If your word is your bond – and the Bible declares that it should be – then affirmation of commitment to these biblical standards serves as a promise to uphold your faith through faithful church service.
Today is a good day to meditate on your response to these questions.
Then, simply let your ‘yes’ be yes, and your ‘no’ be no. Our community is blessed by faithful servants.
