This article is not political but practical. Are you aware that 469 seats in the U.S. Congress (34 Senate and all 435 House seats) are up for election this year? Also this year there will be 151,326 elected offices across the USA (runforoffice.org). What is the one thing that they all have in common? Every elected official is required to swear a vow/oath before the people and God that they will solemnly do what they promise. A broken oath (lie) is a crime of perjury. One man after 50 years of marriage was asked, “What is your secret?” He simply said, “I made a vow.”
Required Vows/Oaths (without comments): DOCTOR: “I (name) swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: I will respect the privacy of my patients… I must tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given to me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life… Above all, I must not play at God.” CITIZENSHIP: “I (name) hereby declare, on oath, that I ..renounce … allegiance… to any foreign… state, or sovereignty… that I will support and defend the Constitution and laws of the US ..against all enemies… I will bear arms on behalf of the US… so help me God.” MILITARY: I, (name), do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the US against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will obey the orders of the president of the US and the orders of the officers appointed over me… So help me God.” JUDICIAL: “I (name), do solemnly swear that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich…I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties… as [title of office] under the Constitution and laws of the US. So help me God.” FEDERAL OFFICIALS: All 469 elected officials must swear, “I (name) do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the US against all enemies… that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…I will ..faithfully discharge the duties of the office …I am about to enter: So help me God..” STATE OFFICIALS: All elected officials must swear, “I (name) do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the US and the Constitution and laws of the state of (name)… that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of (name) to the best of my ability. So help me God.”
God, who cannot lie, keeps His promises (Titus 1:2) and so should we, and so should our elected officials. Many say we now have over-promises and under-performance. Better not to make a vow than to make a vow and break it (Eccl. 5:4-5). I saw Dr. Bill Rice, Sr, shake hands on a deal. As he walked away, the man asked about a contract. I told him, “When he shook your hand, that was your contract.” Your word should also be your bond! “Let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay” (James 5:12). After this election, it would be wonderful if many would also remember, “I made a vow.”
Note: My name is Ted Camp and I approve of this message!
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