Breaking a VOW - the laws of the OT

[Twinky]

An interesting thread and one which I think ex-Wayfers will grapple with far more than the average church.

I had to deal with serious (self)condemnation and misery because of the breaking of my vow to God - being salted when graduating into the Way Corps. Had vowed to stand for God and then ... even though they chucked me out... had I had any sense maybe I'd have seen that in that case God had broken the vow (or some such, dunno now) - being as I had vowed to God in the form of the Way Corps. Or was it that my vow (and salt covenant) was unacceptable to God?

Years later I worked through it to realize that I had vowed to GOD and not the WC and the heart of the vow was at all times intact. Just because TWI removed themselves didn't negate the vow.

I think God looks on the heart of what the person making the vow felt at the time, whether in a marriage situation or whatever it may be. God knows the past and the future. He knows what each avowal means. ...will he, if it gets very difficult, make a way to escape [the temptation to break a vow, though not the vow itself]. if it gets really tough?

For us, I feel that forgiveness has to be available when we bite off more than we can chew (and Dot, that's not just pizza either, LOL) if we have made serious efforts to fulfil the vow. Perhaps a vow is for the person, to understand the seriousness and significance of the commitment/promise he/she is about to make.

I think of Gideon - vowing to dedicate the first living thing he saw if he won a battle - too bad it was his beloved daughter. And loyally she submitted to that vow. Awesome.

But we live in a different culture and are not brought up so strictly with our word being our bond and our underlying culture does not provide the supports to facilitate that (eg extended family support in cases of marriage/family difficulty - so that problems could be dealt with before they got to vow-breaking stage). And even in the OT, divorce was legal.

As you say - a God of peace...

Edited May 21, 2008 by Twinky

[Twinky]

Though even now I find myself wondering and "thinking badly" of someone when I read of a former priest or ordained person who is now working in some secular capacity.

(Need to clean up my own thinking on this.)

Edited May 21, 2008 by Twinky

[Dot Matrix]

Twinky

I feel you. IT was very confusing when I left the WAY as I almost felt like leaving the corps would make God hate me or something because I vowed to God to stand with that group - well, the group changed God did not.

BTW, my friend is much happier - he and his daughters had a long talk and I think the family understands the break-up was better than the marriage.