The expression “your word is your bond” means that you will always do what you say you will. For example, “If Tom said he'll be here to help you move, I'm sure he'll be here—his word is his bond.”[1] Unfortunately, in our society, not everyone's word is reliable. There are many examples of this not only today but throughout history.
In 1802, Napoleon signed the Treaty of Amiens with Britain, which was meant to bring peace between the two countries. However, he used the time of peace to strengthen his military and political position. The treaty didn't last long, and in 1803, hostilities resumed between France and Britain.
Jesus taught that his followers should be so trustworthy in speech that people can always believe they will keep their word. We find this teaching in Matthew 5:37 in the Sermon on the Mount. The idea is that our words should be so trustworthy that they do not require any additional guarantees. Similar instructions can also be found in Leviticus 19:12, Deuteronomy 23:21-23, Colossians 4:7, and James 5:12.
“Christians should have such obvious virtue in their character that they do not need to add anything to their yes or no such as “I promise.”[2]
It should be noted that some people have taken this to say Christians should never take oaths of any kind. This would include wedding vows as well as testimonies in court. The point Jesus is making is that a Christian's speech should always be trustworthy and truthful. We know that God made vows (Gen. 9:9-11), as did both Jesus and Paul (Matthew 26:63-64; Romans 1:9).
“Jesus taught that our conversation should be so honest, and our charter so true, that we should not need “crutches” to get people to believe us. Words depend on character, and oaths cannot compensate for a poor character.”[3]
Keeping one’s word may not be seen as a valuable character trait in today’s world, but it is important to the Lord. As Christians, we are called to reflect the truths of God's Word rather than conform to the ways of the world. Keeping our word is one way we can demonstrate this.
“The truthful lip shall be established forever, But a lying tongue is but for a moment.” Proverbs 12:19 NKJV
Blessings,
Pastor Steven
[1] https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/your+word+is+your+bond. Accessed November 2023. [2] Jeremiah Study Bible, pg. 1290. [3] Warren Wiersbe. The Bible Exposition Commentary, Matthew-Galatians, pg. 24.