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Should A Christian Make A Promise?

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Should A Christian Make A Promise

Should A Christian Make A Promise? A pledge is a formalized promise, and there is nothing wrong with making a promise. Truthfully speaking, there is nothing sinful about saying a pledge, as long as the pledge does not take away from our commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. When a couple gets married, they exchange vows, pledging faithfulness to each other – in the old phrasing, “I plight thee my troth.” When a person lays a hand over his/her heart and recites the pledge to the flag, he/she is promising loyalty to his/her country, recognizing that we are “all under God.” Likewise, when a witness takes the stand in a courtroom, he/she promises to tell the truth. And as we previously said, there is nothing wrong with making a promise, as long as it does not compromise one’s relationship with his/her Maker, God Almighty.

A promise is a pledge or vow to take any action or assurance that something will definitely happen. With this in mind, we can say that there is nothing inherently wrong with making a promise. As a matter of fact, the Bible records a great number of promises that God Himself has made. Our promises are important, especially when we make promises to God. Ecclesiastes 5:4–5 says, “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to fulfill it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfill your vow. It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin.” Promises can be honorable, beautiful, and made for the good of others. However, they must be kept so that they do not turn into sin.

Should A Christian Make A Promise?

What The Scriptures Say About Pledges

The Scriptures are calling on each and everyone to keep his/her promises. Promises can be easily broken or made with the wrong motivation, which may result in damage to ourselves or others. There are many things that believers should take into consideration before making a promise. As believers, we should make sure that our promises are not those to hurt anyone. Remember that Jesus Christ commanded us to love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:34–40). We should make sure that our promises are in line with the ways of God. Likewise, we should make sure that the intention to keep to our promise is there before making it. We should also be in possession of the power to keep to the promise. We should keep the promises that we make to those around us just as we would love to have them keep those they make to us.

As Christians, we ought to be faithful in keeping promises just like our Heavenly Father. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, God made a covenant – a special promise based on a personal relationship – to send a Savior who would “crush [Satan’s] head” and deliver mankind from sin (Genesis 3:15). Likewise, God made more covenants with Noah and all mankind (Genesis 9:8–17), with Abraham (Genesis 12:1–3), with the Israelites (Deuteronomy 11 and 30:1–10), with David (2 Samuel 7:8–16), and with believers in Christ (Jeremiah 31:31–34). Behold, God has made promises to care for His people (Psalm 9:9–10; Matthew 6:31–33; Romans 8:28), promises to forgive sins and grant salvation to those who come to Him through Christ (John 3:36; Romans 10:9–10; 1 John 1:9), and promises to those who obey His Commands (Psalm 37:4; Isaiah 40:31; James 1:5). Throughout time, God has been faithful to all His promises.

Pledging Allegiance to the Flag

It is worth noting that allegiance in the context of saying a pledge to a national flag simply means “loyalty as a citizen.” We can say that to pledge one’s allegiance to a country is to subject oneself to that country’s rule and promise to abide by its laws. And since a nation’s flag is a symbolic representation of that nation, to pledge allegiance to the flag is the same thing as pledging loyalty to the nation itself. Therefore, the pledge of allegiance to a country is simply a promise to be a good citizen of that country. Being a good citizen is a Christian duty. Titus 3:1 calls on all Christians to “be subject to rulers and authorities . . . obedient . . . ready to do whatever is good.” The only time we should disobey the ruling authorities is when they issue commands that directly conflict with God’s Word (read Acts 5:29).

In addition, Jesus Christ said in Matthew 22:21 that “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” Through these words, Jesus Christ is acknowledging that civil government plays a role in this earthly realm. Therefore, the government can be seen as our “Caesar,” to whom we are to render proper respect – paying our taxes and obeying the laws of the land. Nevertheless, some people consider Matthew 5:34 as a prohibition against saying a pledge. There, Jesus says, “Do not swear an oath at all.” However, pledging loyalty to a nation is not the same as taking an oath; a pledge is a solemn promise, but an oath carries the extra weight of an appeal to God. Romans 13:7 says, “Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.”

What you should know about Vows/Oaths

While some people are taking Jesus Christ for His words in Matthew 5:34, others believe that His words should be understood in a particular context. There, Jesus says, “Do not swear an oath at all.” With this in mind, many people are against taking oaths. However, those who believe that the words should be taken in a particular context argue that Jesus is speaking of rash or flippant oaths. They believe that Jesus Christ could not have meant that all oath-taking is wrong – as God, Himself takes oaths (Isaiah 45:23; Hebrews 6:17), and Paul took a vow (Acts 18:18).

Whatever the case, Jesus Christ taught about vows/oaths: “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.’ But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. Simply let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:33–37).

Should A Christian Make A Promise?

James 5:12 – “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.“

Matthew 5:33-37 – “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.“

Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”

Colossians 2:8 – “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

Proverbs 17:18 – “One who lacks sense gives a pledge and puts up security in the presence of his neighbor.”

Group 1 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Deuteronomy 24:6 – “No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.”

Deuteronomy 24:10 – “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge.”

Numbers 30:2 – “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,“

Exodus 22:26 – “If ever you take your neighbor’s cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down,”

Job 22:6 – “For you have exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing and stripped the naked of their clothing.“

Matthew 10:33 – “But whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.”

Job 24:3 – “They drive away the donkey of the fatherless; they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.”

Group 2 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Ezekiel 18:12 – “Oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination,“

Deuteronomy 24:17 – “You shall not pervert the justice due to the sojourner or to the fatherless, or take a widow’s garment in pledge,”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Proverbs 22:26 – “Be not one of those who give pledges, who put up security for debts.“

Proverbs 20:16 – “Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for foreigners.”

Ezekiel 18:16 – “Does not oppress anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,“

Acts 5:1-42 – “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. …“

Group 3 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Proverbs 11:15 – “Whoever puts up security for a stranger will surely suffer harm, but he who hates striking hands in pledge is secure.“

Ezekiel 33:15 – “If the wicked restores the pledge, gives back what he has taken by robbery, and walks in the statutes of life, not doing injustice, he shall surely live; he shall not die.“

Job 24:9 – “(There are those who snatch the fatherless child from the breast, and they take a pledge against the poor.)“

Proverbs 27:13 – “Take a man’s garment when he has put up security for a stranger, and hold it in pledge when he puts up security for an adulteress.“

Ezekiel 18:7 – “Does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment,”

Amos 2:8 – “They lay themselves down beside every altar on garments taken in pledge, and in the house of their God they drink the wine of those who have been fined.”

Genesis 38:20 – “When Judah sent the young goat by his friend the Adullamite to take back the pledge from the woman’s hand, he did not find her.“

Group 4 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

1 Samuel 17:18 – “Also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See if your brothers are well, and bring some token from them.”

Acts 20:35 – “In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Malachi 1:14 – “Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.”

John 18:37 – Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

Haggai 1:5-8 – “Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.”

Group 5 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

2 Corinthians 9:10 – “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.“

Deuteronomy 24:10-11 – “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you.”

2 Corinthians 9:7 – “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

Proverbs 11:24-25 – “One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Matthew 6:21 – “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“

Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”

2 Corinthians 9:8 – “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.”

Group 6 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Isaiah 36:8 – “Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.”

Malachi 1:11 – “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.”

Proverbs 28:27 – “Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.”

1 Timothy 6:17-19 – “As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.“

2 Corinthians 8:12 – “For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.”

2 Corinthians 9:6 – “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

Group 7 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Proverbs 3:9-10 – “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine.“

Proverbs 6:1-5 – “My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself, for you have come into the hand of your neighbor: go, hasten, and plead urgently with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler.”

Deuteronomy 24:12-13 – “And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.“

2 Kings 18:23 – “Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them.”

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Group 8 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Genesis 38:17-18 – “He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.“

Deuteronomy 24:10-13 – “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge. You shall stand outside, and the man to whom you make the loan shall bring the pledge out to you. And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.”

Deuteronomy 24:12-13 – “And if he is a poor man, you shall not sleep in his pledge. You shall restore to him the pledge as the sun sets, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you. And it shall be righteousness for you before the Lord your God.”

Genesis 38:17-18 – “He answered, “I will send you a young goat from the flock.” And she said, “If you give me a pledge, until you send it—” He said, “What pledge shall I give you?” She replied, “Your signet and your cord and your staff that is in your hand.” So he gave them to her and went in to her, and she conceived by him.”

Group 9 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

2 Peter 3:9 – “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.“

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Hebrews 13:16 – “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

2 Corinthians 9:5 – “So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction.”

Galatians 6:6 – “One who is taught the word must share all good things with the one who teaches.”

Romans 12:13 – “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.”

2 Corinthians 8:2-3 – “For in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord,“

Group 10 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

John 4:51 – “As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering.”

Acts 2:44-45 – “And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.”

Mark 12:41 – “And he sat down opposite the treasury and watched the people putting money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large sums.”

Matthew 23:23 – “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.“

Matthew 25:35-40 – “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ …“

Group 11 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Matthew 6:31 – “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’“

Matthew 6:33-34 – “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Malachi 3:11-12 – “I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.”

Matthew 6:25 – “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?“

Matthew 6:26 – “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?“

Malachi 3:10 – “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

Group 12 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Matthew 5:37 – “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.”

Matthew 6:19-21 – “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“

Malachi 1:8-10 – “When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand.“

Group 13 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Isaiah 32:8 – “But he who is noble plans noble things, and on noble things he stands.“

Proverbs 18:9 – “Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.”

Malachi 1:6-7 – “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, ‘How have we polluted you?’ By saying that the Lord’s table may be despised.”

Proverbs 20:25 – “It is a snare to say rashly, “It is holy,” and to reflect only after making vows.”

Habakkuk 2:6 – Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say, “Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!”

Proverbs 6:1 – “My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger,“

Psalm 50:10 – “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills.”

Group 14 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

1 John 3:17 – “But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?“

Haggai 1:9-11 – “You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the Lord of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”

1 Timothy 6:9 – “But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.”

2 Peter 3:1-18 – “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, ...”

Group 15 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

1 Timothy 5:12 – “And so incur condemnation for having abandoned their former faith.“

1 Timothy 6:6-8 – “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”

2 Corinthians 9:13 – “By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission flowing from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others,“

2 Corinthians 8:20-21 – “We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.”

Acts 4:36 – “Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,”

2 Corinthians 9:11 – “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.”

2 Corinthians 8:10-11 – “And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have.“

Group 16 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

1 Corinthians 16:2 – “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.”

2 Corinthians 8:5 – “And this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.“

Acts 4:34-35 – “There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

Romans 12:1-21 – “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. ...”

Group 17 – Should A Christian Make A Promise

Proverbs 22:9 – “Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.“

Proverbs 28:22 – “A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty will come upon him.”

Psalm 89:34 – “I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.“

Matthew 5:33 – “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.’“

Matthew 6:27 – “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?“

Luke 18:22-25 – When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

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