Steven Garofalo
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The Importance Of Keeping Your Word
By Steven Garofalo, June 24, 2024 (Copyright 2024)
June 24, 2024

We live in a world where people, including Christians “say” they are going to do something, but fail to carry through and deliver on their word. Today, I am going to show you through the Scriptures that God expects us to keep our word and carry through with our promises. WHY? Because when we give our word, we are making an oath made before God and man. And failure to do so leads only to God’s judgment and broken relationships here on earth.  

According to full focus.com, “KEEPING YOUR WORD is the essence of integrity. As Stephen Covey points out, “HONESTY IS MAKING YOUR WORDS CONFORM TO REALITY. INTEGRITY IS MAKING RALITY CONFORM TO YOUR WORDS”. 

Keeping your word is essential to leadership as without it you cannot be an effective leader. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, an “OATH” is “A SOLEMN ATTESTATION OF THE TRUTH OR INVIOLABILITY OF ONE’S WORDS” OR “SOMETHING (SUCH AS A PROMISE) CORROBORATED BY AN OATH”. 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR WORD?
Whether you make a promise to a friend, a job obligation, or even a personal goal you made to yourself, it crucial to stay true to what you say and to honor your commitments. Not only can keeping your word generate trust and credibility, it can also help you achieve your goals and sustain and grow relationships. 

It’s important that we honor commitments, even when it is difficult, expensive, or inconvenient. When I was growing up, I was told that you keep your word, even when it costs you something. Simply put, our word is sacred, and keeping our word is essential to the sacred vows and promises we make. Without it, society falls apart.  When I was a young man, a man’s bond was his word and a handshake was giving his word. The failure to keep one’s word was considered an insult and no one for the most part  were wiling to risk their social capital or relational equity by breaking their word. 

THINGS HAVE CHANGED
Sadly, I continue to experience people not keeping their world (breaking their word), even within in the church. This is tragic-especially for them because it destroys all trust I have or I should say "had" in them as keeping one's word and speaking the truth is the very foundation of our relationship. With all this being said, I want to look at some biblical truths and wisdom to see what God says about an "OATH" and a "VOW" becuase keeping our word to make a vow. 

WHAT IS A VOW?
Vows are voluntarily expressions of devotion usually fulfilled after some conditions have been met. Vows made in the OT were usually conditional based on things to be done for the Lord or for others. A common vow may say something like: “IF X…THEN Y”. Genesis 28:20 for example says: “THEN JACOB MADE A VOW, SAYING, “IF GOD WILL BE WITH ME AND WILL KEEP ME IN THIS WAY THAT I GO, AND WILL GIVE ME BREAD TO EAT AND CLOTHING TO WEAR, SO THAT I COME AGAIN TO MY FATHER’S HOUSE IN PEACE, THEN TEH LORD SHALL BE MY GOD, AND THIS STONE, WHICH I HAVE SET UP FOR A PILLAR, SHALL BE GOD’S HOUSE. AND OF ALL THAT YOU GIVE ME I WILL GIVE A FULL TENTH TO YOU”. 

A vow is more than an oath in the it specifically holds a response of condition. For example, when we get married, we “EXCHANGE VOWS”. These are promises we make to get and KEEP MARRIED. BUT-making a vow, especially before or to God can be very dangerous if not kept. Let’s look at MATTHEW and 1 JOHN for some guidance as the the importance of keeping one’s oath and the dangers of failing to keep an oath made to God.

Matthew 5:33 in the NIV says, “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made” (Matthew 5:33 NIV). 

1 John 2:5 says, “But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in Him, This is how we know we are in Him” (1 John 2:5). IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE FAIL TO FULFILL OUR VOWS, WE ARE NOT IN HIM-MEANING IN CHRIST? I would say that a person who fails to consistently keep their word has a very shallow faith at best and not faith at worst. WHY do I say that? Because-HOW can one make a vow to trust the Lord and then not keep their word to God there-forward. I would submit that their confession of faith and vow before God was not authentic to begin with in most cases. 

HOW ABOUT MATTHEW 5:27?

“LET WHAT YOU SAY BE SIMPLY ‘YES’ or ‘NO’; anything more than this comes from evil” (Matthew 5:37). I think that is pretty clear. God’s law says, “DO NOT LIE UNDER OATH” (Leviticus 19:12). Jesus makes clear here that to make a vow involved the pledge to “DO SOMETHING”, TO CALL UPON GOD TO WITNESS THE DISCHARGE OF THE ACTION , AND TO PUNISH IF IT WERE NOT CARRIED OUT”. That is why Jesus warned us to keep our word and to keep it simple with either a “YES” or a “NO” in effort to make things complex and break our VOW or our WORD. 

“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” (James 5:12).  [On one hand, oaths themselves are not prohibited; on the other, a believer should not be forced to take an oath in order to tell the truth. Unrepentant deception WILL cause the believer to FALL UNDER GOD’S JUDGMENT (DISCIPLINE) now, and ring disapproval at the judgement seat of Christ (See James 2:12, 13).

REMEMBER
Keeping your word is the essence of integrity. As Stephen Covey points out, “Honesty is making your words conform to reality. Integrity is making reality conform to your words”. It is essential to leadership. WHY? 

FIRST: Because INTEGRITY IS REQUIRED FOR TRUST: If people can’t trust what you say or “YOUR WORD”, they won’t trust you.

SECOND: TRUST is NECESSARY FOR INFLUENCE: And all of us are called to live a life of influence as followers of Jesus Christ. People “CHOOSE” those they allow to influence their them-and this is based mainly on TRUST.

THIRD AND LASTLY: INFLUENCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR IMPACT: You cannot make the impact you want to make unless you can influence others and help change or shift their behavior.

In the end, KEEPING YOUR WORD can be DIFFICULT, EXPENSIVE, and INCONVENIENT. But the cost of not doing so is even MORE EXPENSIVE. It will ultimately cost you relationships, your reputation, and your ability to lead. And THIS IS THE IMPORTANCE OF KEEPING YOUR WORD.

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When I was in seminary, the question was raised as to if pets or animals in general go to heaven. Our professor, Dr. Norman Geisler said this: “Jesus Christ came to earth and died on the Cross for the human race, not animals.” I was working out at the gym one day when one of the regulars, who had just moved to Charlotte, NC from California told me that one of her beloved dogs died; and would that dog go to heaven. I have her the same answer. But, was that the whole story? That’s what we are going to look at today.

In a peace by Michael Housman, Founder of GotQuestions.Org, Housman wrote that “The BIble does not give any explicit teaching on whether pets or animals in general have souls, or spirits, or whether pets and other animals will be in heaven.

His answer was short but the animals not having souls maybe up for debate.

We can use general biblical principles to develop some clarity on the subject though Housman wrote. The Bible states that both man (Genesis 2:7) and animals (Genesis 1:30; 6:17; 7:15 and 22) have the “BREATH OF LIFE” that is, both man and animals are living beings. Furthermore, the primary difference between human beings and animals is that humanity is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-27), while animals are not.

Being made in the image and likeness of God means that human beings are like God in some ways; they are capable of spirituality; they have a mind, emotion, and “will”; and part of their “being” continues after death.

If pets and other animals do have a “soul” (or spirit or immaterial aspect), it must therefore be of a different and lesser “quality”. This difference possibly means that pets and other animal “souls”  do not continue in existence after death.

Another factor to consider regarding whether pets will be in heaven is that animals are a port of God’s creative process in Genesis. God created the animals and said they were good (Genesis 1:25). Therefore, there is no reason why there could not be pets and animals on the NEW EARTH as described in (Revelation 21:1). 

In the end, there will most definitely be animals during the millennial kingdom (Isaiah 11:6; 65:25). It is impossible to say definitely whether some animals of these animals might be the pets we had here on earth. We do know that God is just and that when we get to heaven, we will find ourselves in complete agreement with His decision on this issue, whatever that turns out to be.

So, there you have it. I think that’s the best answer on the subject in all honest. Please remember to SUBSCRIBE to our channel and check out StevenGarofalo.Com for exclusive content and early release of our two weekly podcast.

Until next time, I’m your host Steven Garofalo, and this is your reason for truth for today.

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AN ETHICAL ECONOMY IS GOOD FOR ALL
By Steven Garofalo, May 2, 2025

WHAT MAKES A GOOD ECONOMY

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Today, I am going to show you through Ecclesiastes 5:8-9 that vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, will devour one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Let’s get started.

The Vanity of Wealth and Honor is an interesting subject in light of wealth, corruption, and the human heart. This subject effects many things, including what makes a good economy. 

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses eight to nine, Solomon says the following:

Ecclesiastes 5:8-9
“8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. 9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

COMMENTARY: There are two things king Solomon is saying here within the theme of the vanity of WEALTH and HONOR. Wealth and honor are two different things, as one can have wealth with or without honor or honor with or without wealth. That being said, let’s look at verses 8 and 9 independently to see the simple message God provides us today through Solomon.

BREAK DOWN
Ecclesiastes 5:8-9

THE ABUSE OF AUTHORITY & WEALTH
 “8 If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter, for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them." 

COMMENTARY: Verse 8 clearly illustrates that there is a corruption at every level of government, with higher level oppressors plundering the equally oppressive lower-level magistrates. This perhaps explains the st state of America and the world. With blackmail running. Rampant and the public sector unchecked, they have been robbing the everyday citizen of their hard earned money. As a result, the system became insulated and division between the haves and have nots became more defined. When the high level government officials rob and abuse those below them, someone above that person robs and abuses the higher level person himself.

In America, where we print money out of thin air for the world, in this short period of history, there is little need to plunder those under one authority because there is so much to steal that those in authority can simply pay them off or blackmail them; whichever is most convenient. Either way, Solomon makes abundantly clear that when there is nobody minding the ship, evil perpetuates to the point of overtaking the government in whole. As a result, we end up with a 2024 government, riddles with corruption, immorality, blackmail, lawlessness, and all other things evil due to the lack of God-ness which equates to “goodness”. 

Economically speaking, when this happens to a country, its own economy begins to decline into debt due to their insatiable desire and emotional need for more money and resources. When resources are stripped and money is squandered, the elite few are smart enough to collect those resources and money and we end up with a U.S. Stock Market where only 5% holds up to 80%  of the entire market wealth. 

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?
The answer and solution is to keep to return to the system we created in the first place which is free market capitalism that allows those who desire to work hard, to have a fair chance at success, making money and turning a fair profit. This is called “honor for everyone”.

HONOR FOR EVERYONE
"9 But this is gain for a land in every way: a king committed to cultivated fields.”

CONCLUSION:

Government corruption comes to the advantage of a few-but at the expense of many if not all the rest of society. Vanity and wealth, if not kept accountable, devours one’s honor and the honor or the nation in whole. Solomon (Qohelet) considered goverment to be frustrating becuase it was a necessary evil, something deply flawed but indespsnsible. On the one hand people sould "not be shocked" when they see OPPRESSION and injustice in a governmental province (v.8). After all, bloated government bureaucracy tends to frustrate justice (v.8b). On the other hand, government has it advantages (v.9). Many hold to the belief that this verse continues the negeative assessment of government. Others see this passage better understood more positively since it fits with Qohelet's normal pattern of "on the one hand, on the other.." way of teaching. 

Even a corrupt government is better than anarchy, which devastates a country, it's culture and in Solomon's time, an agrarian economy that would lead to starvation. Keeping to God's ways is the only solution to man's sinful nature; especially in governmental rule. In the end, a king who devotes himself to developing the resources of the land ushers in a systems that brings the opportunity for profit to all, not just the corrupt few.

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A Protestant & Catholic View Comparison

I grew up Catholic and now go to a Protestant or non-Catholic church in Charlotte, NC. Michael Houdmann, Founder and CEO of GotQuestions.Org writes that a major difference between the two boils down to believing in the Bible alone as God's word verses believing that God's word plus man's input as the divine inspired word of God.

WHAT DO PROTESTANTS BELIEVE?

A major difference is the issue of sufficiency and authority of Scripture. While Protestants believe that the Bible alone is the source of God's special revelation to mankind, it also speaks to everything we need to understand as necessary for our salvation from sin.

Protestants view the Bible as the STANDARD for Christian morality and ethics which governs our behavior. This is called sola scripture and is one of the five Solas in Christianity. (Solas meaning "alone" in Latin. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 makes clear that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (ESV).

WHAT DO CATHOLICS BELIEVE?

Catholics do not believe in sola scriptura hence do not believe that the Bible alone is sufficient. They see both the Bible and sacred Roman Catholic tradition as equally authoritative and binding on the Christian. While not all Catholics hold to doctrines such as purgatory, praying to the saints, worship or veneration of Mary, etc., the Catholic doctrine hold to them even though they have little or no mention or basis in the Bible. In truth, these doctrines are based on Roman Catholic traditions based on the Catholic Church's insistence that the Bible and tradition are equal in authority. The problem with this is that it undermines the sufficiency, authority, and completeness of the Bible. The view of Scripture is at the root of many, if not all, of the differences between Catholics and Protestants.

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