Vows and Covenant

The Main Idea of the Lecture

The lecture revolves around the concept of vows and covenant in the Holy Bible and the teaching of the Church, affirming that a vow is a serious spiritual commitment between the human being and God, not merely words said in times of distress or need. The vow is a sacred covenant, and whoever commits before God must be faithful in fulfilling what he vowed.

The Vow as a Sacred Covenant

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains that the vow is an agreement between the person and his Lord; therefore, it must not be neglected, delayed, or forgotten. The Holy Bible warns against not fulfilling the vow and affirms that it is better not to vow than to vow and not fulfill. God is faithful in His promises, and it is not fitting for man to be unfaithful in his covenant with Him.

The Danger of Hastiness in Vowing

The lecture stresses the necessity of serious thinking before making any vow, because some people vow things they are not able to fulfill, or impose severe punishments upon themselves. A sinful vow may be absolved by the Church, because God does not delight in a vow that leads to error or harm.

Types of Vows

Vows vary between:

• A vow of an offering or sacrifice.
• A vow of fasting or a period of seclusion.
• A vow of consecrating life such as monasticism.
• A conditional vow upon the fulfillment of a certain matter.
  In all these cases, what is vowed becomes sacred to the Lord and must not be revoked.

Biblical Examples

The lecture mentions biblical examples such as the vow of Jacob, the vow of Hannah the mother of Samuel, and the story of Samson who was a Nazirite from his mother’s womb. It also points to the seriousness of breaking the vow, as happened in some biblical accounts where painful consequences followed unfaithfulness to the covenant.

The Covenant in the Life of the Believer

The covenant is not limited to vows only, but includes:

• The covenant of baptism in renouncing Satan.
• The covenant of Holy Communion in proclaiming the Lord’s death and resurrection.
• The covenant of repentance in not returning to sin.
• Keeping the commandments as a covenant between God and man.

The Holy Bible itself is a covenant, and the New Covenant is a mutual commitment: God grants His promises and blessings, and man commits to obedience and faith.

🕊 The Spiritual Message

The essential message is that the believer’s entire life is a covenant with God. Every commandment in the Gospel represents a sacred commitment, and every word spoken before God is accounted for. Therefore, a person must live in spiritual faithfulness, keeping his covenant, steadfast in his promises, remembering that God is faithful in all His covenants.

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