Do I need to keep foolish promises I made in the past?
Question:
I have been worrying about things in the past. Before I became a Christian I was scared and considered being a nun. In prayer, I think I spoke concerning being a nun because I was scared of going to hell. I am not 100% sure I stated as a fact I would become one in prayer. If I did am I bound by this? I kind of don't think I am because nuns are not part of New Testament worship. In the Bible, nothing is ever stated about being a nun. Do I have to live in poverty if I did? Before I became a Christian I did not know certain things. Do I just forget it?
Also if someone says they are not going to do something, but do it in the future is that a sin? For example, if someone says they are never going to get married as a kid to their parents, but they change their mind and want to, is that ok? Or can they never get married? Or if someone states they will never read a certain book are they bound by it? I do think if someone promises something to someone they should do it if it is not a sin, but for something like in my example, you are not telling another person what you are going to do for that person. In my examples I used above, a promise is not being made.
I have been worrying over things I may have stated I was never going to do in the past. I think I may have said I wouldn't do certain things, but I am not 100% sure of all the words I used in the past, and I may have forgotten things I have said also. What do I do? It does seem to me people may be able to change their minds about doing things in the future. If someone were to tell a person they would help them with cleaning for example I think they are supposed to do so, but If someone were to state something like they are never going to drink soda, for example, that seems different to me.
Answer:
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:5-6).
Life has its ups and downs, but to spend time worrying about what you might have said before you were mature or a Christian is definitely a waste of time. Have you forgotten so soon that the blood of Christ washes away the sins of your past? (Acts 22:16). And when a Christian does realize he has sinned, we have an avenue to have those sins removed as well (I John 1:8-2:1). It's past time to trust that God will handle what you cannot.
As a Christian, you learned that your word is important. That is why James teaches: "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil" (James 4:13-16). It is easy to make plans and forget that we don't have full control over all aspects of our lives. To act as if we can control our future is actually an act of pride, which is sinful.
Now, I'm talking about how you direct your life from here on out. You can't change the past and your past sins have been forgiven.
Promising to be a nun would be wrong since this is a Roman Catholic belief not found in the Bible. To go through with such a promise would add wrong to an existing wrong. You don't fix a bad promise of the past by doing something wrong. "And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"? --as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just" (Romans 3:8). Is there a sin in making such promises? Yes, but the sin is in the making of the promise, not in the realization that it was wrong to promise such a thing and not keeping your word to do wrong.
Rash promises to never get married, or to never consume some food, are also foolish promises. The ones you listed are the type given in youth: idealized and never practical. Again, I'm not concerned about statements in your past, but what if you make a rash and foolish promise in the future? Assuming that it isn't a promise that requires you to sin in order to keep it, you have one of two choices: You honor your word, or you admit that you made a mistake and apologize to God for speaking without thinking.
You are learning, so apply what you learn to your future. Stop trying to pretend that you should have been perfect in your youth. If such could have happened, you never would have needed Christ. As it stands, you learn each day to improve yourself. You learn that some things are wrong, so you stop doing them. In others, you learn better ways to do righteousness, so you increase in them. That is what being God's child is about.
"Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; according to Your mercy remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O LORD" (Psalms 25:7).
Response:
Thank you so much for answering. I have said many foolish things in the past. I am now more careful about what I say. I know I should not worry so much. I should be so thankful for the mercy of God.
