So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him. He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow. Acts 18:18
Paul had had taken a vow, and he was therefore bound to keep it. Two considerations: Last time we considered the reality that we must keep our promises unless it is impossible, Today a second consideration: What if the promise was wrong?
What if a person made a sinful vow or promise? Would God want us to carry out the sinful vow so as not to sin by breaking it? The answer must be an unequivocal, No! Let me give you two illustrations to support my position:
First, a hypothetical. If I vowed to kill someone, would God want me to keep the vow? Of course not!
Second, in Judges 11:30-31, a Judge named Jephthah vowed that if God gave him victory in a certain battle that he would sacrifice whatever came out of his house to meet him upon his return. In (v.32-33) God did give the victory. When Jephthah came home, who came out the door to welcome him in (v.34-35)? His daughter. Was bound by his foolish (and if he kept it, sinful) vow?
Bible scholars are divided over exactly what Jephthah did(i). the question we are considering is not what Jephthah did, but what would have been the right thing to do? Offer his daughter as a human sacrifice? Not on your life! The right thing to do if anyone makes a sinful vow, or one that would be sinful to keep, is not to commit the sin but to humbly confess the sin, asking God for forgiveness and repenting of the sinful promise.
(i) For those who may be interested about scholarly speculation about what Jephthah did: (a) Some say he sacrificed his daughter, arguing that Israel was so sinful in those days that maybe Jephthah thought it was right. I cannot see that. How could Jephthah be mentioned in the “hall of faith” (Hebrews 11) if he had offered his daughter as a human sacrifice?! (b) Others say that his daughter was consigned to never marry or bear children. It is true that would be a great sacrifice, but the Bible doesn’t say that is what happened. (b) Others, and I am in this camp, say, “We do not know exactly what Jephthah did.” But of this I am confident: There is no way that committing a sin to keep a promise is ever the right thing to do. And God forgives those who sincerely acknowledge their sin (and foolishness), and He is merciful to forgive!