“The Book of James 5:12”

Pastor Mike Barnett, August 6, 2006

 

 12Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your "Yes" be yes, and your "No," no, or you will be condemned. James 5:12

 

  • The Bible says fallen men are basically born _____________________(liars).

 

  •  In our culture today, Children lie to their Parents and Parents lie to their Children.  Husbands lie to their Wives and Wives lie to their Husbands.

 

  • People lie to their employers who in turn lie to them and often to the public. Politicians lie to get elected and continue to lie once they are in office.

 

  •  People lie to the government – most notably on income tax returns.

 

  • That we live in a world of lies should surprise no one familiar with the scriptures, which designate unregenerate humanity as children of the devil – the Father of lies.

 

John 8:44 says:

 

44You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.  John 8:44

 

  • That basic dishonesty has led men to impose oaths on others in an often futile attempt to force them to be truthful and keep their promises.

 

  • The custom of swearing oaths was a major part of life in biblical times.

 

  • It had become an issue in the church, particularly the predominant Jewish congregations to which James wrote.

 

  • Swearing oaths was an integral part of ______________ ________________(Jewish culture) and Jewish believers brought that practice into the church.

 

But such…

 

  •  Oath taking is ___________________(unnecessary) among Christians, whose speech is to be ______________________(honest), and whose lives are to demonstrate integrity and ___________________________(credibility).

 

Ephesians 4:25 says:

 

25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. Ephesians 4:25

 

Colossians 3:9 says:

 

9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices. Col 3:9

 

·        For believers, a simple yes or no should suffice because they are __________________________(faithful) to keep their __________________________(word).

 

·        In previous weeks, we looked at the difficulty of controlling the tongue.

 

·        In 4:11, James prohibited speaking against a fellow believer, equating that with speaking against God’s Holy Law.

 

·        How believers speak was of grave concern to James since it __________________________(manifests) what was in their _____________________(hearts) -  it is another test of living faith.

 

Jesus said in Matthew 12:34-37 said:

 

34You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."  Matthew 12:34-37

 

Jesus said in Luke 6:43-45

 

 43"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.  Luke 6:43-45

 

·        The ___________________________(tongue) reveals what is in the ____________________(heart).

 

·        How people speak is the most revealing test of their true ______________ _________________(spiritual state).

 

·        People sin more with their _____________(tongues) than in any other way – one can’t do everything, but one can say anything.

 

·        Little wonder, then, that Jesus declared, “For the mouth speaks out of the overflow of what fills the heart”.

 

·        The heart is the storehouse and people’s words reveal what they keep there.

 

·        The Bible does not __________________(forbid) taking oaths, acknowledging that in a world filled with liars there are times when they are necessary.

 

·        Certainly it is not wrong to take an oath when testifying in court, being ordained in ministry, or getting married.

 

·        Oaths are wrong when they are _____________________________(misused) with the intent to __________________________(deceive) others, or when taken rashly or _____________(flippantly).

 

NOTE: The Bible gives examples of godly men who took oaths, list God’s commands that oaths can be taken, and records instances God himself taking oaths.

 

Gen 22:16-18 says:

 

16 "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17 I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18 and through your offspring [a] all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." Gen 22:16-18

 

Nehemiah 10:28-39 says:

 

 28 "The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand- 29 all these now join their brothers the nobles, and bind themselves with a curse and an oath to follow the Law of God given through Moses the servant of God and to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord.

 10:28-29

 

  • Numbers 6:2 records the Nazarite wow, which set people apart to God.

 

2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of separation to the LORD as a Nazirite,  Numbers 6:2

 

  • God expects vows to be _____________(kept), because oaths invoke Gods holy name, they are not to be taken lightly.

 

Numbers 30:2 says:

 

2 When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said. Numbers 30:2

 

·        God’s people even made oaths in the New Testament.

 

Acts 18:18 says:

 

 18Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchrea because of a vow he had taken.  Acts 18:18

 

·        Even Angels take Oaths - Rev. 10:5-6 says:

 

 5Then the angel I had seen standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven. 6And he swore by him who lives for ever and ever, who created the heavens and all that is in them, the earth and all that is in it, and the sea and all that is in it, and said, "There will be no more delay!

Rev. 10:5-6

 

·        In light of the biblical evidence, James command, do not swear, must not be viewed as a blanket prohibition of all oath taking.

 

Jesus said in Matthew 23:16-22:

 

16"Woe to you, blind guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? 18You also say, 'If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' 19You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. 22And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it. Matthew 23:16-22

 

·        In the Bible, Oaths were permitted on serious occasions, but only in the name of God.

 

Jesus said in Matthew 5:33-37:

 

 33"Again, 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.' 34But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one. Matthew 5:33-37

 

NOTE: Jesus lifted all conversation in his church to the level of sacredness. Believers are to be known as people who keep their word, having such integrity that their simple yes and no will suffice for people.

 

HOW DO WE MAKE SENSE OF THIS TEXT?

 

  • Do not swear in verse 5:12 means, do not take an oath.

 

  • James urges Christians to avoid invoking the name of God in an oath that is false.

 

  • The Jews of James day had developed a complex system of swearing oaths, the influences of which Jewish Christians brought with them into church.

 

  • In a time when written contracts did not exist, oaths served to bind agreements between people.

 

  • It is the abuses of that system that James spoke.

 

James offers this counsel to:

 

1)     To ____________________(avoid) the situation of Jephthah who swore an oath that bound him to _________ ___________(disastrous consequences).

 

Judges 11:30-39 says:

 

30 And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD : "If you give the Ammonites into my hands, 31 whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."

 32 Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands. 33 He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.

 34 When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter. 35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."

 36 "My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites. 37 But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."

 38 "You may go," he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the girls went into the hills and wept because she would never marry. 39 After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite custom  Judges 11:30-39

 

2)     To ensure that Christians are not _____(influenced) by pagan oath-swearing.

 

3)     To maintain a ________ ____________(high standard) of truth in all speech.

 

4)     James wants Christians top avoid the ___________(condemnation) that comes from false speech.