Part 8 - Oaths

INTRODUCTION

Jesus speaks on oaths

Matthew 5:33-37 - Oaths

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

I. OATHS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT TIMES

a. A mans word in Old Testament Times

i. Jesus tightens the Word on God man has loosened

ii. "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.' BUT I SAY TO YOU

Anytime in this sermon Jesus says ‘BUT I SAY TO YOU’, He is tightening the Law man has loosened by proclaiming the TRUE MEANING of the law.

He continued with ‘DO NOT SWEAR AT ALL’

This has nothing to do with profanity, but using God’s name in an oath.

This refers to the third commandment – DON’T USE GOD’S NAME IN VAIN (Exodus 20:7)

We are also told by Jesus not to swear by any of God’s creation, even our own head, for man is God’s highest creation!

What is the significance of our words?

Besides the third command, and the power of the tongue in what we speak whether it be good or evil;

b. We represent the Kingdom of Heaven / God

i. If we are indecisive – God appears to be

ii. If we are untrustworthy – God appears to be

iii. If we Say one thing but do another – God appears unstable

c. A mans word today

i. Who can you trust?

ii. Ananias & Sapphira – Were they followers of Christ?

iii. What does God say about indecisive people?

James 1:7-8

7 That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

2 Peter 2:13 – 15 Unstable people targeted by the enemy

13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they (false teachers – the enemy) seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.

Those who are unstable are wishy-washy, never truly committed.

Remember, Salvation is not merely believing in Christ, even the devils believe and tremble, the Greek word means ‘committed to’.

We must be committed to, not lukewarm.

Revelation 3:14 – 16

14 "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

d. God’s word / oath

i. Gen 24:7 God’s Oath to Abraham

"The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'-he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.

ii. Gen 25:32 – 34 Esau swore an oath to Jacob & sold his birthright

32 "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"

33 But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

34 Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.
So Esau despised his birthright.

Once saved always saved?

Can we too sell our birthright?

The scriptures warn, ‘what good is it to profit the whole world if you lose your everlasting soul?’

iii. Hebrews 7:20 – 25 Christ is God’s Oath

20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
"The Lord has sworn
and will not change his mind:
'You are a priest forever.' “22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.

23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

37 Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”

CONCLUSION

Followers of Christ must stand out by their truthfulness, honesty, and integrity.

Wishy-washy, double talking, unstable, lukewarm, unreliable, oath swearing people are not a true representation of the people we are called to be.

We must let our yes be yes, and our no be no.

Straight forward, stable, reliable and trustworthy.

Then we will rightly represent the Kingdom of Heaven.