Honesty the Best Policy
Notes
Transcript
Are you someone who tells the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? This is a famous statement in courtrooms “Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” is what is said in court rooms, when a witness is sworn in to testify. Perjury is what happens when someone willingly tells a lie, after they sworn in. In our state, perjury is a level 6 felony. This is the punishment told by a lawyer. “It constitutes a level six felony, and can result in imprisonment for up to six months–sometimes in some circumstances up to a year–and penalties such as fines up to $10,000. There are consequences to lying for both the plaintiff, the defendant, or any witness who is engaged in lying.” https://www.davidholublaw.com/severe-penalties-lying/ It is interesting that there is a strict punishment for lying, and not keeping an oath. As God has created strict punishments for those who swear by Him, and do not their duty. This passage is about oaths, but ultimately about your communication. Jesus wants you to have godly speech, godly communication. Communication that becomes a child of God. But we live in a society that does not like it, because it can be easier to lie.
How should our speech be?
Be truthful
Jesus here is referencing the culture of oaths in Jewish times. People would not swear by the Lord, because it would be binding to them, and if they did not perform it they would be punished. So they would use a loophole, to get them out of the oath, so they thought. A loophole is a “an ambiguity or omission in the text through which the intent of a statute, contract, or obligation may be evaded” It is something that is can be exploited for gain. It has to do with something where you can evade. So rather than swearing by the Lord, which would bind them to their oath, they would swear to heavenm or earth, or Jerusalem or by their head, thinking it was not binding.
So what they were doing was trying to make it easier for them to lie. If they swore by something other than the Lord, they would view it as not binding, and with that they could lie.
Sometimes we lie, by saying just kidding or I was joking. I was in 5th grade and called a girl mean and ugly and when I was caught, I said I was joking. Don’t say things to get yourself out of trouble.
Jesus gave reason why their loophole would not work.
Heaven-God’s throne
Earth-God’s footstool
Jerusalem-His city
Head-you cannot change the color of your hair
Everything that they swore by, ultimately invoked the Lord. Meaning no matter what they could not escape their oaths. So Jesus says it is better not to swear because you’re always going to have to fulfill it.
We sometimes use the word swear nonchalantly “ I could’ve sworn I did that, or I swear on a stack of Bibles”. That is needless swearing and not reverent. Use the statments “I thought…or I will…or I believe”
So rather than making oaths, your yea should be yea, and nay should be nay.
James 5:12 “But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.”
Meaning do what you say. In our society, we have handshake deals and verbal contracts which are as binding as a written contracts.
Ephesians 4:25 “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”
What is your speech? Is it truthful? Are you someone who speaks what they mean or do you lie?
Be trustworthy
Jesus said that anything that comes more than this is evil
The reason we need oaths, and other measures to make sure someone is truthful is because of sin
My wife was at McDonald’s and she used the mobile app, and did not get a receipt. The lady working accused her of stealing. How many of you have ever gotten your receipt checked at a store. Why do they do that is because they want to make sure you are not stealing.
Jesus is saying that your character should be one where people do not need to ask for a receipt or you to swear an oath.
You should do what you say, and say what you do.
Even if it is hard, finish it to the end
Your character either backs up your speech, or breaks it down.
The story has been told of a bank employee who was due for a good promotion. One day at lunch the president of the bank, who happened to be standing behind the clerk in the cafeteria, saw him slip two pats of butter under his slice of bread so they wouldn’t be seen by the cashier. That little act of dishonesty cost him his promotion. Just a few pennies’ worth of butter made the difference. The bank president reasoned that if an employee cannot be trusted in little things he cannot be trusted at all Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 193.
Do you have the character to be truthful?
Does your speech line up with what Jesus wants
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