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…Today it seems the best of men don’t recognize the need for __truth__
telling. Truth seems so scarce that nearly everyone is suspect. Manufactured
truth, shaded to one’s advantage, flows everywhere…
…Jesus captures in our text both the __need__ for the truth and the
difficulty of attaining it. This is the 4th of the Lord’s
illustrations of true morality. 1st…victory over anger, 2nd…purity
in __sexual__ matters, 3rd…faithfulness in marriage, and 4th…our
need to always speak the truth.
…Never underestimate how strongly __God__ feels about the truthfulness
of your words.
THREE CONSIDERATIONS MOTIVATING YOU TO SPEAK THE TRUTH
I.
The Principle Of God’s
Word Demands That You Speak Truthfully.
…especially when taking a __vow__ or oath in God’s name.
A.
God’s Word is based upon the
__character__
of God who has always told the truth. It is impossible for God to lie. He
always tells it
__like__
it is!!!
…God calls us and __enables__ us to bear His likeness in this…to speak
truthfully.
B.
Vows and oaths were
instituted by God to place a
__bridle__
upon our proneness to lying.
1.
Vows and oaths are not
the same:
…a
vow relates to __people__ and to objects and their use. (a nazarite
vow)
…an oath relates to one’s future action. (oath of an elected one to office…)
2.
Note a few
related Scriptures:
…Leviticus 19:12…God’s name is not to be __falsely__ used…
…Numbers 30:2…You must not break a vow offered to the Lord
…Psalm 15:4…God approves of one who keeps his oath even when it __hurts__.
C.
God Himself
participated in
__oath__
taking:
…Hebrews 6:13-17…God desiring to show more convincingly to the heirs of the
promise the unchangeable character of His purpose…interposed with an oath.
“God swore by Himself.”
D.
Paul frequently swears
by the Lord crying, “God is my witness” (Rom 1:9, Phil 1:8)
…Always speak the truth, but __especially__ when taking an
oath in God’s name.
II. The
Common Practice Of Jesus’ Day Was To Lie By Twisting The Truth Through An
Elaborate System Of Vows. (v33)
…What masqueraded as __truth__ was absolute deceit. This was nothing
more than a theology of __lies__.
A.
There were two flaws
about their practice of oath taking:
1.
Frivolous
swearing…this involved the taking of an oath when it was
__neither__
necessary or proper. They would use swearing in their everyday language.
Wrong!
…there are proper circumstances for making an oath or vow, but they are __few__.
2.
Evasive
swearing…this was
__worse__…people
who were afraid to swear by the name of the Lord because they were not telling
the full truth began to swear by
__other__
things.
…Since these others things were not as significant as the name of God, this 2nd
class of oaths was __not__ considered to be binding. “heavens, earth,
Jerusalem, head…”
B.
The common practice:
You
__only__
need to speak the truth when you use God’s name.
…What pretended to be theology was nothing more than rank lies.
III.
The Perspective of
Jesus Unpacks God’s Original Intent Of Scripture (vv34-37)
A.
“Do not swear at
all.” The
__Quakers__
understand this to prohibit all oath taking. No! Oath taking must be
restricted; yet there are certain solemn, vital occasions when it is
__right__,
when it actually adds a solemnity and an authority which
__nothing__
else can give. (court, weddings, office)
B. Do
not swear by heaven, earth, Jerusalem…as
__if__
these were less binding.
C.
Don’t be a hypocrite,
rather be a “straight shooter,” by
__avoiding__
duplicity. Avoid any built-in perversion to falsify. (and we have this
built-in propensity!)
D.
Speak every word as if you stood in the very presence of God
__for__
you do! Truth is sacred and
our words should __honor__ it. “Yes-yes…No-no.” Malachi 3:16…God
records our words in a book!!!! “THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH, AND NOTHING __BUT__
THE TRUTH.”
LESSONS FOR OUR LIVES:
1.
Perhaps your lying tongue reveals your lost condition. Out of the
abundance of the heart, the tongue speaks. You must be born again.
Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
2.
Live your life, even idle conversations, knowing that God Himself is present.
3.
If you are saved, ask the Lord to help you speak the truth.
4.
There are times to take vows and times to take oaths, but don't ever do it
flippantly.
5.
Remember if your heart is godly, your tongue will be godly.
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