Beyond a shadow of a doubt movie i promise to tell the truth the whole truth so help me god1/7/2024 ![]() The Jews said that if you swore using God’s name in your oath, you had to keep your word, but if you swore by some lesser thing-Jerusalem, the temple, or whatever-you were not bound. Oaths ought to foster truthful communication, but in reality they had become a façade for lying. To understand James’ words here, we must understand how the Jews of that day were using oaths. As believers we must be truthful in our communication so that we do not fall under judgment. With every broken promise, distrust increases and the fabric of our society unravels a bit more. Politicians, contractors, and car salesmen are notorious for promising things that they know they can never deliver. Whatever is true for you is true, even if it contradicts the facts. Many do not even believe that there is such a thing as absolute truth. ![]() No matter what your views on taking oaths, everyone would agree that there is a crisis of truth in our culture. These words go beyond the taking of oaths or vows and deal with the issue of truthful speech. ![]() But however you answer, you need to be clear on the meaning of James’ command in our text, which succinctly repeats Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:33-37. Are they disobeying the very Bible that they swear upon? Some Christians would answer, “yes.” I would be among those who say, “no” (I will explain why later). If you are ever called on to testify in court, you will be asked, “Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?” Are you violating Scripture to put yourself under such an oath? Our President and other elected officials must place their hand on a Bible and take the oath of office.
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