NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

You Have Heard

Leviticus 19:12 “You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord.”

Numbers 30:2 “If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.”

Deuteronomy 23:21 ““If you make a vow to the Lord your God, you shall not delay fulfilling it, for the Lord your God will surely require it of you, and you will be guilty of sin.”

Exodus 20:7 ““You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.”

Exodus 20:16 ““You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

See Matthew 23:16-22...

The Lord’s Love of Truth and Hatred of Lies

Proverbs 6:16–19 “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”

Scripture refers to the Lord as the “God of truth” (Isaiah 65:16), Jesus as “the truth” (John 14:6), and the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13). His Word is referred to as “truth” (John 17:17). Hebrews 6:18 tells us that it is impossible for God to lie. So God doesn’t just love truth, He is truth. Truth is foundational to His very nature. And because of that, He hates lies. Why? Because it goes against everything that He is. How much more does God hate lies when we invoke His holy name when we utter that falsehood?

John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

Proverbs 12:22 “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.”

Romans 3:7–8 “But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.”

Revelation 21:8 “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.””

But I Say to You

James 5:12 “But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.”

There was a Jewish sect that was contemporary with Jesus called the Essenes. They actually had very high standards when it came to oaths. Josephus wrote of them: They are eminent for fidelity and are the ministers of peace. Whatsoever they say also is firmer than an oath. But swearing is avoided by them, and they esteem it worse than perjury, for they say that he who cannot be believed without (swearing by) God, is already condemned.

Matthew 26:63–64 “But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.””

Hebrews 6:17 “So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath,”

Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.”

1 John 1:8–10 “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”