Sermon Central
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Meaning Of Righteousness Part 5 Series
Contributed by Ken Mowery on Jul 6, 2007 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus emphasizes the importances of truth and entregrity.
Matthew 5:33 through 37
Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD 34But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37But let your statement be, Yes, yes or No, no; anything beyond these is of evil.
Deception Typifies This World System
Credibility gaps are not a modern problem. The issue of credibility has been a problem since The Fall. The lack of credibility is one of the major marks of the world system.
The reason for this is that Satan is the prince of this world. The world system follows the design and desire of Satan.
Jesus said this about Satan.
You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
So the world system designed and dominated by the father of all lies would of course be a system that operates in deception and falsehood.
Beyond that, the Bible makes it clear that because men are born in sin, all men are born liars.
The wicked are estranged from the womb; These who speak lies go astray from birth.
They have counseled only to thrust him down from his high position;
They delight in falsehood;
They bless with their mouth,
But inwardly they curse.
They bend their tongue like their bow;
Lies and not truth prevail in the land;
For they proceed from evil to evil,
And they do not know Me, declares the LORD.
4 Let everyone be on guard against his neighbor,
And do not trust any brother;
Because every brother deals craftily,
And every neighbor goes about as a slanderer.
5 Everyone deceives his neighbor
And does not speak the truth,
They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
They weary themselves committing iniquity.
THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,
THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS;
Matthew 15:18 and 19
18But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders.
Although we have a hard time being truthful, we still value truth and know that in many ways we can not exist in a society where there is not some truth.
Our court system for instance. Perjury can carry costly penalty.
We recognize the importance of truth and our conscience normally tells us that truthfulness is the right thing. We simply have a hard time being truthful.
So, we become very adept at making what we say seem truthful.
Vows Help Guard Against Mans Sinful Tendancy
God provided for proper and appropriate oath-giving in His name as an accommodation to sinful human nature.
Designed to give others confidence and assurance of another persons sincerity and honesty in a certain matter.
You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the LORD.
If a man makes a vow to the LORD, or takes an oath to bind himself with a binding obligation, he shall not violate his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.
Deuteronomy 23:21 through 23
21When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it, for it would be sin in you, and the LORD your God will surely require it of you. 22However, if you refrain from vowing, it would not be sin in you. 23 You shall be careful to perform what goes out from your lips, just as you have voluntarily vowed to the LORD your God, what you have promised.
You shall fear only the LORD your God; and you shall worship Him and swear by His name.
You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him, and you shall swear by His name
(As an aside that shows how seriously oaths are taken by God)
Ecclesiastes 5:4 through 6
When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! 5It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 6Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands?
