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James 5:12
James teaches us in James 5:12 to not swear. But we already know that right? We should not take the LORD’s name in vain. This is one of the Ten Commandments from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy 5:11. We must look closely at the text to make sure we are understanding what James is saying. In this passage, James is referring to taking an oath and attempting to assure the oath by the name of God. This would be a sin as swearing by the name of God would be demanding God to do what we say, and in itself is disobedience to God, not to mention disrespect and dishonoring God. James simply instructs us to, “let your “Yes” be “Yes,” and your “No,” be “No,” (James 5:12, NKJV). He ends this instruction by letting us know the consequences of this disobedience, which is to fall into judgment.
This is a command to not use the name of God to secure an oath as it is sinful to demand things of God.
James has taught us in James 4:7 (NIV) to, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” If we are swearing by the name of God, we are not living a life of submission to Him. This would show pride, arrogance, and self-centeredness, which are all things that are reflective of the devil. Which brings up another good point – if you find yourself unsure about a decision, simply ask yourself these questions: If I do what I am unsure about, will this honor God through my life? Would Jesus approve of my actions if He were standing right beside me watching what I’m about to do? If I asked Jesus to help me (if He were standing right next to me) would He say yes or no? But you must also be aware that if you are a Christian, then Jesus is standing right beside you; and more than that, He is living within you through His Holy Spirit. A simple “Yes” and a simple “No” will be sufficient for any yes or no answer we need to give. Let’s keep our lives as close to Jesus as we can possibly be. To go beyond our own word to bind us in agreement (which once, not too long ago was accomplished through a hand-shake) by sealing the deal in the name of God would be sin; and a sin that we can easily refrain from. Keep your focus and faith on and in Jesus, and the love that He gives you will be sufficient for your obedience to Him.
Dear LORD,
Your name is holy, and to swear by it would be a sin. Please help us to live in submission to You and seek Your guidance for our lives as You are Almighty God and do not need us to tell You what to do. Thank You for Your word to teach us how we should live as Your children – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.