SERMON: “Stop Swearing So Much!” (James 5:12)
“Stop
Swearing So Much!” (James 5:12)
Series: “James: True Faith Works” #24 Text: James 5:12
By: Shaun Marksbury Date:
April
27, 2025
Venue: Living
Water Baptist Church Occasion:
PM Service
I.
Introduction
Here, we’re reaching a turning point for the book. James is about to begin writing his final
instructions, which will begin with a section on prayer. This leads to a bit of a debate as to how to
read this verse; with the words, “But above all,” did James want this to be
part of what came before or what comes after?
It seems best to read this as a standalone statement.
So, what is this statement telling us? James is addressing one of the problem areas in
how the Christians converted from the Jewish community were responding to the persecutions
and pressures upon them. They were
engaging in swearing, which may not mean what you think.
James’s exhortation gets to the heart of how we communicate
as believers. So, this evening, we’ll
note four aspects of Christian language in this verse: Christian language is unique,
it avoids unnecessary oaths, it is reliable and true, and it understands
judgment. That is a lot to consider from
this one verse, so let’s start with the first point:
II.
First, Christian Language is Unique
But above all, my
brethren,
As I noted a few moments ago, this is where some confusion
comes in, and it’s understandable. The
term translated “above all” here could mean a few different things. Moreover, the word translated “but” is a word
that simply continues discourse, and it could also be translated “and” or
“now,” meaning that this isn’t meant to be a clear break from what came before,
though it’s a transition point.[1] This opening phrase emphasizes the importance
of this instruction, transitioning to James’s key point about Christian speech.
So, James underscores the tongue’s role as a test of true
faith, using swearing as a marker. In
doing so, he is briefly returning to a theme: The way Christians use their
tongues is distinct from the unbelieving world.
In James 1:26, he said, “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and
yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion
is worthless.” He commands Christians in
2:12 to “speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of
liberty.” He warned in chapter three of
the great damage the tongue can cause (3:2–11).
And, in the fourth chapter, he commands that Christians should not speak
against one another (4:11). There should
be something unique in how believers communicate with one another.
The dividing line between true and false Christianity can be
found in the tongue. That is what James
is saying here with the subtle reminder that they are “brothers.” He isn’t harshly chastening them; he’s giving
them an encouragement to do what is right with others in regard to their
speech.
As one commentary notes,
How believers speak was of grave
concern to James since it manifests what is in their hearts; it is a test of
living faith (cf. Matt. 12:34–37; Luke 6:43–45). … How
people speak is the most revealing test of their true spiritual state. People sin more with their tongues than in
any other way; one can’t do everything, but one can say anything. Little wonder, then, that Jesus declared, “For
the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matt. 12:34). The heart is a storehouse and people’s words
reveal what they keep there.[2]
This is something we must all remember. We watch news programs, listen to radio and
podcasts, and hear how our coworkers talk.
We grew up in this world and find it easy to slip into the speech
patterns around us. That is something to
beware, though. Just as God called
Israel to be distinct in their dress and their diet, New Testament believers
should live differently. This is
commonly seen in our speech, but the Holy Spirit who regenerated our hearts
works through Scripture to transform our language.
It’s important here to remember that the “world” we must
watch is not just secular culture. It is
also the false religious culture in which some of us may have grew up. In a way, that brings us to the next point:
III.
Second, Christian Language Avoids Unnecessary Oaths
do not swear,
either by heaven or by earth or with any other oath;
We might think of this as a prohibition against what we call
in the South “cussing,” and that would seem to fit the section. Christians were facing persecution, and there
might have been a temptation to answer back in a less-than God-honoring
way. God does forbid filthy talk in
places like Ephesians 4:29 — “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth,
but only such a word as is good for
edification according to the need of the
moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” Today, there seems to be an embracing of
filthiness, silly talk, and coarse jesting by Christians (cf. Eph. 5:4),
prompting some Christians to damage their witness as they respond like the
world to disappointments and persecution.
However, while that would be bad, James is dealing with a
different issue in his time. This is
about swearing oaths. Now, some
Christians, like the Quakers, have taken this to be a blanket command against
oath taking. However, that would
contradict the rest of Scripture, as we will soon see. To better understand this, we must ponder the
historical context of this letter, once again.
As James is writing to the twelve tribes (James 1:1), his
readers are fresh converts from Judaism. This means the “worldly traditions” they
needed to shed were those Jesus condemned, such as excessive swearing by God
and by the things of God. [3] Their culture had become so inundated with
people swearing that oaths lost meaning, and that was coming forward in their
Christian lives. Facing trials, some
Jewish Christians may have used excessive oaths to assert credibility. James challenges believers to be distinct,
therefore, whether they are questioned by unbelievers or when making promises
to other believers.
This fits with the previous context of James instructing
believers to be patient. As one
commentary notes, “For those who truly demonstrate the persistence and patience
prescribed for believers, there is no need to invoke an oath, … their word is
certain.”[4] Believers should put in the work of honesty
rather than resting on a spiritualized shortcut.
There is a kind of Jesus juke where, when talking about
everyday issues, Christians might whip out the Lord’s name to validate
themselves or their word. For instance, false
prophets and teachers will often do this, talking about their love for Jesus
and God when called out untruths (though it isn’t restricted to them). We should see opportunities before us to
prove our word rather than try to cajole people into believing us with
spiritual language.
We could see this in what comes next. Consider again what Jewish culture accepted in
the first century. Jesus confronted it in
a passage that James seems to be referencing — Matthew 5:33–37. That says:
Again, you have heard that the
ancients were told, “You shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows
to the Lord.” But I say to you, make no
oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth,
for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the
great King. Nor shall you make an oath
by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, “Yes, yes” or “No, no”; anything beyond these is of
evil.
As MacArthur explains here:
The phrase “you have heard that the
ancients were told” does not refer to the teaching of Old Testament but to
rabbinic tradition. The declaration “You
shall not make false vows, but shall fulfill your vows to the Lord” appears on
the surface to be in harmony with the Old Testament teaching regarding the
sacredness of taking oaths. But there
was a hidden “out” in it: rabbinic teaching held that only vows to the Lord
were binding. In their thinking, God was
only a party to an oath if His name were invoked. All other oaths, they taught, could be (and
were intended to be) violated without committing perjury — much as people in
our culture invalidate their vows by saying, ‘I had my fingers crossed.’ Attempting to deceive others, many Jews would
swear by heaven, Jerusalem, the temple, the altar in the temple, the veil in
the temple, their own heads, etc. — anything but the name of the Lord. Such evasive swearing was intended to hide
their lying hearts.”[5]
This is supported by Jesus’s later condemnation of the
rabbis and leaders in Matthew 23:16–22, which says,
“Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
‘Whoever swears by the temple, that
is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple is obligated.’ You fools and blind men! Which is more important, the gold or the
temple that sanctified the gold? And,
‘Whoever swears by the altar, that is
nothing, but whoever swears by the offering on it, he is obligated.’ You blind men, which is more important, the
offering, or the altar that sanctifies the offering? Therefore, whoever swears by the altar,
swears both by the altar and by
everything on it. And whoever swears by
the temple, swears both by the temple
and by Him who dwells within it. And
whoever swears by heaven, swears both
by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.”
This is not a blanket condemnation of oaths, then, but of hypocritical
or deceptive oaths. Marriage vows are
oaths! Some examples of oaths commanded
or not condemned in Scripture:
- When Abraham swore and
made a covenant with Abimelech over a well of water (Gen. 21: 25–31)
- When Abraham made his
servant swear to look for a wife among Abraham’s distant relatives (Gen.
24:2–4)
- When Isaac later made a
similar oath as Abraham did with Abimelech (Gen. 26:26–31).
- When God commands a
neighbor to swear an oath regarding animals (Exod. 22:10–11)
- When God instructs on how
to take a Nazarite vow (Numbers 6:2–21)
- When God commands a woman
suspected of adultery to swear an oath before a priest (Num. 5:19–22)
- When the two spies swore
to Rahab concerning her welfare once they took the city (Josh. 2:12–20).
Those are just a few.[6]
In summary: God does command oaths to be taken at times,
according to His holy name (Deut. 6:13).
God expects that the oath will be fulfilled (Num. 30:2). He does not condemn oath-taking in
general. God even swears an oath by
Himself to support the Abrahamic covenant (Heb. 6:13–17).
Yet, those who swear by the name of the Lord falsely
take His name in vain, a violation of the third commandment (Exod. 20:7; Lev.
19:12). Thus, God warns against taking
foolish and rash vows. That is because
we must strive to also avoid breaking the ninth commandment in our lives — “Thou
shalt not bear false witness.”
That brings us to the next point:
IV.
Third, Christian Language is Reliable and True
but your yes is to
be yes, and your no, no,
There are a couple of ways to read this. Some might take this to mean we should keep
our words few and simple, answering with only yeses and noes to questions. However, we don’t see that modeled in
Scripture; just the opposite.
This wasn’t the application the apostles saw. Paul
said in 2 Corinthians 1:17–18, “Therefore, I was not vacillating when I
intended to do this, was I? Or what I
purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that with me there will be
yes, yes and no, no at the same time? But as God is faithful, our word to you is
not yes and no.” He did not equivocate
in his meaning. In both the writing of
the epistles and in Acts 15, we see that James did not view this as meaning
that we should only give simple “Yes” and “No” answers when we are
questioned. Rather, they believed that
we should give reasoned and consistent responses to those who ask us.
So, this is an expression of the ninth commandment. We should be completely truthful in how we
reply to others, which means our yeses and noes are consistent with an
affirmation or negation of an issue. In
other words, if we say something is the case, than those around us should take
it as a fact that it is the case. If we
say something is not true, then the facts should bear out that it is not true.
This is truth telling.
Our words should reflect the character of God and the nature of reality,
not transgressing what Scripture commands.
As Psalm 15:1–3 says, “O Lord, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill? He who walks with integrity, and works
righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, nor does
evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend.” Our words reflect our regenerate state and
fellowship with God.
If a man is too rash in a vow, he may have to break his word. It is better to be thoughtful and give a
right response, even if it is negative, than to be rapid with the invocation of
an oath and give the wrong response.
After all, we serve a righteous Judge, bringing us to the final point:
V.
Fourth, Christian Language Honors God’s Judgment
so that you may
not fall under judgment.
If we cannot be people of our word, then we are people who
misrepresent God. Not only are we
violators of the ninth commandment, then, but also violators of the third: “Thou
shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain.” Again, that’s in Exodus 20:7, and since I just
quoted from the King James Version, I’ll continue in it with that verse: “for
the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” The problem isn’t out oaths, but our lack of
faithfulness to them.
The Lord warns of judgment against those who take up His
name in vain, and here in James, this is a dire warning. The term translated “judgment” here often
refers to the condemnation of unregenerate sinners, not believers.[7] Those who take the name of the Lord in vain
the most are false converts and false teachers, those who claim a connection
with the Lord they do not have. They may
or may not realize that it’s a false connection, but their lack of consistency
will reveal it to others. They will have
to fall back on increasing spiritualized language, swearing according to
certain personal experiences with God to sway unsuspecting Christians, but they
do this because their words prove to be false so often.
Those in the church that find this to be their own practice
should consider whether they are going to be those who fall under
judgment. Just as Christians might eat
and drink judgment to themselves and die for the improper use of communion (cf.
1 Cor. 11:29–32), they can invite judgment for their improper use of God’s
name. This doesn’t mean that they will
go to hell, but the Lord may take them home early or allow a refining trial as
a result.
Christians should strive for a veracity that requires no
oath-taking, but those who continually say, “I swear” tip their hand to the
number of falsehoods they speak.
Professed Christians must consider this, for judgment is coming upon the
false converts and the unregenerate.
VI.
Conclusion
When I titled this message, I knew that many would think I
would be talking more about cussing. Of
course, what we read can also apply to cussing.
As a person thinks through what his response should be to his neighbor
or to unbelievers, he should be filtering out any language which is not
God-honoring. Our speech should be
consistent with our Christian witness, lacking inappropriate language.
You may have also thought this verse forbids all oaths, but it
isn’t necessarily wrong to swear before a courtroom or before a minister as you
give your wedding vows. The issue is
inconsistent and unchristian communication.
Jesus’s words were always true, whether He was under oath or utilizing
everyday speech. Likewise, our words
should be unique, thoughtful and honest, not requiring extra speech the world
utilizes like swearing to communicate our commitment to the truth.
[1] John F. MacArthur Jr., James, MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago: Moody Press,
1998), 264.
[2] Ibid., 265.
[3] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1934.
[4] J. Ronald Blue, The
Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 1985, 2,
833–834.
[5] MacArthur, James,
270.
[6] MacArthur also lists: “David swore oaths with Jonathan
(1 Sam. 20:12–17; 2 Sam. 21:7), Saul (1 Sam. 24:21–22), Shimei (2 Sam. 19:23),
and God (2 Sam. 3:35). The people of
Israel under Joshua swore an oath (Josh. 6:26), as did the people of Judah
during King Asa’s reign (2 Chron. 15:14), and the returned exiles (Ezra 10:5;
Neh. 10:28–30). The apostle Paul took a
vow to God (Acts 18:18), and took an oath of truthfulness by writing to the
Corinthians: ‘The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, He who is blessed forever,
knows that I am not lying” (2 Cor. 11:31; cf. 1:23; Rom. 9:1). Even an angel swore an oath (Rev. 10:5–6).” Ibid., 267.
[7] Ibid., 271.
