Gracious Jesus 3 – Kingdom Lifestyle Part 1 Sample

Be True to Yourself

Why are making oaths and promises wrong? Jesus encourages us to be true in everything we say and do — to be straightforward, shrewd and sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

When we make or accept a promise we often end up:

• Deceiving others
• Letting others deceive us
• Deceiving ourselves

Be Straightforward

Jesus encourages us to be of such high repute that our words stand for themselves, and we are trusted by others. Our lives should reflect integrity and credibility. In Shakespeare’s words “this above all: to thine own self be true.”

Oaths are inherently deceptive. They:

• Base situations out of our control on objects out of our control.
• Negate the plain truth by appearing to add or take away from it

Deception includes:

• Window dressing
• Adding or subtracting from the truth.
• Avoiding facts or complete facts
• Diversion, etc.

There are many ways we deceive others either consciously or unconsciously. Some jobs inherently involve deception. Sales and Marketing, for instance often attempts to paint a better picture of the product and hide flaws. Giving and receiving bribes or even “kickbacks” are prevalent in different forms in many other jobs. In a deceptive world, we need to find ways of holding our position.

Be Shrewd

Jesus highlights four levels on which people make oaths:

• Heaven
• Earth
• Jerusalem
• Our head

These are not in our control.

We need to be discerning and not let others deceive us. We need to develop the fine art of seeing through false promises without judging others. This will enable us to protect ourselves from deception.

Be Sensitive to the Spirit

Matthew 5:37 reminds us that a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ should suffice. Anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Irrespective of the means or the outcome, every word we speak should be true. This can be hard as sugar coating things make others feel better. Paul recommends seasoning speech with salt. Diplomacy should not cost the truth. Every word and action should be tested before God. We could even deceive ourselves and justify words that are not true, but we need to ask the Holy Spirit to open our eyes and stand for the truth.

If we don’t, we allow ourselves to fall prey to Satan, the father of lies. We fool ourselves that Satan’s way is better than God’s way.

In a world seething with “fake things”, how can we stand true? What are the challenges?