Jesus tells us to simply say “yes” and “no” rather than swear by oaths. In effect this means all our indications of intent should be as strong as if we were to put an oath to them. It is as if we were signing a contract.
Apparently, in the old days, something said did not take any real effect until the speaker put an oath to it. Did that mean you did not have to stand behind anything that you said without an oath?
James 1:6 says a wavering person “. . . is like a wave of the sea driven of the wind and tossed. . .” Waves develop because of the wind; they go where the wind goes. But one who does what God's word says goes where God's word directs: This direction may be against the waves. One driven by the wind is motivated, maybe even forced, from the outside. One driven by God is motivated from the inside. When we say yes or no today, we should intend that no one should ever doubt it.
Matthew 6:1-15: God not only cares about what we do “in secret” (what is done within our own person, that which cannot be seen by others) - he desires to be a part of it. He does not want us to keep unwanted things inside like sin and unforgiveness. Our personal activity is important to God. Our corporate activity (giving, going to church, how we work) is really governed by how we are inside.
