FROM THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE?

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. 

FALSE JUDGES

Psalm 27:12 says, “for false witnesses have risen against me, an such as breathe out violence.”  In the real world there are real people, accused and accusers, testifying before a judge.  In these cases, real injustice is done.  But inwardly these might represent elements of ourselves:  the, the accused (us), accusers (false witnesses) and the judge (the decision renderer).  Hence (in our imagination) the witnesses are presenting their case before a judge about us.   Sometimes this whole judgmental system can be corrupt.

What if the “corrupt judge” is part of our inward selves?  The part that is deciding what to do or think?  Sometimes we sit a corrupt judge at the bench.  What if these "false witnesses" are wicked forces trying to get us to think or to do bad things?  The courtroom is our own mind and the verdict will be just or unjust according to what our inward judge decrees.   The “false witnesses” are trying to move the judgment in their favor:  “watch pornography”, “think that someone hates you (even though there is no evidence of it)”

We have set up false judicial systems that render the decisions we dictate and thus build up a violent society.  The only hope is to be honest within ourselves, hire only upright lawyers, seek honest judges and put the false judges out on their ears.