James 5:12 – James again returns to the subject of speech. This verse, in my opionion, is misinterpreted too often. We have all heard, or maybe said ourselves – cross my heart… As a Christian one is to walk a walk worthy of the faith. Is a passage such as this even worth mentioning today. Some would say “why dust off those musty pages we are in the 21st century?” I submit then – that the most potent way one comes to faith in Christ is by observing……Christians!
I would like to share three thoughts I gathered from this verse:
The believer that is charaterized by integrity recognizes:
I. What to Avoid – v. 12a – if one feels that they must swear by an oath they have not been walking a walk of integrity. It is a play into the world system. Christian – be different!
II. What to Affirm – v. 12b – your speech and character should be one that when you say “NO” or “YES” that is it and people take you at your word.
III. Who is Approaching – v. 12c – we live according to these principles because we know that Jesus – the One who suffered and died for us – is coming again.
