James (W11D5) I Swear

Week 11. Friday: I Swear

PRAY: Ask God to speak to you from His Word.

READ: James 5:12

12 Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.

UNDERSTAND: get a deeper understanding of the key words

1. Begin by underlining nouns with a single line, double underline verbs, and circle descriptive words.

2. Make a list of the keys words/phrases and think about what they mean.

Snapshot: In this passage James is teaching what he learned from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:33-37. The point he is making is that swearing an oath is useless. A person’s word should be enough. We don’t need to swear to God or in His name. If we do, we are risking judgement for breaking our promise in God’s name. People swear to try to make their promise or statement hold more weight. However, as followers of Christ, our integrity should be such that we do not need to swear by anything. People should know our character and trust our word at truth.

APPLY: What is this passage calling me to do?

Read Matthew 5:33-37. What principle is Jesus teaching?

Why do you think Jesus taught this principle?

How can we apply this to our daily lives?

PRAY: Ask God to help you understand and apply His word.