Ministries
Resources
12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Take very seriously the end of v. 12—"so that you may not fall under condemnation." Condemnation! This is a solemn warning from God himself. It directs your attention to the Day of Judgment, of which our Lord Jesus says, "I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matt. 12:36-37). What hope does that leave for any of us? Who has not sworn? Who has not cursed? Who has not deceived with vain words? "The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies" (Ps. 58:3). And what does every single lie deserve? Condemnation! Will there be any liars walking the streets of gold? Nary a one. "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death" (Rev. 21:8).
Where then is there any hope? It is found only in the One who is Truth incarnate. "Christ … committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed" (1 Pet. 2:21–24). The holy Lord Jesus Christ was utterly without deceit. Yet this same Jesus was cursed by God his Father. He never cursed and yet he was cursed by God. How can that be? Where's the justice in that? God answers in Galatians 3:13—"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" For us cursers Jesus became a curse. For us liars Jesus endured the condemnation of the God of truth. Jesus hung on Calvary's tree bearing our accursed judgment. Men cursed and mocked him as a liar and blasphemer. But on the third day he was raised from the dead. Vindicated! God said in the resurrection, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." God's curse was his so God's blessing might be ours.
That's where you need to go, to the one place where sins are washed away, where the Innocent Accursed One stood in our place and bore our curse to purchase forgiveness for us and reconcile a holy God to us. The condemnation is his and the blessing is ours. That's the great transaction that the good news of the Lord Jesus brings to every and any liar and covenant-breaker who will but turn in sorrow and repentance from his sin and cast himself upon the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.
Click here for background on the author of Are You For Real?: Meditations in the Epistle of James for Secret or Family Worship.
© 2025 The Orthodox Presbyterian Church
