James 5:12 “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.”

Liars are going to lie. They can swear to tell the truth, and their oath will be a lie. Most liars have a reason for lying, they are hoping to avoid responsibility, they are hoping to keep something hidden or perhaps they are seeking advantage. Some people have lied so often that it has become a habit for them, a way of life, and they do not know how to tell the truth. These people tell a lie even when the truth would serve them better. They lie even when there is no reason to do so.

When you need to hear the truth, and nothing but the truth, you need a way to make sure lying comes with a penalty. It had become the custom to swear an oath in the name of your deity. The belief was that if you broke your oath and told a lie your deity would punish you. Believers in false gods followed this practice, and as long as they truly believed their false gods would punish them for lying, they told the truth. The followers of the God of Israel had taken up this practice of swearing an oath in God’s name.

Even liars seek to avoid punishment. When a liar feared God, yet still wanted to lie, they would change the oath and swear by the heavens or the earth. By changing the oath, they hope to convince others that they were telling the truth while still lying. They hoped that by not directly invoking God’s name, they could avoid his wrath when they lied.

James is reaffirming the words of Jesus found in Matthew 5:33-35. A Christian is not deceitful and will speak the truth without been threatened by punishment. A Christian’s integrity is not enforced. A Christian embraces integrity.