Discerning Matthew 5:33-37

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Matthew 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. KJV

Matthew 5:33 is Jesus talking about how Jews of old times as in followers of God, had performed their oaths unto the Lord which is required by the law.

Numbers 30:2 If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. KJV

Then Jesus expounds on that former practice by how they would used to swear by something to show their sincerity in performing that oath but instead warned not to do even that in Matthew 5:34-37 & explains why in Matthew 5:36 because we cannot do nor perform God's work by the deeds of the law by a promise or a commitment, thus it would be our work; not His.

Proof of that is why God is warning the Jews of old & us about making hasty vows as it is the work of our hands.

Ecclesiastes 5:4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. 5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay. 6 Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands? 7 For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou God. ~ KJV

So one apply Matthew 5:37 when it cannot be done towards any promises or vows to be made. One simply agree to do or say something, but even then it is to be done with His help because.... of this.

James 4:13 Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. ~ KJV

What to do when a believer was misled to communicate such a thing like make a commitment or promise to follow Christ or make plans for tomorrow? Ask for forgiveness & to be set free to rest in Him & His promises to us in helping us to follow Him, because we cannot do it by doing the best we can by our religious flesh but by faith in Him. 1 John 1:9 & Galatians 5:1 & Galatians 5:5 & Philippians 1:6-11 & Luke 9:23 & Hebrews 12:1-2

Next post for scripture in view.

 

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What to do when a believer was misled to communicate such a thing like make a commitment or promise to follow Christ or make plans for tomorrow? Ask for forgiveness & to be set free to rest in Him & His promises to us in helping us to follow Him, because we cannot do it by doing the best we can by our religious flesh but by faith in Him. 1 John 1:9 & Galatians 5:1 & Galatians 5:5 & Philippians 1:6-11 & Luke 9:23 & Hebrews 12:1-2

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. KJV

Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. ...........5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. KJV

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 Even as it is meet for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart; inasmuch as both in my bonds, and in the defence and confirmation of the gospel, ye all are partakers of my grace. 8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ. 9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; 10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ. 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. KJV

Luke 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. KJV

Hebrews 12:1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ~ KJV

That is how we can follow Him by faith. Here are 3 more promises from His words to us in how He wll help us to follow Him.

John 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. KJV

2 Timothy 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. KJV

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. KJV

What about the marriage vows? Next post.

 

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Marriage is a covenant that God performs in joining the 2 as one for which a man & a woman agree to be married as in saying yes in talking the other as their spouse.

In a man's covenant; we do not add or take away from.

Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. KJV

Does that apply the same to a covenant God has made? Yes.

Psalm 50:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: 15 And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. 16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? KJV

So why add vows of love to a covenant God performs when we should be relying on Jesus Christ & looking to Him supplying His love to us to love each other by & not just others, as well as our enemies which is not in our flesh to do?

Is not love a fruit of the Spirit?

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. KJV

Do not the fruits of righteousness comes from Jesus Christ?

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: .... 11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God. KJV

So for all those that have erred in adding vows to God's marriage covenant, in being tempted in keeping a record of wrongs by those extra vows, you can ask for forgiveness, ask Him to set you free, & rest in Him for the love you need to love each other.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. KJV

Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. ...........5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. KJV

There is a need to be set free because the world is giving this snare for why many believers may find themselves overcharged for loved ones left behind.

Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. KJV

So do not put this off in talking about this with your spouse, because you are married by God's covenant of marriage; not by your marriage vows. You will not find anything in scripture that permits a couple to add vows to that marriage covenant but there are scripture warning against it as this posts testify of.

How does this topic relate to Bible Versions & Translations? Next post.

 

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When He has caused the increase in His words to you regarding the reproofs about making vows, promises, & commitments that should be left to faith in Jesus Christ to perform; let us compare the Contemporary English Version aka the CEV version on the warning Jesus gave about making those kinds of vows.

Matthew 5:33 You know that our ancestors were told, “Don’t use the Lord’s name to make a promise unless you are going to keep it.” 34 But I tell you not to swear by anything when you make a promise! Heaven is God’s throne, so don’t swear by heaven. 35 The earth is God’s footstool, so don’t swear by the earth. Jerusalem is the city of the great king, so don’t swear by it. 36 Don’t swear by your own head. You cannot make one hair white or black. 37 When you make a promise, say only “Yes” or “No.” Anything else comes from the devil. CEV

This is the complete opposite of His message in the KJV, because the CEV makes it okay to make promises but fails to see the warning about not making an oath & to not even swear by that oath when the New Covenant to us is sufficient for following Him..

Matthew 5:33 Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: 34 But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: 35 Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. 36 Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. 37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. KJV

It gets worse in the CEV as the irony of the hypocrisy is missed below..

Galatians 5:1Christ has set us free! This means we are really free. Now hold on to your freedom and don’t ever become slaves of the Law again. 2 I, Paul, promise you that Christ won’t do you any good if you get circumcised. 3 If you do, you must obey the whole Law. 4 And if you try to please God by obeying the Law, you have cut yourself off from Christ and his wonderful kindness. 5 But the Spirit makes us sure that God will accept us because of our faith in Christ. CEV

Compare with the KJV below; note how Paul was not making any promise to the readers.

Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. 5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. KJV

Since circumcision is the smallest letter of the law in that if you do that, then you have to do the whole law, what do you consider making a vow or promise to God to be? The biggest letter of the law.

Next post; The apostate movement called Promise Keepers in how the CEV supported that apostasy.

 

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At one Promise Keepers' Convention, they supplied the CEV for attendants that supported that apostate movement of men..

The Irony is how the spin off of that movement for the women was called "Faith Keepers".

The 7 promises of Promise Keepers to be good husbands & good fathers & good Christian leaders are His workmanship, not theirs.

The PK movement also gave a false teaching that God will give grace for them to keep trying to keep their promises when they break them. Scripture speaks against that.

Galatians 2: 15 We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. ~ KJV

So discern with Him what it means to finish His work that He began in us by the deeds of the law of keeping those 7 promises of the PK program.

Galatians 3:1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. ~ KJV

God will not give grace for Promise Keepers to live in sin as being Promise Breakers in trying to "perform" let alone finish what God can only do.

Again any one that has gone astray can ask Jesus for forgiveness, to be set free from that yoke of bondage & rest in Him & His New Covenant to us that He will help us to follow Him by faith in Him as our Good Shepherd.

Romans 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? KJV

Keeping the faith is the good fight; not keeping promises to God & failing to do so.

But.. if we do not discern how modern Bible versions are supporting false teachings & apostasy, how can anyone correct them if they insist on following the CEV?

By His grace & by His help, although other Bible versions besides the KJV can expose that errant lying Bible version of the CEV in supporting that apostasy, it does go to point that believers need His help to make sure there are no changed messages in their modern Bible version that opposes the truth in scripture of that same modern bible. All it needs is to sow doubts in His words in the modern bible to wonder if God really meant that.

Thanks to Jesus Christ as my Good Shepherd, I find I can rely on the KJV for the meat of His words to discern good & evil by in modern Bibles.

If you agree that the CEV does support that apostate movement, then I pray the Lord is helping you to see that when you have trouble correcting false teachings or exposing pagan's tongues or discerning false spirits in whatever modern bible you are using, by His grace & by Hs help, you should compare whatever modern Bible version you are using with the KJV.

 

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One of the things we need His help with to avoid is bearing witness about ourselves.

John 5:31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. KJV

John 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me? KJV

Matthew 12;35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. KJV

Look at how a false witness defiles a man.

Matthew 15:16 And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man. KJV

2 Corinthians 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. KJV

1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

Proverbs 27:1Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. KJV

Look at how john the Baptist had witnessed.

John 3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. 29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. KJV

Even the Holy Spirit witnesses in the same way as He will not speak of Himself in seeking His own glory but of the Son in seeking His glory & He does that through us, not just in ministry but in worship as well..

John 15:26 But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: 27 And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. KJV

John 16:14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. KJV

Something to pray about in having Jesus help you to receive that which goes against what the churches have been teaching in contrary to scripture as kept in the KJV.

 

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Christians that are in Freemason are at risk.

Malachi 3:5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts.

Are you going to listen to men like Eve did to the devil? And swearing on the Bible too?