LET YOUR YES BE YES AND YOUR NO BE NO
Monday – March 23, 2026
Video link: https://youtu.be/dM0QgOyUChU
Greetings to all who have come to this teaching from the Bible Book of James. I will be continuing in the fifth chapter. As I have mentioned many times this is an instructional, corrective to the point Book. So, let’s go to our primary Bible text for today.
James 5:12-13 (NIV)
12 Above all, my brothers, do not swear–not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.
13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.
Let’s focus on the twelfth verse. I suspect we have all heard various discussions about taking oaths or swearing by this or that. Some object and refuse to take an oath in the courtroom before testifying. So, what is this all about. The Holy Spirit is saying through James, we should be known for telling the truth, just say the truth. Anything else is hypocrisy and deceit. We are not to swear or take an oath invoking anything except our own truthfulness. These things in the heavens or on the earth cannot confirm the truth of your words. Perhaps you have heard someone say, “I swear on my mothers’ grave I’m telling the truth”. Don’t do it. Simply affirm that you are telling the truth.
Jesus addresses this issue. This is an area that has changed since the Cross. Remember He also said that looking upon a woman with lust was no different from the physical act of adultery (Matthew 5:28). I hope you have picked up on the greater emphasis on our thought life. Why is that? We who are born again, they were not, have the fruit of the spirit to discipline our minds. To transgress the Scripture in our thought life is no different than our words and acting it out in the physical. Back to Jesus’ instructions on swearing or taking of oaths.
Matthew 5:33-37 (KJV)
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.
It is not a sin to affirm that we are telling the truth. We should not have to, people should know our character such that if we say it our conscience is clear, it is the truth as we see it. You have no doubt read in the gospels where Jesus said “verily” or “truly” depending on the translation. See the following example.
Matthew 5:18 (KJV)
18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
This English word “verily” is from the Greek transliterated as amēn meaning to be firm, trustworthy, surely, so be it, or verily according to Strong’s Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary. Let’s look at this twelfth verse in the Amplified Bible before moving forward.
James 5:12 (AMP)
12 But above all [things], my brethren, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath; but let your yes be [a simple] yes, and your no be [a simple] no, so that you may not sin and fall under condemnation.
Anything other than a trueful yes or no is sin. Sin is always judged by God when the accuser (demons) bring the sin to the courts of Heaven. and this is condemnation. Young’s Literal Translation puts it like this.
James 5:12 (YLT)
12 And before all things, my brethren, do not swear, neither by the heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath, and let your Yes be Yes, and the No, No; that under judgment ye may not fall.
Judgement opens the door to the demons and the ravages of the curse to some degree perhaps even death. It is not condemnation to Hell, but the sin takes one to one degree or another outside of God’s authority to protect. We stepped into the worlds, demons, jurisdiction.
TAKE HOME:
- Do not swear or take an oath that is based on anything other than your telling the truth, your maintaining a clear conscience before God.
- Lying is an abomination to God (Proverbs 6:16-19) and brings us into condemnation which is judgement and without repentance there will be evil consequences.
- On all occasions let your yes be yes and your no be no with a clear conscience before man and God.
Lord willing, I will resume right here tomorrow.
Remember change requires change and starts in our thought life, our heart.
Remember, we love you, the Lord loves you, and there is nothing you can do about either one.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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