“All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Matt. 5:37)
Expanded Passage: Matthew 5:33-37
“You represent your team, and we all represent God.” Every year I remind resident assistants (RAs) that their integrity will reflect on those around them—whether for ill or for good. As student leaders, they represent the Residence Life team and the university at large. As Christians, we all represent King Jesus. If they are to hold peers accountable to community expectations, they must hold themselves to the same standard diligently. If we claim we are here to serve, we must serve whole-heartedly, unreservedly.
Jesus’ command here directly combats duplicitousness. Oath-swearing was common practice in Jesus’ day, often abused and misused. Oaths might be used to circumvent the law (as the Pharisees did, Matt. 15:3–9), or protect one’s honor (as Peter did, denying Jesus, Matt. 26:72). However, the problem is not the oath but the heart! God reigns over everything: heaven is his throne, earth his footstool. We have no authority nor power over anything, even our lives. Thus, to swear by these things is to assume authority that belongs to the King—perjury. Moreover, through an oath broken, we perhaps even risk making God seem complicit in our falsehood—blasphemy.
There is simply no substitute for integrity. Our integrity reflects God’s integrity. He is consistent with his word, and he witnesses every word from our mouth. If our Father’s “Yes” means “Yes,” how dare we be any different!
Examine your life, heart, and words: are they marked by integrity?
Noah Cromer is, first, God’s child; second, a husband and father. He gladly serves at Southern Wesleyan University in residence life and as an adjunct professor.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
