The folly of man's self-assurance

The folly of man’s self-assurance 

“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: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.......” 

 Perhaps one of the reasons God commands believers not to swear to the truth of things is that any human understanding of God’s truth on the time line of God’s salvation plan is transient, or more accurately, dynamic in the sense that God progressively reveals His truth in each stage of a believer’s growth in a believer’s  personal relationship with Him. Whatever revelation God gives to a believer, of a particular truth fits that person’s stage and unique phase of growth in God. Though God’s truth is never changing, man’s life in the world and the things that he learns changes as he grows. The truth that God previously gave to a believer changes in that believer’s understanding as he grows spiritually.  God’s truth is given progressively to each believer in accordance  with  God’s timetable for that believer’s emotional and spiritual development.  So, the believer experiences a new definition of that truth as time goes on.  Though certain aspects of that truth as initially revealed may remain consistent, God will reveal a new understanding of that truth through His program of progressive revelation. God, through this dynamic, brings  a believer into  new, and deeper phases of His relationship with that believer as well as to compel that believer to shake off whatever understanding of God’s Word that believer, through the influence of their flesh, has made into a formula or idol.  When a believer places too much confidence in their understanding of God’s Word at any time they are swearing by the integrity of their own understanding. 

“.....But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil......” 

God’s Word calls believers to keep from being honored in both their own eyes and in the eyes of other men!  This spiritual policy  is  contrary to the world which teaches us from an early age, to trust God stops the believer in his tracks at the time when he most feels he must deserve the credit due to him by the flesh of the world!  

God’s judgment of believers is the command to go against this man centered and self-serving orientation. His judgment of believers is both chastisement and correction of the natural instincts of the spirit of the flesh; 

“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”  1 Corinthians 11:31 

“......And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust......” 

God does and will judge the non-elect, but it seems not in a way that the  spirit of the flesh (umbelief) can identify. God shows a level playing field by giving the sun and the rain in equal measure to the “evil” and the “good "that He, alone might remain the sole determiner of what is true and what is not.  

“.....Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”                                     Matthew 5:33-37,40-42,45,48 

The “perfecting of the saints can only take place when God makes Himself know to a person (being born again). 

“And said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. ....”  Matthew 18:3-4 

“At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Matthew 11:25