Integrity

Savior and Teacher: A Study of Matthew PART 14
Dr. Timothy Keller
13 May 2012

Matthew 5:33-37
33"Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.'  34But I tell you, Do not swear at all; either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King.  36And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black.  37Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes', and your 'No,' 'No; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

God is always present--so how can we lie in his presence.
Psalms 16:8
We want to delight Jesus, even though it's hard to live up to--but we know he loves us.

INTEGRITY AND COMMUNITY
--we must trust those around us.
IDENTITY
--Who am I really?
--What remains constant in me?--even when I'm alone.
DIGNITY
--By lying, we try to control people--and thus disrespect them.
--No levels of truthfullness.
--We will be judged for idle words.

Truth is hard, because so often we pay a price for it
--Jesus paid the ultimate price.
--He paid the price for our lies as well.