1. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY Matt. 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay,nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil. (By Ron Halbrook)

2. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY I. Matt. 5:33-37 Always Tell the Truth With or Without an Oath. A. Law of Moses: Do Not Dishonor God by Breaking Oath Taken in His Name. B. New Law of Christ: Do Not Dishonor God by Any Kind of Deceit. C. Three Ways of Speaking Considered, Christ Accepts Only One: Tell the Truth, The Whole Truth, Nothing But the Truth! Always!

3. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY II. Lk. 19:1-10 Jesus Commends the Despised But Penitent Tax Collector. A. Tax Collectors Were Often Dishonest. B. Jesus Commends Zacchaeus for His Commitment to Total Honesty. III. Acts 5:1-11 God Condemns the Respected But Lying Members of the Church. A. Barnabus Was Loved for His Sacrifices. B. Ananias & Sapphira Wanted to be Loved for Serving God But Lied in Serving.

4. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY IV. Rom. 3:7-8 We Cannot Do Evil That Good May Come. A. God Is Glorified by His Plan to Forgive Sin. B. Paul Repudiated the Perversion, “Let Us Do Evil, that Good May Come.” C. If We Practice Dishonesty in Trying to Do Good, We Follow the Perversion, “Let Us Do Evil, That Good May Come.” D. If We Follow Christ as Paul, We Must Teach Total Honesty by Word & Deed.

5. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY V. 2 Cor. 4:1-5 Paul’s Preaching & Life Manifested Truth Because He Exalted Christ & Not Himself. A. Paul Rejected All Dishonesty in His Work. B. Paul Manifested the Truth, But Many Rejected It. C. He Kept the Proper Focus: Exalt Christ Not Self. VI. 2 Cor. 8:20-21 Paul Provided for Honest Things in the Sight of God & Man. A. Paul Carried Funds, & Other Brethren with Him. B. He Did Not Hide Anything From His Brethren. C. Both God & Man Could See His Honesty.

6. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY VII. Eph. 4:14-15 The Gospel Defeats Deception & Teaches Only Truth. A. False Teachers Deceive & Use People. B. The Gospel Teaches Truth in Love, & People Grow to Spiritual Maturity in Christ. VIII. Eph. 4:24-25 United as One Body in Christ, We Must Not Deceive Each Other.

7. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY IX. Col. 3:9-10 Put Off the Old Man with His Lies, Put On the New Man Created in the Image of Christ. A. If We Lie, We Slander the Image of Christ. X. Tit. 2:9-10 When Honest Even in Small Things, We Show the Gospel’s Beauty. A. We Might Steal or Deceive in Small Things. B. This Makes the Gospel Appear Dirty, Doubtful. C. Honesty & Truth Show the Gospel’s Beauty.

8. CHRIST TEACHES TOTAL HONESTY XI. Rev. 21:8 All Liars Are Destined to Hell. A. Lying Is Not a “Small” Sin to God. XII. Rev. 22:11-15 To Die as a Liar Is to Seal Our Fate as Hopeless Forever. A. As We Die, Our Character & Destiny Will Never Change. B. If We Want to Change Our Destiny, We Must Change Our Character Now!