Being Truthful. Being truthful. What does the Bible have to say about lying?

Transcription

1 Being Truthful What does the Bible have to say about lying? We live in a time when lying is seems to be the norm. It happens so often that we just expect people to lie to us. These lies range from the little white lies to the Big Whoppers Lying seems to be especially common place among our politicians. How many of us really expect a politician to fulfill all of their campaign promises? 1

2 Being a liar has not always been a characteristic that was acceptable in politicians. Remember the story of young George Washington chopping down the cherry tree? His response was I cannot tell a lie Remember Abraham Lincoln s nickname? Honest Abe walked several miles to return a few cents to a customer who had been overcharged Honesty was once a characteristic to be admired in our public officials Lying has also become common place in business. I had a man tell me once you can t be successful in business and be honest Think of the reputation of the used car dealer They are normally thought of as not being truthful. 2

3 Being untruthful (lying) has destroyed careers and ruined businesses. In my opinion, the greatest damage (besides costing us our soul) done by lying is when it slips into the home. It destroys the trust between parent and child, husband and wife. It may take years for this trust to be completely restored. I want us to look as some verses that show how God feels about lying. Lies do not originate with God. They come from the Devil Joh 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 3

4 When we lie, whose will or desire am I doing? We are doing the will of the Devil who is the father of all lies! How can we possibly be pleasing to God and be actively involved in doing the will of Satan? Can I save my soul by doing the will of Satan? Mt 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. God hates lies! Pr 6:16 These six things the LORD hates, Yes, seven are an abomination (disgusting) to Him: 17 A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, 19 A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren. 4

5 2 of the 7 things mentioned here that God hates have to do with lying? Lying is disgusting to our creator. This is the same creator who we will stand before on the day of judgment! Listen to what the Apostle Paul tells the Christians at Colossae. Col 3:8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 5

6 Along with putting away all of these other sins, we are to quit lying Paul is not making a suggestion here. Instead he through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit is giving us a command to stop lying. He doesn t say stop telling big lies but instead to stop any lying at all. Why? So we can be a reflection of our creator. A Christian should be changed from his former life of sin. And then pattern his life after the image of our Creator. Eph 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. God is merciful, so we should be merciful God is righteous, so we should strive to be righteous 6

7 God is loving, so we should be loving God is forgiving, so we should be forgiving God does not Lie, so we should not lie. Tit 1:2 in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, If we are going to be good children of God then we will be like Him and not lie. So far we have seen the following about lying: It originates from the Devil, who is the father of it God hates lying. It is an abomination or disgusting to Him Paul commands us to quit lying God doesn t lie. Therefore we as His children should not lie 7

8 You may be thinking: okay, I know God doesn t want me to lie I know lying isn t a good thing But really, what does it hurt? From the verses we have already studied we can clearly see that it is breaking (transgressing) God s law. Transgressing or breaking God s law is a sin 1Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. The sin of lying and others, separates us from God. Isa 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. There is not worse place that we can find ourselves in than separated from God. 8

9 Listen to the terrible consequences of unforgiven sin. Re 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. The truly big deal about lying is that it can cost us our eternal soul. But many times there are physical consequences to not being truthful. It damages and sometimes destroys some our closest relationships. When it is found out that a child has lied to their parents about where they have been or what they have been doing it destroys their trust 9

10 That close relationship has been damaged This is not something that can be repaired over night. It takes time in order for the trust to be restored. In a world of untrustworthy and untruthful people there is one relationship in this life we would hope to be able to count on. That is the husband and wife relationship. It is the closest of all human relationships. It is also the relationship that suffers the most when we are untruthful. It causes great pain when we are lied to by someone we are so close to. This certainly is not how we should treat those we love. Do we remember how the Apostle Paul defined love? 10

11 1Co 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; Love doesn t seek it s own self interest. Instead it is looking out for the best interest of those we love When we lie we are generally looking out for ourselves, trying to keep ourselves out of trouble or cover our on tracks for something we have done wrong. We are not looking out for the best interest of anyone but ourselves. Sometimes we may try to convince ourselves and others that we lie to people because we love them. 11

12 We try to convince them that by lying we were trying to spare them from some kind of pain. Not one time in the scriptures of someone speaking a lie in love. As a matter of fact we are told to do just the opposite. Eph 4:15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--christ-- conclusion The scriptures are plain when it comes to being untruthful It originates from the Devil, who is the father of it God hates lying. Paul commands us to quit lying God doesn t lie. Therefore neither should we Lying can cost us our eternal soul It damages and destroys our most important relationships 12

13 Conclusion Knowing all of this, why would we ever participate in such a destructive behavior? If we are guilty of this sin: We need to repent and make things right with God. If this sin has damaged our relationships with others: We need to ask for forgiveness from those we have hurt and begin the slow task of rebuilding the trust we have lost. 13