Read Jeremiah 27
Lying is something that God absolutely hates. Why? Because in the Garden of Eden, God’s people (Adam and Eve) were led astray into sin through lying. And yet among God’s own people in Judah, the prophets had been lying to the people. The prophets were supposed to be God’s spokesmen for the people. They were to tell the people everything
The people for their part should not have listened to the lying prophets. Way back in Deuteronomy 18 and elsewhere God had already told the people that false prophets were to be avoided and not listened to. And because false prophets presumed to take it upon themselves to make up words for God, they were to be stoned to death.
While there may be many today who lie in God’s name, the warning from Jeremiah to avoid lying and to avoid listening to lies stands clearly before each one of us.
Many Christians see no problem with lying and are ready and willing to tell an untruth whenever the situation demands. Sometimes it may be to save one’s own neck from further trouble, for example at work. At other times it may be to stop oneself from looking bad or from being laughed at or ridiculed. Still at other times it may be to protect the other person from hurt and so on.
We even lie to ourselves, finding comfort in the old adage that it was only a white lie or that we lied to protect the other person. Perhaps Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s quote is really true- “Lying to ourselves is more deeply ingrained than lying to others.”
In the New Testament we read what God says about lying.
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” (Colossians 3:9)
Lying is listed in 1 Timothy 1:9-11 as something done by the lawless. Furthermore, liars will be among those judged in the great end time judgement (Revelation 21:8). In contrast, God never lies (Titus 1:2). He is the source of truth. “It is impossible for God to lie” we are told in Hebrews 6:18. As we can see clearly, it is unfitting for God’s children to lie. Even more so when you recall Jesus’ words in Matthew 12:34, ‘For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.’ If we are given over to lying then our heart, the core of our being, is filled with rottenness.
In God’s book there are no white lies. There are no ‘half truths’ or almost true statements. God hates all deception, all lying and all bending of the truth. We have to learn that even when we think lying is necessary to avoid hurting someone, there is always a more godly option that will bring blessing not hurt.
God hates all lying and wants us to be a people of the truth. What could be more fitting for those who claim to follow the One who is the way, the truth and the life?
Prayer:
Using today’s passage and the reading notes spend time in prayer.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
· Pray that God would be powerfully at work in your church service this Sonday. Pray that God would bring great conviction, healing, wholeness, rebuke and correction as needed as the Word is faithfully preached this weekend.
· Pray that the Kings Kids teachers at your church would be ready and equipped to teach the children faithfully from the Word. Pray that they would have the teaching and the communication skills to faithfully impart the gospel to the children. Pray that these little ones are strengthened in the faith and in their love for the Lord.
1. You know that Garrison in your church lies about almost everything to save face, to bless others and to make himself look good. What would be a biblical way forward?
2. Someone says to you that in Nazi Germany many people lied to save Jews. They ask you how can God possibly hate such lying? How do you respond?
3. Someone else at church says to you that lying is ok if the outcome is good not bad. Apart from looking for a new church, how do you respond?
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One on One
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The teens could tell that the shouts and chanting were getting closer. An older teen looked nervously at his friend. “The Muslims are coming. We’d better hide the kids”, he said. Others, following his lead, helped the smaller children find places in the buildings nearby. Then, they hid themselves. It was January and a crowd of mostly Christian children had gathered for a Bible camp at Pattimra University in Ambon, Indonesia. When the camp was over, cars came to take the joyful children back home, but there were not enough cars to hold them all. Mecky Sainyakit and three other Christian men had gone to Wakal village to try and rent additional transportation to take the rest home but they had not returned yet. What the waiting kids didn’t know was that the men were attacked by a Muslim mob on the way to the village. Mecky and another were stabbed to death and later their bodies were burned by the mob. The two other men escaped with their lives. Before long the mob reached the University. They found many of the teens and forced them out from their hiding places. Roy Pontoh was made to stand before the mob. “Renounce your Jesus, or we will kill you,” they threatened. Roy was terribly frightened. Though trembling he refused to lie and answered, “I’m a soldier of Christ”. At this, one of the Muslim attackers swung a sword at his stomach. The sword hit the Bible that Roy was holding, knocking it from his hand. The next swing of the sword sliced open Roy’s stomach. His last word was “Jesus.” Copied from http://www.historymakers.info/inspirational-christians/jesus-freaks.html
Lying may well be the greatest sin committed among Christians today. Not only is lying prevalent among Christians today, it’s not really seen as a sin.
Christians have differing attitudes towards lying. Some feel it’s ok to say anything when in a tight situation. Others feel that it’s ok to lie when it protects or helps others. Still others think that it doesn’t really matter what you say.
Some have argued that in Nazi Germany it was necessary to lie to protect Jews and to stop them from being interned in death camps. The “logical” conclusion is that lying is ok if the result is positive. While this kind of “logic” may ease our conscience, the argument is fallacious for many reasons. First and foremost, it is wrong to work out acceptable behaviour from such extreme examples as the one quoted. Our lives and more particularly, our lies, will rarely be in such life or death situations.
Jesus declared that the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart (Matthew 12:34). If we are ok with lying for any reason then according to Jesus our heart is filled with evil. One wonders how anyone can be filled with the Holy Spirit and with evil at the same time!
Added to that God declares in Rev 21:8, 22:15, that all those who practice and love falsehood (aka liars) are barred from the new creation, ie ’heaven’. Their place is in the fiery lake of burning sulphur.
What’s the bottom line? If Jesus is the way, the truth and the life, should we be satisfied with being anything less than the people of the truth?
1 Tim 1:8-11
Personal Questions
1. How’s your prayer life?
2. Describe your current thought life?
3. How’s your relationship with your spouse or your parents?
4. Discuss how and if you’ve struggled with sin/temptation this week.
5. How are you worshipping God through work, family and social networks?
Pray
Spend time praising God for His truth and purity
Pray that God would bring a spirit of honesty and truth among all Christians, all churches and all Christian organisations.
Pray that God would equip you and strengthen you to be a man/woman of truth.
Reflection:
1. Restate in your own words what Rev 21:8 and Rev 22:15 teach about lying.
2. Reflect for a while and share the times that you have lied or told untruths. Try to figure out why you did this? Could you have found a way to tell the truth?
3. Why do you think lying is so prevalent?
4. What would it take to persuade you to always tell the truth, no matter what the cost?
5. Why does God hate lying?
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