Why Lie?

 

Exodus 20:16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. This is more commonly known as the Ninth of the Ten Commandments in the “Moral Law” of God written by the finger of the Almighty Creator  and given to Moses on stone tablets for the people of God. It is better known as “Thou Shalt not Lie”. In the term “false witness, the Hebrew word for “false” is “seqer”, meaning lie, deception (what deceives or disappoints or betrays one), falsehood, deceit, fraudulent, wrongful, an untruth; feigned. The Hebrew word for “witness” is “ēḏ” , meaning “witness, testimony or evidence of things.”  The instruction not to "bear false witness" in the Ten Commandments is put in the covenant context of not harming one's neighbor.

 

Psalm 120:2 “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue.”

 

The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defines he word “lie” as: a falsehood uttered for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth. To lie is contrary to the nature of God; God is truth and therefore, by definition lying a sin. The desire of a child of God, citizen of the kingdom and servant of the Lord is to live a trustworthy and faithful life that is pleasing in the sight of their sovereign heavenly Father. Devotion to God should lead us to speak the truth, to love the neighbor, to serve life. We live the truth not for its own sake, but for God's sake and for the neighbor's sake.

 

Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.”

 

The Bible condemns deception. That is the simple truth. Christianity Today states that when Rahab's story of lying when she said the spies had already departed is told in Joshua 2, and when she is celebrated for her faith in Hebrews 11:31 and for her works in James 2:25, the Bible—while not justifying her lie—does not condemn it. The same is true of the midwives' lie (Exodus 1:15-21) and Elisha's lie (2 Kings 6:19). The fact is, Scripture offers no subtle philosophical distinctions to justify or to excuse such lies.

 

Proverbs 21:6 “Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.”

 

As Christians we make decisions, including decisions about our words, not simply as rule keepers, and surely not simply as utility calculators, but as people disposed to truthfulness, prepared to regret even the justifiable lie as a mark of the "not yet" character of our life in the Spirit of Truth. Honesty is always the best policy for us.

 

In Christ, Brian