Category: Lying

Dishonest Scales

In the book of Proverbs 11, verses 1, 3, 4-6, the writer emphasizes the importance of honesty in our dealings with others.

“Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight” (1).

“The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them” (3).

“Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death. The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, but the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful will be caught by their lust” (4-6).

For any who are unfamiliar, scales have long been used to weigh out portions of a product. Known weights are put on one side of the scale, and the product is added to the other side until the scale “balances.” If the weights used are not accurate, modified to profit the merchant by giving false readings, they are “dishonest scales” and are an abomination to God. Continue reading “Dishonest Scales”

Sermon: Lies

Speaker: Justin Carrell

Justin seeks to define and explain lying, and discuss why the sin is unacceptable to God.

Lying for Advantage

lying

“Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man, But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel” (Proverbs 20:17).

Listening to the radio a few days ago, the hosts were asking each other, “What was the last lie you told?” Most of the answers were what they referred to as little white lies. For example, one man had gotten an email, and not responded. When his co-worker asked him about it, he lied and said he hadn’t got it. So, the other man backtracked, found the original email and resent it. Even though the man actually had gotten the email.

All of the confessed lies had a similar motivation. They were told to gain an advantage. To cover up a transgression, to put oneself in a more favorable light, or to shift fault. This is the primary allure of deception, and why “Bread gained by deceit is sweet to a man.”

In the example above, I thought to myself that the man had better hope his employer, co-worker (or his friends) were not listening to the show! If the lie were to be found out, there would be consequences. Anger, loss of trust and reputation, and possibly repercussions from the employer. “But afterward his mouth will be filled with gravel.”

Don’t lie! The advantage gained may be “sweet” for the moment, but the [eternal] cost is too steep!

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