Category: Lying
Sermon: “Nots” in the Devil’s “Tale” (John 8:43-47)
The devil is a liar. Many of his lies include “nots”. Let us not be deceived by them.
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Putting Away Lying
“Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25).
The phrase, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” is taken from Zechariah 8:16. Zechariah’s prophecies occurred following the return of the remnant from Babylonian captivity. Note two points. First, honesty is a principle that should inform every part of our lives, and all of our relationships. Second, this is especially so with whom we share a special bond, “for we are members of one another.”
The bond the remnant shared was their cultural and national identities. They were Jews, part of God’s chosen people, with a obligation to keep the law.
Here Paul wrote to the Ephesian Christians. Their bond was their shared faith in Jesus Christ. The same words were used by Paul to describe that relationship in Romans 12:5.
Honesty (putting away lying) is important in and of itself. God revealed time and again that lying, deceit, guile, are condemnable acts, and not worthy of God’s children (cf. Revelation 21:8). Beyond that, our special bond as Christians demands that we treat each other honestly. To do less is to disrespect and endanger our fellowship as His children!
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
“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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