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This is a production of World Video Bible School.
To God be the glory!
One of the fundamental principles that we teach children from a very young age
is that it's wrong to lie. We teach them this in our homes, and we teach it in the
classroom.
Of course, the Bible teaches this.
Colossians 3 and verse 9, says: "... lie not to one another..."
Proverbs 12 and verse 22, says:
"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but they who deal truly
are His delight."
Now, these verses, and many others, teach that
God hates lying. The Bible's very plain about this.
And so, I'm always surprised when I hear, particularly Christians,
try to defend lying.
But, unfortunately, it happens quite often. And, usually, their argument consists of
some difficult situation with serious consequences, and the person will suggest
that in light of these very undesirable consequences,
that lying is the better choice.
And that God would even approve.
And, sometimes, they'll make appeals to
circumstances in the Bible that they believe imply that lying is okay.
On one occasion, I had spoken on the subject of lying.
And afterwards, one of the members took issue with me over this subject.
Particularly, he believed that there are some circumstances
in which it's okay to lie,
and that you can do so with God's approval. He became vehement about this
subject. And he made arguments to try to prove his point. And he laid out
scenarios that, he thought, would justify lying. And he appealed to passages in the
Bible that he thought made his point.
Now, what I want to do in this lesson, is to cover three points.
First, I'm going to discuss some of these scenarios, some of the dilemmas that
people put forth to defend lying.
Secondly,
I'm going to share with you some of the Bible passages that people appeal to,
to defend lying.
And finally, I'm going to give you some arguments that show that it's never
right
to lie.
Alright, first let's talk about some of the situations that people appeal to,
to try to defend lying.
One individual, in an effort to defend lying, told me of a situation in the
area in which he lives,
where someone had been breaking into houses and committing ***.
And he put forth a specific circumstance that he said actually took place. And the
story went something like this.
A grandfather was home alone with his two granddaughters
and he heard something downstairs. And so, he told his granddaughters to hide while he
went downstairs to investigate.
And, when he got downstairs, a man knocked him to the ground and put a gun to
his head and asked, "Is there anyone else in the house?"
Now, the man's question to me was this,
"What would you say?"
He said, "If you tell the truth, it's going to mean tragedy for your granddaughters."
And then he proceeded to suggest that, under these extreme circumstances,
that it would be right
to lie.
Now, what do you say to that?
You know, admittedly, this is a terrible situation and it's one that I hope that
I never encounter.
But, may I suggest to you
that a wrong action does not turn into a right one
just because the consequences are severe. Sin does not change into not being
sin
just because of a terrible circumstance.
I asked the man this. I said,
"Let's alter the situation a little bit.
Let's suggest that the man who broke into the house is a psychopath, and
he hates Christians. And he says to you,
'I despise Christians with every bone in my body. Nothing pleases me more than
to make a Christian suffer. If you're a Christian,
I'm going to make you suffer. Your wife is going to suffer. Your daughters are
going to suffer.
Do you believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God?'" And I asked the man, I said,
"What would you say?"
He responded and said,
"I would never lie about my Lord."
Which is commendable.
But, I want to know
why not? If it's true, as he argues, that God approves of lying in order to
avoid watching your wife and daughter suffer, then why not lie?
His response was
that, "Denial would be worse than the consequences."
Now, ladies and gentlemen, I want you to appreciate what he has done.
He has put himself in a situation where HE determines which sins are greatest
and which are the least.
And then he acts accordingly. In one situation, he believes lying is acceptable
and in another, he believes it is not. This is what we call "situation ethics"
and it's not "Bible ethics."
You know, Abraham tried to pull a stunt like this one time to protect life,
his own life.
And the method he used was lying.
In Genesis 20, Abraham lied to Abimelech about Sarah being his sister.
Now, the reason he gave in verse 11 was:
"... 'Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place;
and they will kill me
on account of my wife.'"
But you know, despite the fact that he lied to protect his own life,
it's clear in this chapter that he was wrong for so doing.
Now, another scenario that was posed to me on one occasion was this.
Someone said, "If lying is wrong,
then that would mean that the government cannot lie. And if the government cannot
lie, then that puts our spies and our intelligence programs in very serious
jeopardy." Now,
it's true that many governments lie. Now I know that may be a shock to you, but
governments sometimes lie and sometimes convince themselves that it's necessary
to do so.
But the Bible still says,
"... let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'
For whatever is more than these is from the evil one,"
Matthew 5:37.
Proverbs 14:34 says:
"Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people."
You know, if a government lies, it doesn't make it right just because it is the
government.
In fact, the Bible says
"it's a reproach upon that nation."
And again, the consequences of a sin do not somehow transform it into being
a "non-sin."
I read a quote by an unknown author that said this:
"Always tell the truth.
If you can't always tell the truth,
don't lie."
You know, sometimes in difficult situations the best thing to do
is to say nothing.
Now, in the same context, some would even suggest to me that,
"The truth is so precious
that sometimes it has to be protected by a bodyguard of lies."
Friends, that is absolute nonsense. That is the devil's handiwork.
The Bible says: "Buy the truth, and sell it not," Proverbs 23:23.
Don't
ever be one of those people who gives up holding on to the truth.
There is nothing so precious upon this earth, that we should cease to walk in
the paths of truth and to walk down the pathway with the devil.
You know, sometimes men will even argue that:
"Mercy overrides truth." That mercy is greater than truth, and that being the
case,
there are times that we must lie
in order to uphold mercy.
But you know, that makes me wonder.
If lying is justified by mercy, are there
other sins that are justified by mercy? Could adultery somehow be justified by
mercy?
Could homosexuality
be justified by mercy? Could abortion
be justified by mercy?
Could we indeed have such a thing as
mercy killings?
But you know, God is a God known for His mercy. Ephesians 2:4 says that He is "... rich
in mercy..."
And yet, Titus 1:2 says
He "... cannot lie."
The two are not mutually exclusive
and they do not contradict each other.
And consider this.
Certainly, no one would ever question the wonderful mercy of Jesus Christ,
Titus 1 and verse 4, Jude in verse 21.
And yet, I never read about Jesus lying.
Now, was it the case that we are faced with moral dilemmas that would demand that we
choose the lesser of two evils,
and yet the Lord never was? And if He never was,
what about Hebrews 4 and verse 15, that says "He was tempted in all points
like as we are?"
Ladies and gentlemen,
when the Lord walked this earth, He was the perfect example for us to
emulate.
And we can concoct all the scenarios we want to,
but let's ask,
"What would the Lord do if He were in these dilemmas?"
I know He wouldn't lie.
Now, why do I say that?
Because if He did, at that moment
He would cease to be God,
because Titus 1 and verse 2 says that God
"cannot lie."
Jesus said, "... I am the way, the truth,
and the life..." John 14:6.
Now, for a second point, let's discuss some of the Bible arguments that people make
in an effort to defend lying.
The most common argument that I ever hear is
an appeal to the story of Rahab.
On one occasion, someone posed it to me this way.
They said, "When the spies entered the promised land to spy out the land,
what would've happened if Rahab had not lied to protect them. And how would
the children of Israel have received the promised land?"
Of course, the answer is,
"God would have done it some other way." Romans 8:28 says: "... All
things work together for good
to those who love God..."
Now, that passage teaches us that
regardless of what men do to us or what may happen to us, God can
use it to accomplish His will. God's plan was not dependent upon Rahab. He
would've accomplish it
whether she lied or not.
Well, sometimes it's argued this way.
When the spies came to Rahab, she lied to protect them. Later she is blessed
for her actions,
and therefore, we have a situation where a lie is met with God's approval.
And so, it was a justified lie.
Well, I want to read it. Let's look at this particular passage, Joshua 2 and
verse 1.
The Bible says: "Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia
Grove to spy secretly, saying,
'Go, view of the land, especially Jericho.'
So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.
And it was told the king of Jericho, saying, 'Behold,
men have come here tonight from the children of Israel to search out the
country.'
... Then she took the two men and hid them.
So she said,
'Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. And it
happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out.
Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly,
for you may overtake them.' (But
she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax,
which she had laid in order on the roof.)
Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords.
And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out,
they shut the gate."
Now, when you read this account, it's clear that Rahab did lie.
In fact, she tell several lies.
Verse 4, she says, "I did not know where they were from."
Verse 5,
"When it was dark the men went out." Also in verse 5, "Where the men went, I do not
know."
Now, these are clearly lies.
But the problem seems to arise when we get to the New Testament and we see that Rahab
is actually complemented by God
for her behavior.
And so, some people think that they find sanction for lying.
So, let's look at the two passages in the New Testament that mention Rahab.
The first one is Hebrews 11 and verse 31.
The text says: "By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did
not believe,
when she had received the spies
with peace."
Now, where does that passage condone lying?
It doesn't.
She simply is complemented for "receiving the spies with peace."
Now, the second passage. James 2 and verse 25 says:
"Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the
messengers
and sent them out another way."
Now again, this passage does not condone her lying.
One person tried to argue from this passage, that lying was an inherent part
of "sending them out another way."
But I want you to appreciate with me that
this passage can stand wholly and separately apart from the lie.
Let's assume that it took place this way:
The king's men came to the house,
they knocked on the door,
and they asked Rahab,
"Can we come in and look around?"
And she said, "Sure."
And they walked around and they found nothing and they left.
Could the Scriptures have still complimented her for receiving them
and sending them out another way?
Yes!
The statement is not dependent upon the lie. Rahab's lie is never condoned in the
Scriptures.
This story about Rahab merely provides an example of where God honored a woman,
due to her obedient faith, in spite of a character flaw.
In fact, in spite of a lot of character flaws.
At this time, she's a heathen, she's a harlot,
and she's a liar.
But she tried to help God's people
and God thus blesses her in spite of character flaws, not because of them.
Well, another passage that people sometimes appeal to, to try to justify
lying,
is Exodus, chapter 1, verse 15 through 22. This is the account of the
Hebrew midwives. Now I want to read it, then we'll discuss it.
"Then the king of Egypt spoke to the Hebrew midwives, of whom the name of one
was Shiphrah and the name of the other was Puah;
and he said,
'When you do the duties of a midwife for the Hebrew women, and see them on the
birthstools,
if it is a son, then you shall kill him;
but if it is a daughter, then she shall live.'
But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them,
but saved the male children alive.
So the king of Egypt called for the midwives and said to them,
'Why have you done this thing, and save the male children alive?'
And the midwives said to Pharaoh,
'Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are lively
and give
birth before the midwives come to them.'
Therefore God dealt well with the midwives,
and the people multiplied and grew
very mighty.
And so it was, because the midwives feared God, that He provided households for them.
So Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, 'Every son who is born you shall
cast into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.'"
Now, the argument goes like this.
Pharaoh commanded the midwives to kill the newborn male Hebrews.
The midwives disobey the decree.
The midwives lied when questioned concerning their actions, and then God
blessed the midwives. Now, since God blessed
the action, of which a lie was a part,
then He must have sanctioned a lie.
But, that is not what the Bible says.
The text says that God blessed them because they feared Him,
not because they lied.
And, as a matter of fact, verse 17 indicates that the way they exhibited
their fear of God
was by sparing the babies, and that was prior to the lie even taking place.
I would say it this way.
They spared the babies because they feared God.
They lied because they feared Pharaoh.
There's no justification for lying in this passage. Now, another Bible passage
where people will sometimes seek justification for lying,
is 1 Samuel 16, verses 1 and 2.
In this chapter,
God has rejected Saul from being the king, and has instructed the prophet Samuel to
go and anoint a new king from among the sons of Jesse the Bethlehemite.
Now, Samuel is concerned about this because he asks:
"What if King Saul hears about this? He'll kill me."
And so in verse 2 the Bible says:
... And the Lord said, "Take a heifer with you,
and say, I have come to sacrifice to the Lord..."
And so the argument suggests that God actually told Samuel to lie
in order to protect himself from Saul.
But the fact is,
it wasn't a lie at all.
We see as we continue through the chapter,
that what God instructed Samuel to do was to arrange a sacrifice in Bethlehem,
and to invite the family of Jesse to the sacrifice.
And on that occasion of the sacrifice,
God would reveal to Samuel which one was to be the next king,
and he would anoint him there.
It wasn't a lie
at all.
Well, someone even argued to me that
the wise men in Matthew, chapter 2, lied by not returning to Herod
after they saw the baby Jesus.
I want you to listen what Matthew 2 and verse 7 says:
"Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men,
enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.
And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said,
Go and search diligently for the young child;
and when ye have found him, bring me word again,
that I may come and worship him also.
When they had heard the king,
they departed..."
Now, unless I'm missing something, there is nothing said here about a promise to
return.
And besides that, in verse 12
God told them to go a different way. There is certainly no justification for
lying
in this verse.
Now, I want to spend a few minutes and examine some arguments that will show
you that lying is always wrong.
Now, some of these we've already alluded to,
but, I want to put them together here in a neat package. Argument number one, to
prove that lying is always wrong,
is this:
"Right and wrong are not determined
by earthly consequences."
You know, sometimes doing right
is very costly. Jesus told the rich young ruler that doing right would cost him
all that he had.
Doing right cost the Apostle Paul beatings and abuse.
You know, when we begin to determine right and wrong
based upon the earthly consequences,
we're really going to get out of whack spiritually.
1 John 3 and verse 4 says:
"Whoever commits sin transgresses also the law:
for sin is the transgression
of the law."
That's how I determine right and wrong.
It is "does it transgress God's law," not the earthly consequences.
Argument number two, to prove that lying is always wrong, comes from Revelation
2 and verse 10.
It says:
"... Be thou faithful unto death
and I will give you the a crown of life."
Now, this passage was written to Christians who were suffering
persecution.
In the beginning of verse 10,
the Bible discusses the fact that they were going to suffer, some of them would
be thrown into prison, they would suffer tribulation.
And it's in this context the Lord says
"be faithful unto death."
Homer Hailey, in his commentary on Revelation, phrased it this way:
"even to the point
of dying."
Now, what's the Lord saying?
He is saying, "Be faithful and do right,
even if it costs you
your life."
Now, what does that have to do with these scenarios where people suggest that you
have to lie to protect your life?
It destroys them.
Friends, the truth
is more precious
than life itself.
"God is the God of truth," Psalm 31:5,
and I always want to be
like Him.
I remember that Jesus said "Fear not him who can destroy the body, but rather fear
Him who can destroy both the body and soul in hell." Matthew 10:28.
What is Jesus saying except,
"Don't be afraid of physical death,
be afraid of sinning and losing your soul."
Now, consider this third proof that lying is always wrong.
Revelation 21:8 says:
"... all liars shall have their part in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone,
which is the second death."
I want you to notice that it doesn't say
"some liars."
It doesn't say "all liars except those who were put in a really tough
situation."
It doesn't say "all except those who lied to protect human life."
Friends, it just says "ALL."
Now, that's the passage I'm on holding to. People can come up with all of the
scenarios they want to, but what they really need
is a passage of Scripture where God says,
"It's alright to lie."
And there's not one.
Proof number four.
Titus chapter 1 and verse 2, says, "God cannot lie."
Now, I have to wonder:
if lying is sometimes okay,
then why can God not do it ever?
Why did Jesus never do it?
And, if mercy justifies lying,
why can't the God of mercy lie?
Folks, the answer is: lying is always wrong. It's inherently evil
and that's why God cannot do it.
Number five.
Would you consider that the Bible says that: "Satan is the source of lying."
John 8:44 says:
"You are of your father of 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."
When the devil tells a lie, he speaks from his own resources the Bible says.
Matthew 5:37, again, says: "... let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,'
and your 'No,' 'No.'
For whatever is more than these is from the evil one."
And so, when I lie,
my father is the devil. He's the source of the lie. They are from the "evil one."
Now, for a person to suggest that it is sometimes alright to lie,
is to suggest that it's sometimes alright to stop following God
and to follow the devil.
Now, this conclusion I reject with every ounce of my being. It is not Biblical.
Argument number six, to prove that lying is always wrong, is this:
"God will provide a way of escape."
It was suggested to me by someone who was trying to defend lying, that sometimes
you have to choose the lesser of two evils.
You know, I remember in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 13, the bible says:
"... God is faithful,
who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,
that you may be able to bear it." Ladies and gentlemen,
I can trust that God's way of escape from sin is not going to be another
sin.
There will always be a path that I can choose which does not involve
violating His will.
Now, I may not always choose to take it,
but it will be there,
nonetheless. You know, the more I study this,
the more I am convinced that this is a very serious error for a Christian to hold:
that lying can sometimes be right.
It's a misunderstanding of God, Himself.
Proverbs 6:17 says: "...God
hates... a lying tongue..."
Proverbs 12:22: "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord,
but they that deal truthfully are His delight."
Psalm 31:5 calls God the "God of truth."
The psalmist wrote:
"For the word of the Lord is right, and all of His works are done
in truth." Psalm 33:4.
Leviticus 19:11 says:
"You shall not steal,
nor deal falsely, neither lie to one another." Proverbs 13:5: "A
righteous man hates lying..." Friends, lying
is always
wrong."