“The Truth About Lying”
Exodus 20:16
* A troubled parishioner sought counsel from his minister. He told his preacher, “Pastor, everyone calls me a liar.” The pastor responded by saying, “Oh, come one now; I can’t believe that.”
Indeed, most people today have lost credibility. Lying has become commonplace.
“Honesty is still the best policy. However, there are les policy holders than there used to be.” - John Mason
“Time" magazine asked if we are a nation of liars.
It said that 91% of us lie regularly.
*In 1993 the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ran a help-wanted ad for electricians with expertise at using Sontag connectors.
It got 170 responses -- even though there is no such thing as a Sontag connector!
The Authority ran the ad to find out how many applicants falsify resumes.
Wizard of Id cartoon: “Are you prepared to lie? I never tell lies! You're good!”
*Curtis Hutson asked his members how many of them had taken something in their lifetimes that did not belong to them, and how many how told a lie in their lifetimes. Every person raised his or her hand. The pastor said, “Wow, I am preaching to a church full of thieves and liars!”
Psa. 58:3...”The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”
In other words, that bundle of joy has become a liar even before he or she can speak.
James 1 “tongue…dangerous member…set on fire of hel”
A shady person never makes a shining witness
*John Wesley said, "I would not tell one lie to save the souls of all the world."
We are told in Scripture that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18).
God hates lying—and we should too!
(Prov 6:16-19) "These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: {17} a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, {18} an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, {19} a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."
Rev 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
More than their PANTS will be on FIRE!!!!!
I. THE REQUIREMENTOF THE COMMANDMENT
Strictly speaking, this commandment was originally focused against perjuring one's self in a judicial trial. Deut. 19 talks about what should be done to a false witness who lies in a court room.
Deut. 19:16-20 “If a false witness rise up against any man to testify against him that which is wrong; Then both the men, between whom the controversy is, shall stand before the LORD, before the priests and the judges, which shall be in those days; And the judges shall make diligent inquisition: and, behold, if the witness be a false witness, and hath testified falsely against his brother; Then shall ye do unto him, as he had thought to have done unto his brother: so shalt thou put the evil away from among you. which remain shall hear, and fear, and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among”
Le 19:11 “Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.”
Proverbs 12:22 "Lying lips are abomination to the Lord..."
Indians telling lies-Knife Lie bumps
A. The definition of lying
Lying - "A false statement deliberately presented as being true."
Alexander Haig once said this: "That’s not a lie, it’s a teminological inexactitude."
BILL CLINTONs perjury
How far we’ve fallen as a society. How dangerous this is getting for our future.
1. It’s origin.
From the devil himself!
The word "devil" is translated in our New Testaments from the greek word"diabolos". It is interesting to note that the Bible also translates "diabolos" in 1 Timothy 3:11as, "slanderers". In 2 Timothy 3:3 and Titus 2:3, "diabolos" is translated as"false accusers".
Then in the Book of Revelation (12:10), Satan is identified as "the accuser (orslanderer) of the brethren."
A case in point is found in the Old Testament book of Job.
(JOHN 8:44) "ye are of your father the devil,(so much for the Liberal LIE) and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."
Jesus is truth (John 14:6) , so it is understandable that the devil would be the opposite.
2. It’s operation * 1 Jn. 1:6-10
Truth isn't always easy—especially when you are asked a difficult question like,
"How was dinner?" or "Do you like my new outfit?"Even so, lying is still a sin!
MarrIage books tell people it’s OKAY to lie!!! NO!!!!!
Ephesians 4:15... “But speaking the truth in love...”
1. We lie to others. V 6
A) Destructive lies.
a) Deliberate attempt to hurt someone. Worst kind.
b) Potiphar's wife.
*The woman digs into her handbag and pulls out a purse and hands it to the officer.
The officer examines the license. He looks quite puzzled.
Officer 2: Thank you ma'am, one of my officers told me you didn't have a license, that you stole this car, and that you murdered and hacked up the owner.
Older Woman: Bet the liar told you I was speeding, too!
Lie and say others are lying!!
B) Defensive lie.
a) Lie not to hurt others, but protect ourselves.
b) It often hurts others in the end.
*A school principal received a phone call. The voice said, "Thomas Bradley won't be in school today." The principal, a bit suspicious of the voice. He asked, "Who is speaking?" The voice came back, "My Dad!"
C) Defective lie.
Most popular kind of lie. Half-truth. Designed to make it easier on the liar
* Christmas Break was over and the teacher was asking the class about their vacations. She turned to little Johnny and asked what he did over the break.
"We visited my grandmother in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania," he replied.
"That sounds like an excellent vocabulary word," the teacher said. "Can you tell the class how you spell that?"
Little Johnny thought about it and said, "You know, come to think of it, we went to Ohio."
“Got to bed or the boogeyman will get you!’ = lie!
We wont talk about SANTA CLAUSE, the TOOTH FAIRY and the EASTER BUNNY!
“If you don’t stop your face will freeze like that” Then they find out you were lying.
2. We lie to ourselves. V8 - rationalize and excuse things. HYPOCRISY
3. We lie to God. v10 Ananias and Sapphira.
3. It’soutcome
Damage and devastation.
a. (Psa 52:2) "Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully."
b. (Psa 55:21) "The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords."
c. When lies are told -- lives are damaged.
*Jazz musician Billy Tipton was a gifted pianist and saxophonist who got his start during the big band era of the 1930s. According to Time magazine, Billy had a few peculiarities. He refused to give his social security number to his agent. His three adopted sons could not recall a time when he went swimming with them. He would never visit a doctor even when suffering from a serious illness. And when Tipton died in 1989 at the age of 74, the family found out why. The funeral director told one of the adopted sons that Billy Tipton was a woman. Tipton began to live a lie because during the big band era, women were allowed to sing but not play in the band. And so Tipton lied to be able to play. But that lying separated him (or should we say her) from any meaningful relationship with others. That is the way lying works. It leaves a man desolate.
B. The Description of Lying.
1. Slander: malicious lie with an intent to do harm.
(PSA 101:5) "WHOSO PRIVILY SLANDERETH HIS NEIGHBOUR, HIM WILL I CUT OFF: HIM THAT HATH AN HIGH LOOK AND A PROUD HEART WILL NOT I SUFFER."
*Back in 1994 a group of fourth graders at Fuller school on the south side of Chicago accused their substitute teacher of molesting them. By that afternoon, the school board promised to bring in counselors for the children. And by the evening, the story was all over the news broadcasts. But the next day police investigators came and interviewed fourteen of the children. And authorities determined that the accusations were totally false. Apparently the children made their false accusation because the substitute teacher threatened to report their unruliness. One classmate actually promised a dollar to those who would join in the lie. But that teacher was irreparably damaged. That’s the way slander works.
2. Talebearer: telling something without checking the facts in the matter.
"They say..." "Someone said..." "I heard that..."
(PROV 18:8) "THE WORDS OF A TALEBEARER ARE AS WOUNDS, AND THEY GO DOWN INTO THE INNERMOST PARTS OF THE BELLY."
*A Pastor was having trouble with a gossip in the church. Every time she would see his car parked anywhere strange, she began immediately to spread the word that their Pastor was having an affair. There was no truth to her rumors, but she kept it up until the pastor, in an effort to stop her mouth, left his car parked in front of her house, day and night for a week. That cured the problem.
3. Flattery: words spoken to manipulate others.
(PROV 26:28) "A LYING TONGUE HATETH THOSE THAT ARE AFFLICTED BY IT; AND A FLATTERING MOUTH WORKETH RUIN."
> FALSE PROPHETS <
4. EXAGGERATION: inflation of reality with intent to interfere with perception
Spin is sin!
“If you add to the truth you subtract from it” - the Talmud
II. THE REASONSFOR THE COMMANDMENT
A. God is the " Father of Truth."
Hebrews 6:18"It is impossible for God to lie...." John 14:6
B. Lying undermines our relationships with others.
Eph 4:25 “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”
C. Lying always gets progressively worse.
“O, what a tangled web we weave, When first we practise to deceive! “ Sir Walter Scott
When at first we practice to deceive we find our kids are not naïve!
Revelation 22:15
III. OUR RESPONSETO THE COMMANDMENT
Pr 12:22 “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.”
Ps 119:29 “Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.”
Psalm 141:3 "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips."
“Put away lying” divorce yourself- Eph. 4:25
Even our most informal conversations ought to be characterized by absolute honesty because we will be held accountable for"every idle word." Matthew 12:36.
A. Love the Truth.
B. Learn the Truth.
Before the truth can set us free we must know it.
C. Live the Truth. Are you living a lie?
People need to see Christ in us. 2. We must stop lying and start telling the truth.
God help us to bear the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth
- so help us God!