Today we are going to discuss a sin that bothers me more than all sins. I am not sure if I should feel this way, but we all have at least one thing that really gets to us. I am guilty of committing this sin throughout my years and I have been hurt by this sin as many times as I have committed it. I have been hurt many times recently due to this and it has been upon my heart for many months to do this bible study, but it seems the Holy Spirit has always had something else in mind. I feel now I am supposed to do this study and I pray once again we can all open our hearts and our minds. Let’s try and leave our opinionated views behind as we study God’s word. I feel my hatred for this sin is natural as we should hate all sin, but it seems that this particular one is the seed that starts so many other sins and destroys so many lives. As you already know by the title of this message we are going to talk about lies, lying and liars. We will look at many scriptures on lying but we will only scratch the surface on what the bible says so I encourage all of you to continue this study when you have time. There is so much about lying, and different example of liars, that we could study on this many weeks. Let’s first look at the definition of lie.
A lie
1. A criminal falsehood; a falsehood uttered for the purpose of deception; an intentional violation of truth.
It is willful deceit that makes a lie. A man may act a lie, as by pointing his finger in a wrong direction, when a traveler inquires of him his road.
3. False doctrine. 1John 2.
4. An idolatrous picture of God, or a false god. Romans 1.
5. That which deceives and disappoints confidence
To Lie
1. To utter falsehood with an intention to deceive, or with an immoral design.
2. To exhibit a false representation; to say or do that which deceives another, when he has a right to know the truth, or when morality requires a just representation.
Synonyms: deceive, betray, mislead, beguile, delude, dupe, hoodwink, bamboozle, double-cross.
Let’s start by going to the book of Proverbs.
16 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. Prov 6:16-19 (KJV)
This is a verse most people are familiar with. Notice that these are things that God hates, they are abominations to him. Notice that two of them have to do with lying. We could go as far as interpreting more than two as being caused by lies but we are not going to put our opinions in this. Definitely two of the seven are about liars. God hates liars.
17 He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit. 18 There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. 19 The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment. 20 Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy. 21 There shall no evil happen to the just: but the wicked shall be filled with mischief. 22 Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.Prov 12:17-22 (KJV)
Here we see that truth is associated with righteousness, eternity and being pleasing to the Lord. Lying is associated with deceit, death, and an abomination to the Lord. I do not see anywhere here or anywhere else in the bible where it says that only big lies are bad. I do not believe there is any such thing as a big lie and a small lie. Here are a couple more proverbs about lying.
18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. Prov 10:18 (KJV)
If you lie you are a fool. It can't feel good to be called a fool, especially by God.
5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame. Prov 13:5 (KJV)
We should hate lying, not participate in it to protect our family and friends. Do only bad people lie? No, there are some examples of good people who lied in the bible but that does not make it right. David was considered a good person. Did he always do good? What about Isaac?
6 And Isaac dwelt in Gerar: 7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. Gen 26:6-7 (KJV)
What about Jacob?
22 And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau. 23 And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him. 24 And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am. Gen 27:22-24 (KJV)
What about Abraham?
12 Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife: and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. 13 Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with me for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. Gen 12:12-13 (KJV)
This is typical of how we lie. And my soul shall live because of thee. We usually get someone to help us lie and that makes is better, right? OH, we’ll just tell them this and that and it won’t hurt anyone. That way we don’t have to tell them the TRUTH.
3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. 4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders. 5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity. 6 Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD. Jer 9:3-6 (KJV)
They have trained their tongues to lie. Listen to what these people do. They are deceitful and untrustworthy. They are liars. Too many times people train their tongues to lie. They will plan to tell a lie and then go over it so they can get it right. There is no right lie. We have to know that God hates lying without exception. So what are some examples of training our tongue to lie? We might be doing something that someone we know don’t agree with and we will plan out a lie to tell them if we get caught doing it. We might plan to tell a lie someone we care about so we don’t hurt their feelings. IF you tell a lie to someone you care about then you are willing to hurt their feeling already. There are professions that teach the people to lie to customers. Most concrete truck dispatchers do this to try and keep you happy but they usually make you mad. Most salesmen do this so you will buy their product. There are many other ways to train our tongues to lie and we know what they are.
43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, 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. 45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. John 8:43-45 (KJV)
Why do you not understand the Word of God, because you are of your father the devil? We must believe the truth that God has sent us. I have said this before, if you believe that fire is hot, you don’t touch it. If you believe the Word of God is true you should live it. Most lies lead to or complement other sins. If we look at God’s word and say “yes I believe that, I believe the whole bible”, and we do not do this we are liars. We might say “I know that is not what God’s word says BUT I think this is his will”. This is BLASPHEMY!! YOU DOUBLE MINDED HYPOCRITE. God’s word is his will, period. If anyone thinks they can just change the way God thinks about something because it fits your situation you are a liar, and through deceit you refuse to know the LORD, because of your deceits. God is not mocked.
14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. Rev 22:14-15 (KJV)
WE are blessed if we do his commandments. Do you loveth and maketh a lie or do you delight in that which is false? Think before you answer this question. Do you delight in make believe? Do you delight in that which is fiction? This does not say deceptions it says a lie or falsehood. I believe this means we are supposed to delight in that which is true which is the Word of God. This is why God hates lies, because lies and falsehoods are the exact opposite of the Word of God. We must not delight in things that are not of God. So, what if we do? What if we do tell a little lie every now and then? A little lie won’t hurt anyone, will it? It might hurt you, FOR ETERNITY.
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. Rev 21:8 (KJV)
Notice the part ALL LIARS. Why doesn’t it say all murderers or all idolaters? It says all liars will go to Hell. I think this really shows how serious God takes lying. According to his word he will not tolerate it.
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, 2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land? 4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God. 5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things. 6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him. 7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in. 8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much. 9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out. 10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. 11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things. Acts 5:1-11 (KJV)
I know the reason these people died was because of a lie, but what kind of a lie? I believe they died because they were living a lie. They wanted the people around them think they were someone they were not. They wanted everyone to think that they sold the property and gave all to the church. This would make them look good to the other Chrisians. I could alomost gaurantee that no one in that town lied for a while after this happened.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. Rev 21:26-27 (KJV)
Here is another reference. If you worketh abomination, and we know some of them, or if you maketh a lie you will not go to heaven. But its just words, how can words send me to Hell? Jesus said it was what came out of the mouth that defiled a man. If anyone of us is trying to make people think we are someone that we are not then we are liars. If we are telling people we do things that we do not do, we are liars. If we create situations or scenarios with the intent of deceiving someone then we are in danger of burning in the lake of fire, every second of every minute forever without relief, ever. That ought to make you want to tell the officer that stopped you for speeding, “Yes officer I did know I was speeding, I do it all the time”. That is not what we want to do. We want to always show how we are right and others are wrong. If we were right we would not need Jesus and we would not need to ask for forgiveness daily. I have it on my heart to attack the devil with the word of God. Some think we just need to ignore him and his angels and they will just leave us alone. We have been attacked much lately and I am tired of it. I know who my enemy is and I know how I am supposed to defend and attack that enemy. Paul the apostle has told us we are in a war. Never in history has there been a battle (spiritual or physical) won by defensive moves without attacking. The only way to defeat the enemy is to attack with all we have and this means the Word of God. We must become the soldiers that we need to be to attack this enemy and quit trying to defend his darts and trying to hide from him. Let’s take the truth to him and all of his allies and say this is truth and the truth will set you free. Hallelujah!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment