LIE NOT TO ONE ANOTHER

Mike Johnson

The sin of lying is prevalent.  However, this does not make it right.  A famous preacher, while preaching to a large audience, used as his text the story of Ananias and Sapphira and told how they lied, which resulted in God striking them dead.  The old preacher proclaimed, “God does not strike people dead for lying like he used to.  If he did, where would I be?”  At this point, the audience snickered a little.  The preacher then roared back, “I’ll tell you where I would be.  I would be right here preaching to an empty house.”  Would the typical church building be empty today if God struck people dead for lying?

Colossians 3 discusses the fact that a Christian is to put off the “old man” (i.e., the life of sin), and he is to put on the new man.  The Christian is to have a new life in Christ characterized by such traits as humility, kindness, and longsuffering.  One sin the Christian is to put off is the sin of lying.  Verse 9 says, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds.”  Ephesians 4:25 speaks similarly, saying, “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.'” Therefore, we are to put away lying replacing it with the truth.

Many Old Testament passages condemn lying.  Proverbs 6 lists seven things that are an abomination to God.  One of these is a “lying tongue.”  Proverbs 12:22 says, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.”  Psalm 119:29 says, “Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously.”

Lies are dangerous.  They can hurt us in this life and, even more important, in the next life.  Revelation 21:8 says, “…all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”