OceanSide church of Christ

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TAMING THE TONGUE

 

Stretching the Truth A Little:  Lying (2)

Lesson #4

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Last week, we began a two-part study of lying, one of the sins of the tongue.

1.    What is a lie?

2.    Types of lies

3.    Why people lie

 

B.   We also noted that the Bible forbids lying.

1.    Leviticus 19:11

 

Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.

 

2.    Proverbs 12:22

 

Lying lips are abomination to the Lord:  but they that deal truly are his delight.

 

3.    Ephesians 4:25

 

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor:  for we are members one of another.

 

4.    Colossians 3:9

 

Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds.

 

I.             EXAMPLES OF LIARS IN SCRIPTURE

 

A.   Satan:  “Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4).

 

B.   Cain lied to God about Abel, saying:  “I know not…” with regard to his brother’s where about.

 

C.   Abraham lied about Sarah to Pharaoh, saying:  “She is my sister” (Gen. 12:13).

 

D.   The false prophets of Jeremiah’s day who said Israel would not serve the king of Babylon were liars (Jer. 27:9-10).

 

E.   Ananias and Sapphira lied about the money they received from the sale of a parcel of land (Acts 5:3, 9).

 

F.   Paul describes the Cretians as liars (Tit. 1:12).

 

II.           WHY WE SHOULD NOT LIE

 

A.   It violates the nature of God.

1.    God cannot lie (Num. 23:9; I Sam. 15:29; Tit. 1:2; Heb. 6:8).

2.    Jesus is said to be the “the truth” (John 14:6).

3.    The Holy Spirit is referred to as “the Spirit of truth” (John 16:13).

4.    Every lie that we tell opposes the Godhead.

B.   It aligns us with our enemy, Satan, who is a liar and the father of all lies (John 8:44).

 

C.   It violates the Word of God (Eph. 4:25).

 

D.   It does evil to our fellow man (Prov. 26:28).

 

A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

 

E.   It damages our character.

1.    As Christians, we are supposed to be upright (Ps. 18:23).

2.    Lying damages this aspect of our character.  People wonder if we can be trusted.

 

F.   Lying will not be in heaven (Rev. 21:27).

 

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.

 

G.   All liars will be in hell (Rev. 21:8).

 

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and 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.

 

III.         HOW TO PROTECT OUR TONGUES FROM LYING

 

A.   Become a person of integrity.

1.    The word comes from the term “integer,” a math term.

2.    The word means “a complete whole.”

B.   Develop a hatred for lying in all of its forms (See Proverbs 16:6-9).

1.    God hates a lying tongue.

2.    God hates a false witness that speaks lies.

 

C.   Never justify or rationalize lying.

 

D.   Remember the consequences of lying.

 

IV.         IS IT EVER “RIGHT” TO LIE?

 

A.   We often use “deception” in war.

1.    Deceptive tactics to fool the enemy.

2.    Spies must lie in order to infiltrate the enemy.

 

B.   We use deception in sports all of the time.

 

C.   Others say we can lie in certain situations.

1.    To preserve another’s feelings.

2.    To preserve life.

3.    To maintain traditions (Ex., Santa, Easter bunny, tooth fairy).

 

D.   Some difficult passages in the Bible.

1.    Israel when they were initially told they could leave Egypt (Exo. 14:1-3).

 

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that they turn and encamp before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, over against Baal-zephon:  before it shall ye encamp by the sea.  For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.

 

2.    Rehab lied when she hid the spies (Josh. 2:3-5).

 

And the king of Jericho sent unto Rahab, saying, Bring forth the men that are come to thee, which are entered into thine house:  for they be come to search out all the country.  And the woman took the two men, and hid them, and said thus, There came men unto me, but I wist not whence they were:  and it came to pass about the time of shutting of the gate, when it was dark, that the men went out:  whither the men went I wot not:  pursue after them quickly; for ye shall overtake them.

 

3.    The anointing of David to be king (I Sam. 16:1-3)

 

And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel?  Fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite:  for I have provided me a king among his sons.  And Samuel said, How can I go?  If Saul hear it, he will kill me.  And the Lord said, Take a heifer with thee, and say, I am come to sacrifice to the Lord.  And call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show thee what thou shalt do:  and thou shalt anoint unto me him whom I name unto thee.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   Lying is an abomination unto God.

 

B.   It should be put away from our lips.

 

C.   Psalm 119:29

 

Remove from me the way of lying:  and grant me thy law graciously.