Christian Living

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Put Away Lying!
Naomi: [email protected]

When I was a child, I had a huge problem with lying. Many times it was simply to prevent myself from getting into trouble. Once, I remember turning the switches on the fuse box. I tried to remember which ones I switched in order to cover my tracks after I had my fun. Regardless, my memory failed me. Later that day, my dad asked my brother and I if we had been playing with it. “Nope, not me,” I said. Despite my response, my dad made me stand by the box and reach up to see if I was tall enough to flip the switches. Sure enough my sins found me out and the rod of correction was soon to follow.

The problem with lying is once we start, we can’t stop. The more we lie, the easier it is the next time until it becomes habitual. Most people believe that as long as they are not hurting someone else, it is ok to tell a “white” lie every now and then. In fact, many Christians practice this same sin. Lying, deceitfulness, dishonesty, half-truths all fall under sin. These are not to be taken lightly. In fact, when we spew an untruth, it is a reflection of what is inside our hearts.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:25 to “put away lying.” I know this all too well. When I became a Christian, I had to work hard at telling the truth “at all times.” Even now, it is easy to tell someone something that they want to hear, rather than give them the real truth. We have to be careful in this area. Paul goes on to quote from Zech 8:16, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” Our God is a God of truth. There is no hint of falsehood in Him; therefore He cannot speak a lie. The words we speak reveal who we are inside. They come from the very core of who we are. Our lips betray us. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts… (Psalm 51:6), the psalmist knew God well. We can fool each other about a lot of things, but we can never fool the One who sees our hearts. The psalmist had learned that if our inwards parts are pure, so will our actions and speech.

Zech. 17, goes on to say that lying is one of the very things God hates. When we speak truth with our neighbor, we are walking in the light. Truth is much like light. Light banishes darkness. When we speak the truth and do not succumb to untruth, sin cannot rule over us. Truth is pure and clean just like our heavenly Father. Truth is from God, while lies are from Satan.

Our God is a good God. This means He is just, righteous and true. All that God does is for the purpose of righteousness prevailing. Righteousness is found in His very character.

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth…” (Ephesians 4:29). Why is it so important to watch over the door of our mouths? We are God’s children. We reflect the one that we belong to. As children of light, we are to expose falsehood not promote it. At times, speaking the truth may cause us to look silly, to be ostracized, to be shamed or even have harm come to us. The world does not like truth and cannot comprehend it because it exposes their sin. But we are not of this world nor do we allow the world to mold our thinking or speech. We are of our Father and there is no deceit found in Him.

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