You shall not bear false witness
Introduction
Coming towards the end of the Ten Commandments
Very convicting
Especially this truth
How many of our words have been true, sincere and right?
James warns about the power of the tongue
Ex 20:16 – it’s strict definition is related to court
Yet there are greater principles that stand behind this argument
The whole issue of truth
What about unintentional misspeaking? – Yes
We need to come again to Christ, repent of our sin and request forgiveness
Overview:
Why do we lie?
What form does lying take?
What damage does lying do?
How can we fulfill this law?
Why do we lie?
Often to gain some sort of advantage
Example of Jezebel/Ahab/Naboth
How does this apply to ourselves?
Example of staying off work, lying about time, altering figures, changing information
Sometimes due to fear
Example of Abraham (x2) and Simon Peter
Sometimes necessary to lie: example of hiding Jews in the war and Rahab
Often this is not the case
To give a good impression
Example
True religion is to tame the tongue
Holding a grudge
Personal example and example in the life of Jesus Christ
Ultimately because we do not consider God
What form does lying take?
Example of court
Other examples – CV, votes
Outright lies
Example of Potiphar’s wife
Making the victim the perpetrator
Exaggeration
Deliberate over emphasis or misrepresentation of truth e.g. a worst-case scenario
Because we want to impress others – personal example
Flattery
Eulogies
Selective language
Half stories and half truthshttps://studio.youtube.com/video/_ogamnzE1HM/edit
Misinformation
Hiding things that need to be said
Giving a false impression
Distorting truth – example of politicians
What damage does lying do?
It creates a culture of distrust
Example – Rom 3:8, John the Baptist, the Lord Jesus
Prov 12:22, 16:5, Rev 21:8
Do you see how seriously God takes lying?
How can we fulfill this law?
We can turn to the Lord Jesus
We are all guilty before God
Yet we can come to a God of all truth
God never gives false testimony
Jesus has never given false testimony
He only ever spoke the truth in love
He is the embodiment of truth
We are all guilty but God offers full forgiveness
Speak truth – Eph 4:29
Our tongue has great power
Closing Remarks