The Ten Commandments: Ten Words The World needs to hear
Word Nine: Truth
Intro: Long before the great fish fables, long before politician became a synonym for liar, liar, God gave this ninth word. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” The original context of this commandment was a court of trial. However you must pay attention to the last two words your neighbor. It is a call to not bear false witness against your neighbor. Jesus clearly taught us who our neighbor is with the parable of the “Good Samaritan.” Luke 10.25-37 Jesus shows us that all people are our neighbors. In context of the entire Bible this is a call to be truthful.
Hosea 4.2 KJV “swearing, lying, and stealing and killing.” Hosea is clearly making a reference to the Ten Commandments. However Hosea did not merely use the word for false testimony instead he used the word for any type of lying.
It is not merely the false testimony in court that God is concerned about. He is also concerned with lies told over the backyard fence, and rumors whispered between the pews at church.
It is staggering when you look at the statistics on people and lying. Ninety-one percent of Americans regularly lie at home or at work. Some answered the question, “Whom have you regularly lied to?” These were the results. 86% said to their parents, 75% to their friends, 73% to siblings, 69% to their spouses.
Someone once said the problem with lying can be summed up with three former US Presidents. George Washington couldn’t tell a lie. Richard Nixon Couldn’t tell the truth. Bill Clinton couldn’t tell the difference. Two out of three Americans believe it is okay to tell a lie. However God says “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” If you are my people then you character should agree with mine. You should be people of honesty and integrity.
I. God desires Truth on your lips
Ephesians 2.24, 25, “and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak the truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
We are called to be people that speak the truth because we serve a truth telling God.
God the Father is true Romans 3.4 “Let God be found though every man be found a liar.”
God the Son is true John 14.6 “I am the truth.”
John 1.14 says Jesus, “came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
God the Holy Spirit is true, 1 John 4.6 He is called, “The Spirit of truth.”
If God is true then His word is true. John 17.17 “Your word is truth.”
If the words of God are true then our words can be no less. That means as the apostle Paul calls us again and again to put away deceit, to put off lying, quarreling. We dishonor God our speech is anything but honest and truthful.
Chuck Colson of prison fellowship said we are living in a “Post-Truth Society.” God never condones our lifestyle based on cultural standards. God’s standard is His word which is truth.
If we are businessmen we are called to be truthful in our transactions, with our employees, taxes, regulations etc. . If we are politicians we are called to be truthful about our record and our values. If we are employees we are called to be truthful about our time, our breaks, etc. . .
Truth cannot come from your lips until it develops in your thinking.
II. God Develops Truth in your head
Philippians 4.8 “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell (think) on these things.”
Why do we need to be told to think on what is true etc? Telling the truth means thinking and saying the best about people, situations, even about God.
If you mind is filled up with the Goodness and Grace of God then you will be less likely to give the devil an opportunity to plant lies. Has God said?
Why does God want to develop truth in our heads? Romans 12.1 tells us that we are transformed by the renewing of our minds. What have you absorbed into your thoughts lately?
Think about the movies you watch, the books you read, the people you are associated with.
Our culture today wants us to believe there is no such thing as truth today. That is a lie and it comes from the father of lies the devil. We are constantly under pressure from the media, from Hollywood, from multiple sources to think that a little lie here and there is ok.\
Bible says in Proverbs 25:18,
"Like a club and a sword and a sharp arrow is a man who bears false witness against his neighbor."
Lies and deceit destroy, truth builds. Truth builds trust, character, etc..
There are times when you must confront someone sin by speaking the truth in love. We have as Christians the responsibility to hold one another accountable according to God’s word of truth. You will find if you confront someone with the truth in the end they will be your closest friend. But we must allow God to develop the truth in our minds by devouring the truth in His word.
III. God Deposits Truth in your heart
The heart is more deceitful than all else
And is desperately sick;
Who can understand it?
Why are we studying the Ten Commandments? So we can see that on our own our heart is deceitful and desperately sick. Romans 3 10-13 says there is none good not even one. There is none with a heart that seeks after God!
There are many today that are deceitful and liars. 1 John 2.4 “The one who says, “I have come to know Him ,” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
Why because God promised to deposit truth in our hearts. Jeremiah I will write my law upon their hearts. When We trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord His truth is written on our hearts.
When we resort to lies we show our lack of trust in God. “Of whom were you worried and fearful when you lied and did not remember Me nor give Me a thought?" (Isaiah 55.11)
You are never more like the devil than when you lie. He is called the father of lie s because no truth was found in Him.
Is the truth in you?
Conclusion:
What is the big deal! Why are you so hung up on us being people of truth. Our words, our thoughts, our desires?
Revelation 21.8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death”
What a crowd. Liars will be crammed into hell and thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, spiritual death. The fire is used to show the finality and permanence of separation from God
