Theme: Truth Lives Forever
Text: Proverbs 12:17-27
Greetings
The Lord is good; His love endures forever. So far, we have meditated on the themes of Kingdom of Truth, Truth will set you free, Worship in Truth and Spirit, and on Three Faithful Men. Now we will meditate on the theme “Truth Lives Forever” based on Probers 12:17-27. I would like to leave you three practical life practices with you this morning.
Be a truthful witness
Have truthful lips, and
Be a truthful man.
Truthful Witness (Vv. 17-19)
Read the verses: “Truthfulness marks the righteous, but a habitual liar can never be trusted reckless words are like the thrusts of a sword, cutting remarks meant to stab and to hurt. But the words of the wise soothe and heal.”
The definition of testimony goes like this: a solemn declaration usually made orally by a witness under oath in response to interrogation by a lawyer (Merriam Webster Dictionary).
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbour (Exodus 20:16). This ninth commandment concerns our own and our neighbour’s good name. It forbids speaking falsely on any matter, lying, equivocating, and any way devising or designing to deceive our neighbour, speaking unjustly against neighbour to hurt his reputation.
Bearing false witness against him, or in common conversation slandering, backbiting, and tale-bearing; making what is done amiss, worse than it is, and in any way endeavouring to raise our reputation upon the ruin of our neighbour’s. How much this command is every day broken among persons of all ranks! (Ref: Matthew Henry/ biblehub.com).
False witness is of two kinds, public and private. We may either seek to damage our neighbour by giving false evidence against him in a court of justice or even calumniate him to others in our social intercourse with them.
It is expressly forbidden (Exodus 23:1). The wrong done to a man by false evidence in a court may equal actual murder (1 Kings 21:13). The false witness began in the Garden of Eden, where the lying tongue of Satan set the stage for the tragic Fall of Mankind (Genesis 3:4). Joseph was slandered by the wife of Potiphar (Genesis 39:13-20). Naboth poured out his blood because of the suborned testimony of Jezebel's lying witnesses (1 Kings 21). Stephen, Paul, Silas, and our own Lord Jesus, are victims of this instrument, and all suffered from the violation of this law of God! (ref: Coffman/studylight.org).
The righteous will always speak the truth, and their words heal and not injure anyone (Proverbs 12: 17-19). Exodus 23:1 “Do not spread false reports. Prophet Jeremiah cautioned the people of his times that they should not believe their friends, neighbours because everyone is a slanderer (Jeremiah 9:4).
Gill comments that a proven false witness never is allowed to witness again. His word and oath neither to be taken, nor should any questions be put to him, and not suffered any answer by him. His depositions should not weigh with those before whom they were made. The person and his words are false (ref: John Gill’s Exposition/ biblehub.com).
One Poem beautifully describes the character assassination through false testimony and false reports
“Who steals my purse, steals trash,
But he who filches from me my good name,
Robs me of that which not enriches him,
Yet leaves me poor indeed.” (ref: Ellicott/ biblehub.com)
At Athens, the false witness was liable to a heavy fine, and if thrice convicted he would lose all his civil rights. At Rome, a law of the Twelve Tables, he would be hurled headlong from the Tarpeian rock. In Egypt, a false witness was punished by amputation of the nose and ears (ref: Records of the Past, vol. 8. p. 65, cited:biblehub.com).
Truthful Lips (Vv. 19-21)
Truth lasts; lies are here today, gone tomorrow (The Message Bible). Truthful words will stand the test of time, but one day every lie will be seen for what it is. Deception fills the hearts of those who plot harm, but those who plan for peace are filled with joy. Calamity is not allowed to overwhelm the righteous, but there is nothing but trouble waiting for the wicked (The Passion Translation).
God looks after those who love the truth and speak the truth. Under His blessing, they will be established forever. It often seems that the lying tongue wins the day and is stronger than the truthful lip. The judgments of the God of truth will show how temporary the success of the lying tongue is (ref:enduringword.com).
By speaking in this way, they will bring pleasure to God and joy to themselves and their hearers (Proverbs 12:20-22). The false testimony is like a club, sword, or sharp arrow that wounds others (Proverbs 25:18).
Chuck Smith Commentary: God created a clean tongue. He does not like our tongue being used as a sword to cut people. Our words must be an ointment balm, a healing agent, a comfort, lifting one another. If we use our tongue as a cutting instrument, if we use our tongue to destroy others, people will seek to defend themselves, and what you dish out will come back to you. People are going to start cutting you and chopping you if you are always chopping others. But if you will speak well of others, compliment a person it will come back to you. What you sow you will reap. (ref: studylight.org).
Coffman says that most of the verses in the book of proverbs deal with the tongue and its use. It may be a source of life or death. The book of James devotes the greater part of his third chapter to the truth regarding the tongue. It is like a wild beast that cannot be tamed; it must be bridled and controlled.
Matthew Poole comments: The speaker of truth is constant, and always agreeable to himself, and his words, the more and longer they are tried, the more does the truth of them appear; whereas liars, though they may make a fair show for a season, yet are easily and quickly convicted of falsehood (ref: biblehub.com).
John Gill says: The man that speaks truth is and will be established in his credit and reputation among men; he is uniform and all of a piece, and what he says is believed; truth, though it may be opposed, will prevail against lies and falsehood (ref: biblehub.com).
It is good to refer to the Apostle James' advice on the use of the Tongue. He says that the tongue is a small part of the body but makes big boasts. The tongue has more power it can corrupt a person or clean a person. It is very difficult to tame the tongue. It is full of poison and deadly evil (James 3:5-8).
Matthew Henry: We are taught to dread an unruly tongue, as one of the greatest evils. The affairs of mankind are thrown into confusion by the tongues of men. Every age of the world, and every condition of life, private or public, affords examples of this. No man can tame the tongue without Divine grace and assistance.
Matthew Poole: The word boasting means lifting the neck in a way of bravery and triumph; hence, it is used to express boasting and glorying, not only uttering big words, boasting how great things it can do. (ref: biblehub.com).
The tongue which is influenced by the grace of God, and directed by the Spirit of God, as it speaks great and good things, it has great power, weight, and influence: the tongue of the just is as choice silver, and the lips of the righteous feed many (Proverbs 10:20). The tongue can either pretend to speak or can do preference of the truth and pronounce the Truth to all. Psalm 34:13 calls to keep the tongue from evil and lips from speaking guile.
Truthful Men (Vv. 22-23)
Live in the truth and keep your promises, and the Lord will keep delighting in you, but he detests a liar (v. 22). Those who possess wisdom don’t feel the need to impress others with what they know, but foolish ones make sure their ignorance is on display (v. 23). Good people will keep silent rather than display their knowledge, but they will always have a fitting word of encouragement or guidance for those who need it (Proverbs 12:23-26).
The preachers or the writer of the book of Proverbs says that you Live in the truth and keep your promises, and the Lord will keep delighting in you. Which means make conscience of truth, not only in words but in actions (Matthew Henry). His words and actions, doctrine and life, agree together: it is not enough to embrace, profess, or preach the truth, but he must practice it (John Gill).
Faithful men will be blessed. Proverbs 20:6, ‘Most men will proclaim every man his goodness: but a faithful man who can find?’ Paul wrote to Timothy and told him, Timothy, you, therefore, entrust the teaching, doctrine to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well (2 Timothy 2:2). A faithful man will abound with blessings (Proverbs 28:20). Jesus taught that One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much (Luke 16:10).
Job 2:3 says that Job still holds fast his integrity. Further Job declares, “God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold and will not let go: My heart shall not reproach me so long as I live.” (Job 27:5-6). “The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.” (Proverbs 11:3). “Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity.” (Psalm 26:1, Psalm 7:8, Psalm 41:12, Proverbs 19:1). Proverbs 20:7 says that “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.”
