The Positive Side Of The Ten Commandments: The Ninth Commandment Series

NINTH COMMANDMENT

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” (Ex. 20:16).

A. INTRODUCTION

1. Relationship. Why did God say, Thou shalt not lie? Because you know when you lie, you cannot lie to yourself. We lie to others.

2. Destroys self-respect. If we cannot lie to ourself, how can we harm ourself?

3. Harms others in every way. What does lying do to others?

4. Satan. Where does lying come from? “Satan is the father of lies” (John 8:44).

5. Eve lied first. Can we blame our lying on the Devil? Satan asked, “Did God say you must not eat from any tree in the Garden” (Gen. 3:1, ELT)? Eve responded, “We must not eat ... nor touch” (Gen. 3:3, ELT).

6. Distorts God’s Word. How does Satan lie to us today? Did God really say “no?”

B. ARE THESE LIES?

1. Does lying include any exaggeration?

“Tell them I am not here.”

“You never do any of the work.”

“That’s the prettiest baby I have ever seen.”

“My you look younger (or slimmer).”

2. Does lying include silence?

“Who did this?”

Taking credit for something you did not do.

C. SEVENTEEN KINDS OF LIES

1. White lie: Perceived as good for both teller and the victim of the lie.

2. Political lie or flattery: a compliment when the teller perceives the thing complimented is not good, but is what the listener wants to hear.

3. Gossip: telling what should not be told, i.e., revealing a secret.

4. Sinister lie: giving an untruth for our evil purpose.

5. Jovial lie: lying in an obvious way without malice, so both teller and listener know it is not true.

6. Half lie: telling the truth, but not the whole truth.

7. Excuse: misrepresenting the truth about a failure on our part.

8. Hypocrisy: attempts to deceive another about something you are not (the New Testament word referred to an actor using a mask to play the role of another).

9. Justifying lie: to convince others they would have taken a similar action.

10. Face-saving lie: misrepresentation to avoid embarrassment. (Sarah told God, "I did not laugh.").

11. Evangelistically speaking: the exaggeration of religious results. (Ananias and Sapphira).

12. Propaganda: used in military times to make one’s position.

13. Advertisement: sometimes used to exaggerate the merits of a product.

14. Cheating: using material that is not yours with a view of misrepresentation (exams and income taxes).

15. Demonic lies: evil spirits are the source of mis-representing the nature of righteousness and evil (Rom. 1:25; II Thess. 2:11).

16. Spin: interpreting obvious facts to your favor (politics).

17. Plausibility of denial: people conspire to conceal their involvement by claiming they didn’t know.

D. WHY LYING IS WRONG

1. Misrepresents or hides the truth.

You hurt the other person who does not know the truth.

The more serious a lie, the more danger to the other person.

2. A lie makes a deceiver out of the liar.

To cover up, or hide something.

To seduce someone to the liar’s advantage.

To get something (illegally) for the liar.

3. Builds wrong relationship with another.

The relationship is not built on honesty.

Lying destroys love and respect.

Keeps us separated from each other and from God.

4. A lie feeds our distorted self. We lie to make ourselves look good, or to keep from looking bad.

E. HOW TO OVERCOME LYING

1. Look to the standard. “I am the way, the truth . . .” (John 14:6).

2. Recognize the source of lies. “You are of your father the Devil . . . he is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).

3. Admit your human nature is deceitful. “Out of the heart proceeds evil thoughts . . . deceit” (Mark 7:21-22).

4. Recognize the ultimate consequence of lying. “All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire” (Rev. 21:8).

5. Adapt a conviction to tell the truth. “Put away all lying, each one speak truth” (Eph. 4:25).

6. Determine to be a radical disciple (Luke 9:23).

7. Learn to walk in forgiveness rather than guilt (Psa. 78:38).

8. Ask for continued strength to overcome lying (Phil. 4:13).

9. Make a decision to always tell the truth.

10. Resolve to be a person of character.

Character is habitually doing the right thing, in the right way.

If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:

Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.