Probably most of you readers have experienced injustice because of someone’s words.
Is this an example of “Breaking the Commandment?”
Does it require malice to lie?
It happened to me once.
A board member stated that he thought I had a personality disorder.
I lost my job.
The 9th Commandment is about Honesty.
Be an Honest witness; Be a Truthful witness.
Witness.
That’s a common word in Church Circles.
About what are we instructed to witness?
The truth about God.
Jesus identified Himself as “the Truth.”
He made it abundantly clear later by saying, “You are to be My witnesses throughout the entire earth.”
This commandment specifically identifies “your neighbor.”
Jesus thoroughly covered the definition of ‘neighbor’ in the story of the Good Samaritan.
Everyone who is in need is my neighbor.
Every neighbor is in need of coming to a better knowledge of Jesus.
I claim to be a Christian. If my life does not accurately represent Christ, am I guilty of lying?
What if the way I live and represent Jesus is unattractive to others?
If you’ve watched the TV show Law & Order, you know how easy it is for a witness to say truthful words in a way that suggests guilt for someone else.
Sometimes just saying nothing is enough to create the impression of guilt.
Slander. Causing the reputation of another to be thought of as bad.
Even speaking the exact truth in a way that suggests wrong-doing falls into the definition of slander – which is lying.
A common way that people lie is to embellish their own story and accomplishments.
Yup! Bragging – which is lying.
When I brag I am presenting an impostor into the story of my life.
Reasons For Command
There are 3 reasons God points out this rule for social order.
The social and psychological effects that lying has on
1.) the other person;
2.) the liar;
3.) God.
Impact On The Other Person
At any given moment, a person has opportunities for personal and professional advancement. Even a small character blemish can block an opportunity… can steal opportunity.
Every lost or withdrawn opportunity has a negative impact on the person.
Self-doubt is planted in their mind and grows like a weed.
Knowledge of opportunities that have been withdrawn cause the insinuation of wrong to get stronger.
More self-doubt, an increase in negativity, and a person can lose hope.
All because of a lie.
Impact On The Liar
Human nature what it is, I will come to believe the tales I tell.
Even when I know that I lied. It is a kind of barrier to recognition that I am a liar.
When was the last time you heard someone confess, “I am a liar”?
We can briefly study Lucifer to discover the progression that happens when a lie is defended as truth. His delight is in knowing how many others he has ensnared to share in his destruction.
Believe a lie? Yes, he believes. But that does not change the lie into truth.
A lie told often and confidently becomes truth in the mind of the liar.
The Holy Spirit is blocked. Soon there is no remorse, no inclination to repent.
Eternity lost.
All because of a lie.
Impact On God
God will never force any creation to choose Him.
Out of love, He created us with Free Will.
The Power of Choice.
He will honor that Free Will Choice, even at the cost of our eternal death.
Which means that His Child has chosen to abandon, to reject his Father.
Through eternity, God will remember those who refused salvation.
I suspect that we will, after a few thousand years, forget the struggle of life on this Earth. We probably will seldom think of someone who chose eternal death instead of eternal life.
A place in God’s great family will be vacant, and He will know.
Boundaries
Commandments 6, 7, 8, and 9 present boundaries for my behavior so that I rightly represent God in all of my life interactions with family and neighbors.
Disobedience of these Standards tells lies about Who and What God is, as revealed by the life of Jesus. This creates a barrier that disqualifies me as a faithful witness.
When properly obeyed, these boundaries enable me to paint a correct picture of God so that accepting Him as ‘My Personal God’ will be attractive. My influence will draw them closer to God.
Comments
You reactions and comments are appreciated.
