So the last post began a series on the Ten Commandments. In the first post I covered what the Ten Commandments were and touched on the tenth commandment (not coveting) and surmised what I think would be some of the positive benefits if we lived in a covet free world. So in continuing with this series lets look at commandment nine. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Nothing truthful to say? Then say nothing.
Let’s look at the term false witness to start. According to dictionary.com false witness means to deliberately give false testimony. At its simplest meaning this commandment it saying do not lie about your neighbour to anyone. Before I go on I have to address the word neighbour. Neighbour means someone you live close to. I know that we often think of our neighbours as the people that live to the left or right of our house, but I believe we need to think bigger here. Everyone we share this planet with is our neighbour. Suppose you live in Brazil, is this commandment saying you are permitted to bear false witness against someone who lives in Japan? Surely it isn’t!
Moving on, let’s take a look at the term false witness. To bear false witness would be equal to lying. So God is trying to protect us against the ill effects of lying. What you need to remember while going through this series is that God is trying to protect us from harm. It’s funny to me in life how we have warnings on every stupid little thing but we fail to see the big picture when it comes to the stuff that really affects or hurts us. We need to see “warning, contents may be hot” on a cup of coffee to spare us from being burned. Do we all need a tattoo on our upper lip reading “warning, contents may be false or exaggerated”? You can say I am being smug with that last statement but have you ever been lied to? How did you feel? Lying is serious business with harmful consequences to others and ourselves.
A look at some scripture
Here are a few passages from the Bible that explain where lying comes from. Keep in mind that a lie always needs another lie to cover itself up. We have been lied to for thousands of years about the truth that is in God. Understand that the world is under the rule of the devil at this time. This explains well why Christ’s character and exsistance is attacked all the time.
Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Revelation 12:7-9 (ESV)
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…and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.
1 John 5:19 (ESV)
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Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
John 8:43-45 (ESV)
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Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world.
1 Peter 5:8-9 (ESV)
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But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Colossians 3:8-10 (ESV)
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What I want you to take from those passages is that the world would be completely changed if there was only truth spoken by every person. Our enemy seeks to blind us from truth with the many lies he puts forth. The devil could not operate if he was unable to lie. It is my hope you see truth in this post. All lies hinder us in some way shape or form.
A world without lying
In a world without lying we would never have to live with the hurt of being lied to. We would never have to live with the stress of trying to keep a lie covered up. Justice would be served in our courts if there was no lying. We would never be the victim of smooth talking politicians with their won agendas. There would be no gossip between people about others because even hear say is untruth. People would be far more trusting of each other. In a world of no lies a promise made would be a promise kept. Our economy would be a much better because people wouldn’t be lying to sell something to someone they know is a second rate product.
So by this point you might be asking “OK Mr.Smart Guy, what about white lies?” Personally I think there is always a way to tell the truth and that is preferable. However, remember God judges the heart. If intentions are that of love and concern for someone else’s feeling`s above your own, you’re in a good place.