If you say that you don’t lie, well, that would be a lie, wouldn’t it?
The truth is that all of us have lied before, and unfortunately, will lie again. It could be a small itsy bitsy white lie to avoid hurting someone’s feelings (yes, that looks good on you; nah, you have not put on any weight) or it could be one of the big fat lies that hurt relationships and ourselves.
I would like to say that I have not told a lie for a long while (cos I am a good person) but I can’t. Just the other day, I told a white lie. Someone asked me if something was bothering me, as I’d looked distracted. I said, “Nothing”, and in so doing, ended up hurting the person’s feelings.
Some people are good at hiding that they are telling a lie. Poker face. I know of a few of such people, and they are so convincing that I can’t tell when they are telling a lie!
Then there are others I can spot telling a lie the very moment it is uttered. The telltale signs are there – the slight, almost indiscernible squirm, the slight rise in the vocal pitch, and almost always, the slight embarrassed, nervous smile.
Fortunately or not, I belong to the latter group. When I lie, my voice goes a slight notch higher, I can’t help but squirm, or cough or yawn, whichever is more convenient, and inside, I’m thinking I’m busted!
Often, we lie to ourselves too, and we don’t even know or we are in denial, perhaps too shocked to even contemplate that such self-deception was even possible. Shouldn’t I be smart enough to catch my own lies?
Being lied to, lying to others, or lying to ourselves never feels good. It always leaves one feeling betrayed, guilty, disconcerted.
What about God?
The great news is that God never lies! That truth just didn’t sink in till recently. It’s as if the scales fell from my eyes!
God does not lie – He never lied, and will never lie. The best part is that He can’t lie!
In Hebrews 6:18, we are told “that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us”.
In Titus 1:1-3, we read of “hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…”
If we meditate on this truth that God does not, cannot, and will not lie, we can trust in all that He says.
We can rest easy and trust Him when He says:
I will never leave you nor forsake you. Hebrews 13:5
For I know the plans I have for you, … plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11
But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31
There are so many promises in the Bible that speaks of God’s faithfulness! Remember, God cannot lie. He has to keep every single promise He makes. I don’t know about you, but that really encourages me. I hope the knowledge and truth about our God will do the same for you too.
How has God been faithful to you? How honest has He been with you?
Shalom.
By Serena Low, FaithWorks
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Hi Serena, was caught up in this just the other day, and sad to say my son experienced the whole ordeal. It’s bad enough to admit to yourself and to confess to God that we lied, but when one of your children see it with their own eyes it is very disheartening. One thing I did say, and I hope it will be thought about to my son is “God does not want me to lie. I got caught in this lie because if Jesus lives in me, and He is the “Truth”, then God will not allow this lie to be there.” Thanks for this post, we need eachother and to see that we all deal with the same things. Love, Jean
Hi Jean,
Thanks for your comment and candid sharing. You are definitely not alone in this. It’s not easy to admit the deception, and it really takes courage to own up to it and recognize it for what it is. I pray and trust that your son will appreciate that. God bless!
Thank you for addressing something that nobody seems to want to discuss … You have given memnew lenses through which to view this issue, and I applaud your courage.
Thanks, Anna! Appreciate your comment! God bless.
I don’t agree that everyone lies and that we have all lied. True everyone falls short of the Glory of God, but Christ never lied and if we choose to be like Christ, why then would one say we all lie? There is a line that I choose as a little girl (excepted Christ at the age of 7) that I would not cross and it was lying. Not a white lie or a black lie, all lies. Grant it I may of been mistaken or quoted something that I though was right and it wasn’t. But I am quick to go back and make it right and own up to the fact that I said something wrong.
We are not only to have the heart of Christ but the mind of Christ. When one has the mind of Christ one KNOWS what a lie is, instantly. Why would one go ahead and say it anyway? There are no whoops factors in lying. It is a choice, just like choosing to not do a lot of things in one’s life.
In the day to day world a lot of people feel lying is no big deal. To me it is one of the “everything” to me meanings. A contract I agreed to with my Lord. I have always believed that lying would take me out of the dome of protection of the Holy Spirit, a place I decided long ago where I did not want to be.
Is this a easy place to be? Well it’s not a struggle it comes natural for me. I also learned long ago that there will be a lot of people who don’t believe me or believe that it is unattainable. But I serve Christ first.
Just saying, ya know?
God Bless:)
Hi Gloria,
Thanks for your comment. You are right in pointing out that Christ does not lie. Unfortunately, the rest of us do, at some point or other, whether it’s intentional or not, or if it were well-meaning or not. Someone who is in Christ knows that lying is not something he or she should do, and would seek to make amends, and thankfully, we have redemption in Him! God bless!
I think no Christians really want to lie. But they do. It is not because they want to. Sometimes they may be caught in a situation that they feel that the best option is to lie to get themselves out of it. The reason? I think it is because we are not strong enough. We are not strong enough to believe that even if we speak the truth God can help us out. Trying harder does not help. Ask a very old person if he or she overcomes. I think the answer is a no. But thank God:
1) Colossians 1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, 25 1:14 in whom we have redemption, 26 the forgiveness of sins.
2) John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains 15 in me – and I in him – bears 16 much fruit, 17 because apart from me you can accomplish 18 nothing.
I believe God forgives us today even when we lie (see verse above). So getting repercussions from God should not be the concern. And I think good works cannot be done apart from Christ. If we are the branches, the vine is the one that causes us to bear fruits. All the branch can do is to relax, and believe in Him, read His Word, keep our focus on His finished work of redemption. Abide in Him. I think none of us want to lie. But we are not strong enough not to. Only by Him can He cause us to bear fruit, and then we will not lie. And it may come even when we don’t know it has come. It will be supernatural. Let’s be willing, and let’s believe right. And see Him make it happen for us.
Just some personal thoughts.
Thanks for your sharing, Isaac.
I think that lying is part of the fallen nature that man has. You are right, we often deceive others or ourselves because we are not strong enough – to admit the truth, to state it, to handle the consequences of the truth.
Thankfully, we have One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and in Him we can find our redemption. God bless!