The former is better -- sure, it's in the joyful path of blessing and life!
George Barna conducted a poll and asked adults if they agreed with the following statement:
“There are no absolute standards for morals and ethics.”
Guess what! Incredibly, there were seven out of 10 who said that they agreed with it! That's our world now? Can people just lie and deceive others and it's no longer wrong!? What does God say?
"The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy." Proverbs 12:22"Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out." Proverbs 10:9"Let me describe for you a worthless and a wicked man; first, he is a constant liar; he signals his true intentions to his friends with eyes and feet and fingers." Proverbs 6:12-13"For there are six things the Lord hates—no, seven: haughtiness, lying, murdering, plotting evil, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, sowing discord among brothers." Proverbs 6:16-19"A false witness shall be punished, and a liar shall be caught." Proverbs 19:9"A fortune made by people who tell lies amounts to nothing and leads to death.. but the conduct of those who are not guilty is honest." Proverbs 21:6 & 8
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| Photo by Annie Spratt |
"Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight." Proverbs 12:22 esv
"Lying lips are extremely disgusting to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight." Proverbs 12:22 amp
“A righteous man hates lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and comes to shame.” Proverbs 13:5
“A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.” Proverbs 14:5
“Excellent speech becomes not a fool: much less do lying lips a prince.” Proverbs 17:7
God wants you protected and blessed in His will. And He wants you protecting others as well. Yet, lying is ubiquitous in this world.
Lying, deceiving, telling half-truths are wrong. They are self-serving rather than Christ or others-serving. It hurts God and others, and it really damages our relationship with God. Research about lying tells us that:
• 60% of Americans can’t have a 10-minute conversation without lying at least once.
• Most people tell an average of four lies per day.
• 13% of people admit to lying and 32% to “stretching the truth” to their doctor.
• 30% of people lie about their diet and exercise regimens.
• 31% of people admit to lying on their resumes.
• The average child begins to tell lies between the ages of two and three.
• 70% of liars claim they would tell the same lies again.
Lying is something the world does regularly, but as reborn Christians who want to grow up, we are to think and be different from the world.
In the Bible, Jesus identified two opposing kingdoms, one of lies and one of truth. He said Satan is the prince of this world and referred to him as “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). But He called Himself the Prince of Peace, the ruler of a greater kingdom that is not of this world and referred to Himself as the truth (John 14:6).
Those of us who follow Jesus, who are citizens of His kingdom, are to also walk in truth, not in falsehood. Proverbs tells us that wisdom only speaks truth (8:1–7), that God and His righteous ones hate falsehood (6:16–19; 13:5).
Scripture tells us that God does not lie as men do (Numbers 23:19; Titus 1:2). He only speaks truth because He is Truth. By His very character, in His holiness, He is incapable of lying.
If we are people of God, reflecting His image and His character, we will also speak truth. Paul said when we become believers, we take off our old self, which is “of the world” and includes falsehood and “deceitful desires.” We put on the new self, which is like Christ, who speaks only truth and builds others up instead of tearing them down (Ephesians 4:20–32).
Paul said, “since you have put away lying..” Lying is part of our old self. It is something in our past, something we have put away. It’s something the world does, not believers. God is a God of truth, so as His people, we are to be people of the truth. That means we speak truth even when it is hard. We don’t lie to spare feelings or “keep the peace.”
We are called to speak the truth in love, no excuses.
In the New Living Translation, Proverbs 23:10 says, “Don’t cheat your neighbor by moving the ancient boundary markers; don’t take the land of defenseless orphans.” Perhaps nothing is more detestable to God than pilfering land and flocks from orphans and widows, or, in other words, stealing from the neediest and most vulnerable members of society. God’s loyalties are firmly established on the side of widows, orphans, and those who need our help (Exodus 22:22–24; Jeremiah 22:3; Psalm 146:9; Proverbs 15:24). The Lord will come to their aid and expects His followers to do so as well (Deuteronomy 24:19–21; Isaiah 1:17; Psalm 82:3).
The message of Proverbs 23:10, not to remove the ancient landmark, is the akin to the point made by James: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (James 1:27). The Lord is a God of truth and integrity, who always deals honestly and fairly with others, and His people are to be like Him. God desires us to pursue honesty in our inner being and in our dealings with others (2 Corinthians 8:21; Hebrews 13:18). For this reason, Paul urged, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9).
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| Thanks for the pic, Marcus Winkler |
What does the Bible say about integrity?
What does the Bible say about true Christian character?
What does the Bible say about dependability?
Are there some Bible verses about the person of truth - Jesus?
Did Jesus ever lie, like to His brothers in John 7:8–10?
Was Jesus sinless? Yes, still is. He is the same honest Person now.
How transparent should church finances be?
What are some Bible verses about trustworthiness?
What does the Bible say about the power of true words?
Earn the right to be heard and trusted, believer. What does the Bible say about trusting others?
Are there some Bible verses about inerrancy?
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Luke 16:10
How should a Christian view comedy?
What does the Bible say about coarse jesting and crude joking?
Does our honest God have a good sense of humor? Yes.
Know any Bible verses about humor?
Did Jesus (the way, the truth, and the life..) ever laugh? Laughter is a part of life! So Jesus encouraged joyful laughter, most famously in the Beatitudes, recorded in Matthew 5 and Luke 6. Jesus said, “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.”
Jesus spoke of rejoicing in His parables in Luke 15—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son were all found. The result in each case was great rejoicing. Even more telling is that Jesus told these stories as illustrations of the “joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10).
Christ had a serious mission to accomplish in this world, but He was not one to be somber all the time. There is no verse in the Bible that says, “Jesus laughed,” but we know that He empathized with us completely and felt all of our emotions. Laughter is indeed a part of life.
There is a time to joke and a time to be sincere. When my buds ask me about what happened when they were away, sometimes I short-term-fib.. yeah BIG too.. in at serious way so that they believe it, but then I soon fix it. Some have come to depend upon me for some attempts at humor (and they also know I love the Word most).
Are there Bible verses about humor?
What does it mean that we should think on whatever is true (Philippians 4:8)? How can that make room for some humor?
"Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.." See Ephesians 4:25-27 & 29
What does it mean that God is truth?
What does it mean that “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)?
What is the belt of truth (Ephesians 6:14)?
Did Jesus really mean it when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6)? Yes.
What is the relationship between grace and truth?
What does it mean to be rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)?
Is truth relative as so many like to say it is?
Do some people crave to hear lies in a certain way? What does 2 Timothy 4:3 mean by itching ears?
What does it mean to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)?
Yes, there have a been times when for humor’s sake (well, sometimes it’s my lame attempts at humor..) where I have told my friends a big elaborate story adding in false facts to make the tail more crazy extreme and then I dramatize it, acting straight-faced-sincere like it really happened, and then in a few minutes I tell them it’s all true.. and No really I made up parts of that. Those people didn’t really throw down and attack me like that. Yeah, I have to fix it soon so if I were to die all would be good.
It ain’t really a lie to me unless I don’t fix it. Or is it? It’s kind of one, but I just call it joking around. i try not to do that when some is mourning a loss. Why irritate or be like salt on a wound?
Life has to be interesting instead of always so intense, and people need to laugh some. Not always but probably more than they do. If you tell a clean joke, please just remember the punchline so that you don’t get into trouble, or someone else into trouble.
Choose to live free from all pretense (unless it is time for a clean joke). Live free from all deceit, and hypocrisy too. Sincere people represent themselves honestly, and their verbal expressions are free from double-talk, fibs, gossip, flattery, or embellishment. The Bible places a high value on sincerity: “Love must be sincere” (Romans 12:9; cf. 2 Corinthians 6:6). So also must faith be sincere (1 Timothy 1:5).
For some five years in Bavaria I found the German believers to be the most sincere people I’ve ever met. I didn’t see them joking around, but I saw them working hard and helping each other. I miss them a lot.
Ever read the book “The Day America Told the Truth”? It’s pretty interesting and was done by the authors James Patterson and Peter Kim and they revealed that 91 percent of Americans lie on a daily basis.
Well guess what.. God doesn’t like lying. And let me take that a step further: God really hates lying. See Proverbs 6 where the Holy Spirits lists seven things God the Father hates. It’s worth noting that two of these things refer to dishonesty:
“There are six things the Lord hates – no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family” (verses 16–19 NLT).
What does it mean to write mercy and truth on the tablet of your heart (Proverbs 3:3)?
What does it mean that the Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth (John 16:13)?
What does it mean to worship the Lord in spirit and truth?
Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira for lying?
What is Christian Rationalism? A lie. Christian Rationalism is just another part of Satan’s attempt to deceive people into thinking that they are gods and can find their own identity and meaning through his pseudo world. It is, of course, completely against the true teachings of the Bible.
The Ten Commandments given to Moses includes: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).
Why are all Christians hypocrites? Are all Christians hypocrites?
Is there such a thing as true worship? Yes.
Isn’t it unloving to tell someone when they are sinning?
Should Catholic traditions have equal or greater authority than the truth in the Bible? Nope.
What does the Bible truthfully say about traditionalism?
What does the Bible say about being a busybody?
Why is the truth of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ so important?
What is the great deception in the Bible?
Why is God going to send a strong delusion in the end times?
Is there such a thing as absolute truth or universal truth? Yes.
When it’s dealing with Bible teaching, what does it mean that teachers will be judged more strictly (James 3:1)?
What does the Bible say about sincerity?
Can you give me some Bible verses about truth?
Why is God absolutely, so adamantly opposed to lying? Because it’s so destructive. In the book of Proverbs we’re told, “Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow” (25:18 NLT).
From this we could safely conclude that God hates lying in any form. He hates it because He is the source of all truth. And guess what.. God used that term to describe his very character. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6 NLT). When God chose a word to describe who He is, He said, “I am.. the truth.” Jesus not only told the truth when he spoke (every time), He is the truth (emphasis mine). he’s like the opposite of CNN and those other Liberal news networks (Does the prince of the power of the air pull the strings at these networks?).
Truth is who Jesus is. He always thinks it, walks it and talks it. To help us. Lies never really help anyone.
In dramatic contrast to Jesus, Satan is identified as “the father of lies” (John 8:44 NLT). It’s as clear as day: God is truth, and Satan is the father of lies. Therefore when we lie, we are behaving more like the children of the devil than the children of God.
Are you lying about something or someone right now? Do you have a résumé that isn’t honest? Do you find that you give exaggerated reports of what you’ve done? Are you lying about someone else to tear them down and make yourself look better? That is a sin before God.
God doesn’t say, however, that if you have ever told a lie, you can’t worship him. If that were the case, none of us could worship him. We have all lied in one way, shape, or form. At the same time, if you are practicing deceit, if you are continuing to tell lies, then it will hinder your fellowship with God. It’s offensive to him.
You might say, “Lying isn’t a problem in my life. I never lie.” Actually, you may lie a little more often than you think you do.
One way people lie is by gossip and backbiting. Gossip is a powerful force. It wrecks marriages. It ruins careers. It topples governments. It destroys reputations. It spawns suspicion. It generates grief. Even the very word hisses when it’s pronounced. And if you’ve ever had someone gossip about you and tell lies about you, then you know how painful it can be.
Sometimes a little bit of truth is presented with a lot of lies added to it. The tabloids do this. They’ll include a shred of truth to give their article a believability factor, but then they fill it with all kinds of lies.
Sometimes people rationalize gossip. They’ll present it in ways like, “Have you heard?” or “Did you know?” or “I don’t believe it’s true, but I heard..” or “I wouldn’t tell you, but I know it won’t go any further..” Then there’s the so-called spiritual version: “I’m telling you this only so you can pray..” That’s trying to spiritualize your sinning. We all need help with not speaking outta school so to speak.
It’s gossip. Proverbs 20:19 says, “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers” (NLT).
I don’t like to entertain gossip, so when people come to me with information about someone, I’ll ask how they know it’s true. What’s their source? Have they gone to the person they’re talking about and asked for their perspective? Can I quote them on this? If the answer is no, then don’t tell me.
Another way people lie is through flattery. While backbiting is saying behind a person’s back what we would never say to their face, flattery is the opposite. Flattery is saying things to a person’s face that we would never say behind his or her back. Kids are very good at this with their parents. They’ve taken it to an art form. It’s tempting to flatter someone when you want to get something from them. But it’s a form of lying.
Exaggeration is another way people lie. They’ll tell a story and begin to embellish it a little. Each time the story is told, it becomes more dramatic. Of course, they’re always the heroes of their own stories, which show how clever they were or how they came into a situation with just the right words. They stretch the facts a bit. It’s a form of lying.
Keeping silence is another form of lying. When we hear something about someone else that we know for a fact isn’t true, and we remain silent, it’s a form of lying. They might be slamming a friend, and we don’t stand up for that friend. We don’t tell them the truth. That is slander by silence. It’s complicity by passivity.
We live in a time when moral relativism is the rule of the day, when many people don’t believe in absolutes. They don’t believe there is such a thing as absolute truth. If they want to be a success and have to steal, lie, or maybe even murder to get there, that is what they’ll do.
Do you have sins you feel ashamed of, you know, wrongs you’ve committed?
God is there for you waiting with open arms. Run to Him. He stands ready to forgive you. Would you pray something like, “God, I’m sorry for my deceit, lying and twisting the truth. I am sorry for my sins and know it’s all wrong, but Father, I believe Jesus paid the price for me, and I want to put my complete faith and trust in Him. I want to please You and walk in honesty. Please be Lord and forgive me--please guide me. Amen.
God will forgive you of every sin you’ve ever committed. He will basically wipe your slate clean.
Colossians 3:9 says, “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices.” Lying is listed in 1 Timothy 1:9-11 as something practiced by the lawless. Furthermore, liars will be among those judged in the end (Revelation 21:8). In contrast, God never lies (Titus 1:2). He is the source of truth. “It is impossible for God to lie” (Numbers 23:19).
What are some Bible verses about deception?
What does the Bible say about false accusations?
If telling a lie prevents an even greater evil, is telling the lie still a sin? No, it ain’t ever right to lie.
What is spiritual manipulation?
“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given. (See Proverbs 25:11). “Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.”
Live sincere. Proper words of honesty are like apples of gold in settings of silver.
How is a winking eye trouble (Proverbs 10:10)?
What does the Bible say about being manipulative?
What does the Bible say about libel?
What does the Bible say about slander?What does the Bible teach on self-deception?
What are the works of the devil (who is a liar) in 1 John 3:8?
Steps to really help you out?
Please prayerfully meditate upon, and then re-meditate upon these Bible verses (even memorizing some of them) you know, to kind of internalize them better and then choose to die to your own way.. going God's way instead.
As you start your day, pray asking God to give you His boldness, yes His sort of courage to hold your tongue when you are tempted to lie. Ask him for wisdom and other words, so you can tell only the truth. Ask Him to fill you with His holy Spirit to guide and control you.
Act on God's word in faith trusting that He will provide all your needs as He has promised.
The Bible says in James 3:8, "But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."
The tongue can be the most wicked weapon on earth, so use it wisely and speak your words with caution. As Christians, we shouldn't fill our lives with deceit. We should always strive to leave honest, open lives that are full of trust and love. But, since we are all human, sometimes it is hard to avoid lying.
White lies and small omissions are still lies - we should always remember that. The option to lie should not be a in a Christian's life; we should always think of the truth first. We are not made perfect and we are tainted by original Sin. But no matter how imperfect we are, we should always strive to be good people - and this means not lying.
"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9
"God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." Romans 3:4
What does the Bible say about lying? Is lying a sin?
Why did God allow a lying spirit to deceive Ahab?
Should the Hebrew midwives have been commended for lying?
What can we learn from the man of God and the lying prophet?
Why did God kill Ananias and Sapphira for lying?
Did Jesus lie to His brothers in John 7:8–10? Why did Jesus say He was not going to the feast, but then He went to the feast?
Can God lie? Uhh.. nope. Never has, never will.
What does the Bible teach about honesty?
Why does Proverbs 23:10 tell us not to remove the ancient landmark? Maintaining honesty in every area of life is important.
What are some Bible verses about dishonesty?
What does the Bible say about manipulation / being manipulative?
Is lying really among the seven things God hates?
Jesus was once called "good teacher" cuz He is. Remember that.. and Christ's response?
There is One who is good. The Bible doesn't teach that you and I are good. It teaches we are sinners in need of a Savior. Do some translations use that term good in reference to people? Yes.
"A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children, and the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous." Proverbs 20:24"The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good; and the evil man brings out of his evil treasure what is evil." Matthew 12:35"..for he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And considerable numbers were brought to the Lord." Acts 11:24",,.as it is written, 'There is none righteous, not even one.'" Romans 3:10
While it is true that God is the One who is good and that lying is a part of our fallen human nature, all men are not liars (today in the USA, 91 percent are).
Many people are liars, and we may all lie in ways of which we are not fully aware, such as false representation, pretense, or silence. But in Psalm 116 the writer is referring to the lack of loyalty in people he had trusted. It felt to him as though no one could be counted on, so, in his “alarm,” he exaggerated the reality. We often do this. We use words like everything, no one, always, or never to make our point, even though those superlatives are not necessarily factual. For example, when we say, “Everything has gone wrong today,” or “No one cares that I’m sick,” we most likely exaggerate the truth. The statement that “all men are liars” in Psalm 116:11 follows that pattern.
Does God hate? If God is love, how can He hate?
Why is "You shall not give false testimony" in the Ten Commandments?
What does the Bible say about a false witness?
Do the ends justify the means?
If a cook uses a lot of ingredients from many sources he or she can be commended, but what does the Bible say about plagiarism?
Are the “apparitions of Mary,” such as Lady Fatima, true messages from God or from a lying spirit?
What does the Bible say about white lies?
What does the Bible say about cheating in school? How honest is that or is that NOT?
Here’s some more. Please prayerfully read these Bible verses below dealing with lying if you need God’s help with overcoming the telling of lies. Sometimes it is extremely difficult to tell the truth, but God can make a way for you. He can give you the wisdom and courage to do so as you prayerfully looked to Him.
“And the serpent said to the woman, you shall not surely die..” Genesis 3:4 (and that from the snake directly went against what God had already told Adam and Eve)
“You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another." Leviticus 19:11 esv
“I hate and abhor lying: but your law do I love.” Psalms 119:163
"Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit, but Judah still walks with God and is faithful to the Holy One." Hosea 11:12 esv
“...but Judah still rules with God, and remains faithful, along with the godly ones." Int’lSV.
“The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies; neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth: for they shall feed and lie down, and none shall make them afraid.” Zephaniah 3:13
“You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stayed not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” John 8:44
“But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?” Acts 5:3
“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29
“Lie not one to another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his deeds..” Colossians 3:9
“Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron..” 1 Timothy 4:2
“My brothers, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” James 3:1
“For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and fornicators, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loves and makes a lie.” Revelation 22:15 kurtwVs.medium.com
